The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-02-08
INTERESTING MISCELLANY.
MANUFACTURES.


To be an rdeoes Jor HE erciasire encouragement! Of
manufactures, rs, itih many al The present dag, a
sure resi- gfhis beng real pafrsot aud a frtp 4.
mericui. Neny Of the good citizens IN Boston.
As9goIk Philadelphia and other Place, are al
olipi 10 tbs manufacturing mania. The Jaei is,
geedier number eftnateiduois hare Engaged in ire
business Of manufacturing hun cen make prof
fubte or rather, much So as could I,Asona5iybs
ieish'a. StR Congress are peiiliontd 10 Double
he dHiies on imports, aud 10 Gdopt other regila-
tioHs oil uiis 20 70 embauass ard burden CON-
more. Lou far Il nay be rise OF prudentio tar
Ae many for he 6enqh ola tee. IS .jtr lie uise
aen al Hastipgicn 10 deie'min. Houerer, cs
there fro SIDES 70 tctrg proposition The .1gri-
e4ihr4f socitfts IA irgnia al meeting he'd for
The purpose, agreed upon memorial 10 Congres 4
setting forth their teus ef the subject and protest.
i,g against sacrificing he interest Of me farmer
AID ntretom 10 that efMe ranufaeiVrtF. as iu-
eOn1si,nt aeih rte gens'4. property. Fe re-
gre, that our LIMITS ell mol ul0ic rs 10 eire his
oble memorial eni,re what yodcss, howerer, tr,H
sf'cf as a yceim,n -
% y hen we een.ider,n say the memoriaiists.
Z" the taxes already imposed on foreign nlsnufac-
lures, averaging, perhaps, twenty-five per cent?
and est mate the amount OF freight, double com
missions. insurance, and various smaller charges
incident shipping and transporting to this count
~ the products Of the foreign artisan, moderate
calculation will give TO the American manufac-
turer an advantage el-@osty per cent.--if, to this
immense advantage over the European Compel
itor, add, the cheap terms ON which the chief
neoessares of life--meat, bread and fuel--can be
procured, the abur dance in which the raw ma
terials produced, our happy exemption from
the whole OF that frghtnl catalogue OF oppressive
taxes, which, barely 10 read, makes the Ameri-
can citizen shudder tut under the continually
aceumu ating weight OF which. the foreign artisan
must labour, and still further. on the authority
Of the advocates Of protecting duties, a consider
able capital unemployed and numerous labour-
ers starving 10 idleness, and you exhibit "A series
of advantages on the side Of the American man.
ufacturer. which would seem TO put competi.
tion, in our own market, entirely out Of the aues-
ton. IT. with such overwhelming odds in his
favour, the American declines 10 compete with
the foreign manufacturer, wo must conclude,
either, that capital is wanting To fit him out for
the trial, or. he scorns the consideration Of such
profits as would satisfy his opponent. II the for
mer conclusion be true, il demonstrates the i'm
propriety of attempting at this time to force man.
ufactures by law: for, as capital is essentially
necessary, and cannot he forced by law, we had
better await its slow growth, from the gradual
operation Of the usual causes, and whenever il
arrives al sufficient maturity, manufactures will
follow without force. But If, on the other hand,
our manufacturers are 50 impatient 10 enrich
themselves, as to disdain the gradual accumula-
ton of moderate profits, submit respe etfully to
your wisdom the impolicy of suhjecting so large
portion of your fellow citizens TO such unreason-
able cupidity--ol laying them at the mercy of an
association, who Competition being romoved)
viii 40 longer consider the iatrinsic value OF an