The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-08

A-1 49, "A0&0L : @'bk 4tE>4OuGl carter
In detail He was attentive and prompt
IN meeting every duty. We may note a
few instances OF the part Re played and
the views he expressed.
The depredations upon our commerce,
growing out o. the war between Great
Britain and France. caused much irrita-
ton in the United States. Various ex-
pedients We're proposed 10 meet the sit
%uation, such as new treaties and the en-
barge act. Mr. Macon was solicitous 10
pursue a course which might bring relief
and yet avoid war. He said:
This nation, in my opinion. must
take her choice OF two alternatives to
be happy ard contented without war. and
without internal taxes. or to be warlike
and glorious, Astounding with what is
called honor and dignity, or in other
words taxes and blood. If it be the first
the people will continue to en-
JOY that which they have hith-
erto enjoycd-more privileges than
nave fallen 10 the lot Of any nation with
whose history We are acquainted: they
VIII, as they have done, live plentifuuv
on their farms, and such as choose will
carry on a fair trade. by exchanging our
surplus productions for such foreign ar
tlcles as we may want. II we take the
cther ground we shall, | fear. pursue the
same career, which has nearly, or quite
ruined all the nations of the globe. Look
at the people Of England, legally free,
nut half their time fighting for the hon
or and dignity OF the crown. and the car
rying trade, and see whether they have
gained anything by all their battles for
the nation except taxes, and these They
have in greatest abundance. Look also
| at france before tho rpVOlutioD and ua
shall see a people possessing a fertile
country and fine climate, having the
fonor to fight and be taxed as much as
they could bear, for the glory and dig
nifty of the Grand Monarquo. Let us
turn from these two great nations, and
view Switzerland, during the same pc
Ilod, though rot powerful like the 9TH
crs, VIC shall see the people free and
happy without wars, contcntCd at home,
because they have enough to live COM
fortably on and are not over-taxcd The
history of these three nations ought to
convince us that public force and liberty
cannot dwell in the same country"
When tho interference with our COM
mcrcc become intolerablc under the later
British Orders in Council and the Berlin
and Milan DEGREES of Napoleon, he be-
came a leader in the movements for re-
lief. AS chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs he reported and secured
the passage of a bill through the House,
known as Macon Bill, No.. 1, which was
understood to have the approval of the
president and Mr.. Gallatin. 1t excluded
French and English warships and mer-
chant vessels from our ports, restricted
the importation of French and English
goods to vessels owned wholly by Amer
loan citjZonC and tn such oS came 6i-
rcctly from England or France. 1t has
been characterized as the "only meas
ure short of war which met the require
ments of the case" The ground of ar
Macon's support was that lit places re
strictions on those who restrict us and
not rs at present on ourselves This
bill was defeated by a coalition Of Fed
c~ralists and personal enemies Of Gala
tin. Macon Bill, No. 2. a milder meas
ure, was then brought forward ant
passed, but it was not sufficient to stay
the mischief and his wise efforts to avoid
war We're defeated.
Mr.. Macon rendered great service tC
the country in his defence of the Con
stitution. In one speech he said, "Thcr,
are five or six different ways found o.
getting poverty construction, b,
treaty, by implication and so forth.
an willing to execute the Constitution
just as it was understood by those who
made it and no other" and again "Wt
get power faster than the people ge
money" The ~biographcr Of Randolph
writes: Besides Mr.. Randolph. Nathan.
icl Macon, Of North Carolina, and Spcn-
cor Rome, Chief Justice of Virginia. were
the most conspicuous statesmen III tina
time Of amalgamation and confusion O
Il ALI n1TtioS. Thew WCrC ever cOnSlStC0
and uniform in their adherence to tn
principles of the strict construction
school, and always urgent for these
measures of economy and that course o
wise and mastery inactivity Whicf
) must ever characterize a party based or
such principles" It is at this point tina
men have failed to comprehend Mr.. Ma
con. He was not what would then o.
now be called 4 progressive or construc-
tive statesman. His idea was hat thu
people who formed the government were
entirely capable of managing it anC
changing it to meet their wishes whe1
they saw fit; that the government coult
not enlarge its p~rerogativc except by en-
croachmcnt upon the rights of the PEG
PIE: that the officers of government were
the servants of the people and could
have no authority except as the people
ofNW II " Sohh1A = 1880 49,
OF government is to protect people from
interference that they may work out theil
own lives in the strength of their owl
manhood. He thought the best interna
improvements were boys and girls ant
that people would continue to raise then
if let alone. The man was absolutely anC
deeply sincere. When he spoke cor the
people, he saw before him the neighbor:
and friends from whom he had come t.
the Congress, by whose frcside he ha(
sat, whose hands ne had held in fricndl!
grasp and with whom he was accustomed
to exchange the courtesies of good neigh.
borhood. He wrote Bartlett Yancey IL
1918: BE not deceived, | speak soberl.
in the fear of God, and the love Of the
Constitution; let not love of improve,
ment or a thirst for glory blind tina
sober discretion and sound sense will
which the Lord has blessed you. Pau
was not more anxious or sincere col