Speech of Mr. Silas Wright, of New-York, on the Proposition to Amend the Tariff: Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, March 7, 1828 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Speech of Mr. Silas Wright, of New-York, on the Proposition to Amend the Tariff: Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, March 7, 1828 I believe brought a majority of the Committee' on Manufactures, to agree to the bill now upon your table. I am not, however, prepared to debate this bill htherwise than 111 detail, and upon its several provi sions; and therefore I have withheld my remarks until the amendment prrgosed by the hono Chairman should become the question he the Committee. That I now understand to be the question, and object to direct my remarks. Yet Sir, I fear if I shoiuld promise to be concise, I should not be able to perform that 1p101n1se It will be impossible for me to present my views within as short a time as I could wish; and I shall be compelled to make some references to the testimony taken before the Committee on Manufac tures, and to go into stat1stical calculations, which will be dry and un interesting to the Committee, and, I fear, scarcely intelligible to those who may tdhave the patience to listen. I will endeavor, however, to make them as clear and plain as I am able, and to give the grounds upon which they are made, so that their accuracy may be tested. And here, Sir, it is my duty to premise that it has been my object, and I believe it to have been the object of the majority of the Commit tee, to frame a bill which should have m view the protection of the leading interests of the country. Ihave supposed that inhall laws having a reference to the protection of the domestic industry of this country, agriculture should be considered the prominent and leading interest. This I have cohsidered the basis upon which the other great interests rest, and to which they me to be considered as subservient. Still this is not to be considered as entitled to protection, exclusive of the manufacturing interest. I do not believe that a law which would be injurious to manufactures would be beneficial to agriculture; but I do believe that protection to manufactures should be given with express reference to the effect upon agriculture, and that no protection can be Wise, 01 consistent with the policy of this governm1ent, which has not for its object to add strength and vigor to this great and vital interestcguntry, _ and when the cultivation of ou1' soil, and; the manufacture of its productions, should. Not require the employment of all the labor of the country, then a different rule might be applicable: then it might be sound policy to encourage the importation of foreign materials, that surplus of domestic labor. Principle it is my intention to apply to the subj lens now before the Committee. I am aware that the questi Vo'lved in that part of the bill now unde1 consideration, and the posed amendment, is one of the most in'terestmg and important cin braced-111 the whole bill. It-occupies much of the feeling, both of the manufacturei of wool and the wool growel It touches the interest of both, and it would be very difficult even for expel 1ence to say what would be relatively just between, the two 1nte1csts But, Si1, _i_f-con stant reference 15 had to the facts which appear in the testimony taken before the Committee on Manufactures, and to the statistical 1nf01ma hey have been able to collect, something like an approach to certainty may be attained. This examination has been taken with this View, and it 1s 01 1s not to answer any valuable purpose, as this bill shall or shall not be discussed with reference to the facts it dis closes. With that refel ence it shall be my business to discuss the pro po osed amendment, and my observations shall be, as -far as possible, di lected to this testimony, as the foundation of the positions Which I shall attempt to establish. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com