15 gress which assembled under our Constitution. When that body assembled to put into operation the form of government which the people of the United States had adopted—to make the freedom which they had won upon, the battle-fields of the Revolution conduce to the permanent welfare and happiness of themselves and their posterity, there were eminent and talented men who contended for this theory ; but they failed to convince a majority of that Congress that it was the true policy of the United States to adopt it. And, accordingly, we find that among the first acts of that Congress was a law laying duties on imports. And that the purposes for which that law was passed might never be questioned or misunderstood, the wise patriots and statesmen who passed it, prefixed a preamble, which is in the following words : K Whereas it is necessary for the support of the government, for the discharge of the debts of the United States, and the encouragement and protection of manufactures, that duties be laid on goods, wares, anti merchandises: Be it enacted," fyc. Since that time it has been the uuifunn policy of this Government, in laying duties for revenue, to discriminate “for the. encouragement and protection of manufacturesThis policy has paid the national debt which was contracted in the achievement of Independence, and for the prosecution of the last war witluGreat Britain—it has fortified our coasts and seaports—it has built our *vy and navy-yards—it has built our armories—it has supplied the nation with arms and munitions of war for its defence—it has furnished the means of extinguishing the Indian title to a vast and fertile domain—it has paid the debt of gratitude which we owed to the soldiers of the Revolution—in short, it has supplied the Government with revenue to accomplish all the purposes for which it was instituted, without subjecting the people to inconvenience, or onerous burdens ; and it has encouraged and protected American manufactures, until they have grown to a state of maturity which makes us independent of foreign nations for all that we need for our comfort and convenience in peace,' or for our defence in war ; and, by creating home markets, it has placed the welfare and prosperity of our people upon a more stable basis, less subject than formerly to be injuriously affected by the political or commercial convulsions of foreign nations. All the sources of national power and prosperity which were latent when this policy was first adopted, have been most happily developed, and we have grown as no nation ever before grew. Why should we discard the policy of our fathers which has produced such great and glorious results, to follow the lead of Mr. Polk into the untried experiment of free trade ? Is he wiser or more patriotic than the illustrious men of the first Congress, or the great statesmen of all political parties who have steadily maintained the policy which was then commenced ? Shall we render higher homage to him than to the sages of our early history ? Let us rather despise the counsels of this man of yesterday, and by adhering to the examples of our fathers, carry our country forward and upward to a greater prosperity and higher glory ; and of that prosperity and glory, erect the only monument which can befittingly commemorate their wisdom and patriotism, and attest our veneration for their virtues. 76 - h
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