Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-06-27

strength. and real riches Of the country.
..To endeayour, by the extraordinary pa
tronage of government, to accelerate inc
-rowth of manufactures, is, ill TACT TO
eudeayor. by force and art, to transfer
the natural current Of industry, flcm a
more to less beneficial channel. What
ever has such a tendency must necessarily
he unwise Indeed it can hardly ever pe
wise in government to attempt to gave
direction to the industry OF its citizens.
This. under the quick sighted guidance OF
private interest, will, if left to itself, IN
fallibly find its own way to the most pro-
f;tabIe employment, and it is by such en-
pIovnent that the public prosperity will
be most effectually promoted. 10 leave
industry to Itself, therefore is. i'll almost
every case, the sotindest as we'll as the
simplest policy"
"I'his policy is not only recommended to
the United States, by considerations which
affect all nations it is, in a manner, dc
tattd to them by the imperious force Ola
very peculiar situation. The smal!ness
Of their population, compared with their
territory, the constant allurements TO emf
grafton from the settled to the unsettled
parts Of the country; the facility with
which the less independent condition OF
an artisan can be exchanged for the more
independent condition Of farmer these
and similar causes, ccnspire to produce,
and for length CT tine must continue to
occasion, "a scarcity Of hands for manu-
featuring occupation, and dearness OF Ia
Dor generally. To these disadvantages
for the prosecution Of manufactures, a
deficiency of pecuniary capital being adj
ded, the prospect OF a successful compe-
tition with the manufactures Of Europe
must be regarded as little less than despe-
rate. Extensive manufactures can only
be the offspring Of redundant, at least
Of a full population. Till the latter shall
characterize the situation of this country,
tits vain to hope for the former"
$. If, contrary to the natural course OF
things, an unreasonable and premature
spring can be given to certain fabrics, by
heavy duties, prohibitions, bounties, or by
other forced eXpcdients, this will only be
to sacrifice the interests OF the COMMUNE
ty to those Of particular classes. Besides
the instruction Oflabor. virtual mono
poly will be given to the persons employ
ed on such fabrics: and an enhancement
OF price, the inevitable consequence o; eve
ry monopoly, must be betrayed at The eX-
pence Of the other parts OF the society,"
It is far preferable that those persons
should be engaged IN the cultivation OF the
earth, and that We should procure. in ex-
change for lis productions. the eommodi-
ties with which foreigners are able to
supply us in greater perfection, and upon
better terms"
This mode ofreasoninS is founded upon
facts and principles, which have certain
" respectable pretensions. If it had go
yerned the conduct Of nations more gene
rally than it has done, there is room to
suppose, that it might have carried them
faster to prosperity and greatness than
they have attained by the pursuit of max
inns too widely opposite. Most general
theories, however. admit OfnumerOus ex-
ceptiors. and there are few if any, Of
the political kind, which do not blend a
considerable portion Of error with the
truths they ineulca:c.
In orderto an accurate Judgment how
far that which had been just stated ought
to be deemed liable to similar imputa-
tion. it is necessary TO advert carefully to
the considerations which plead in favor of
manufactures, and which appear to re-
commend the special and positive encou-
ragement Of them, in certain cases, and
under certain reasonable limitations.
1t ought readily to be conceded, that
the cultivation Of the earth, as the prima-
~ and most certain source of national sup
ply: as the immediate ard chief source Of
subsistence 10 man as the principal
source of those materials which cOnst-
tute the nutriment of other kinds Of labor
as including state most favorable TO the
freedom and independence Of the human
mind: one. perhaps. most conducive to
the multiplication Of the human species !;