Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-07-18

Thus, gentlemen. have al last placed upon
rock, which all the mer chants aud iIanuiac-
tuteis M Great Britain eau never assaii with
elect, that the true proportions OF profit to
inns great nauop arises itom her AGRICULTURE,
bet ConintrceN MdnrycetsurS. The pToduc ions
OF the United kingdom, up to 1913, did yield
profit TO the nation OF no less a sum than
ty0, ii0,60S
While her commerce and manufac.
lures during the same period,
Yielded profit of only. .2S, OPS ,4CS
Leaving preponderancei in favour
OF agriculture and the produce
tons OF the soil over commerce
ami manufactures, SIS 40
VI considerably mote than twice the amount
OF all the profits made by the commerce and
manufactures OF Great Britain aud Ireland
put together. Iet this agriculture, this uufa,
thoniable mine of wealth, as long as il shall
be duly protected, has this great nation
sacrificed TO the mistaken views of her mer.
Chants and manufacturers, who contend that
they cannot compete with foreign manutac-
tines IN foreign markets with their wool
ems, their earthepware, their hardware, and
their manufactures generally, unless bread
be artihcially cheap in this country and by
which artificial reduction, a defalcaii0u in the
returns OF the productions of our own soil for
lie iastsix years, of considerably more than
twice tile amount OF all the profits ever made
by our commerce and manufactures for both
our home and our foreign markets have a.
mounted 10, has arisen, and great proportion
OF our labourerS, both agricultural and manu-
featuring, have been thrown upon their pa.
rishes Tor subsistence. Such, gentlemen, are
the facts, the figures. and the results on which
We ground orr application 10 the Legislat
Tor That protection, Ola all the productions of
our soil which the merchants and manufactu-
Iers nave SO long enjoyed for their skill capi-
tai, and industry.
The data which DR.. Colquhounh has afforded
me are correlated and borne ont in every in.
stance by the payments 10 the Property Tax !;
etaf.
which have formed, we have thin glorious re-
suit, viz. That the cullivators of the United
Kingdom. did, by their skill. capital and in
dustiy employed in agriculture in 1913, earn
ior Tue landowners, the clergy and themselves,
net clear profit ut IS, $40, G09i. while in the
same period, all the boosted results OF all the
commerce and manufactures of the United
hinSdon, both al home and abroad amounted
10 no more than prof, of 2SU2o,iGSi.
L. This statement will not convince the Lee
gisla,nre, His Majesty's Ministers, and the
British public. of the justice, the policy and
tho necessity OF eqnal protection, for the skill
capital and industry of the culiivators of the
sOii, with the merchants and manufacturers
DOtnlilS but continuation of then present
sHifeings can ever do SO. For il is as clear,
as facts aud figures can demonstrate, that If
the productions OF our own soil have denre-
Grated one third IN value per annum since 1913,
OS Tie introduction OF foreign produce duty
Tree, then has il cost this nation The III rti mari
oi The 2l6 SIT ,G2!L the sum oil ~ 212 51lL
per annum. TO, the sing lie purpose of enabling
our merchants aud manufacturers To vend
from lO,OOO,CO0I 10 10 ,000, 00Oi worth OF their
commodities 10 foreign markets whereby
profit OF n million and a half, or al most
two millions sterling may be gained, to
Sc, against this awful depreciation of Y. 272 ,5ll
pounds and by which depreciation The la
bofs OF every man in the United Kingdom
seeking TO gain Il livelihood by skill, capital
and labor, have been arrested, large por-
ton OF our agricultural aud mauutacturin.
iaoofers nave bepn3eDt toihe parish for subsis-
tence, The value OF our lands have been reduc-
ed /; our culliVatorS are dispiTi:ed and broken
down, aud, bnaliy, every Other branch of i'll
duStry is para!lzed, because no longer sup
ported aud led by lie cC2iOSs stream which
gave motion 10 the whole. as long as our own
productions maintained "a remunera,ins price
i'll our markets.
have the honor to he, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient and most TAI thfu
Servant,
GEORGE WEIR HAIL.