The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-11-15

causing an unnecessary excitement at a state
Of things which had originated from OVERRIDING
business, and attempting TO make too great
profits upon their fabrics. But we are satis6-
ed that, although the present depression OF
our manufactures may have arisen. in part,
from 5ome OF these causes, there are deeper
and more lasting causes which have operated
10 rum the business. system 81 evasion has
been adopted, by which the a.iff now in ope-
ration, is clog rather than aid 10 our man
ufaCtuTes compared with 1ur old tariff. Evils
have grown up, under the present orc, 10 an
extent, that our manufacturing interest must
struggle in vain with foreign competition
These will have been portrayed, in the various
essays upon the SUBJECT, in manner not to
be misui derstood, and The only question that
remains is, whether our mannfs cures shall
! live lie. Shall the workshops of New
| England be closed, their tenants be turned ont
! upon he world, and our thriving and bcauti-
!u v.ilaSes become desolate as the regions in
(which they have grown up as it were by co.
Ch%ntment, before the wild waste Of waters
was converted TO purposes Of industry, and
Tie forests had disappeared that shed gloom
over the dark cliffs that henmcd in the rush
ing torrents Of our mountain streams. And
this question is one OF no ordinary Interest,"
TALLY important interests in our country. 1t
holds a rank inferior neither TO agriculture
nor foreign commerce, in New-England, at
least, end has been often and apty compared
TO one Of the pillars Of our national strength
Strike il down, and our edifce toiters. nay,
mere, II falls. Our condition Is not ruoh ne IL
was when the commerce almost Of the whole
world was carried in American bottoms. There
is not that frequent and hearty weighing Of the
anchor and unturling of the sail, that crowded
dock and that mass Of active life upon our
wharyes, that used to make our seaports the
scenes OF 50 much interest and animation
People are none the poorer, but their capital
has been diverted to new channel and tie
Canton supercargo is now the Canton or Low
ell or Waltham overseer. Al this has been
the natural and rational course of business,
and the wealth which was once gained by
series OF exchanges in commodities, must now
he drawn from the raw material confined
with the labor Of production. So extensive
has been the diversion Of capital to the pro-
duction OF manufactured fabrics, that every
one must ne shocked at the impolicy, nay, The
cruel injustice, of annihilating that capital at
once, OF rendering useless the spindle aud The
loom, and driving their owners 10 ruin, and
those employed by them 10 bckgary and want.
upon our sea-pOrts, and not only there, bat
upon the country generally. We saw the
rnIn that threatened the merchant-we heard
the cry for bread from our mariners and our
laborers-we saw the look of despair that was
pictured on the countenances OF those whose
all was involved in the success Of those ves-
sells that lay rotting at our wharves; and the
sabbath stiffness Of our marts was more APP
pa'inS than the thunder of an enemy's Can
non. And yet the picture which our sea-ports
then presented must be, in some measure, that
OF orr manufacturing villages if their business
must cease. That part Of their population
which is OF foreign growth must be left desti-
tute, while orr native workmen must be
thrown upon their own resources in an evil
hour: for with the ruin Of our manufactures
must he involved the depreciation Of our lands
and the diminished value Of their products. 1t
is not the manufacturer alone that is interest
ed in due protection of manufactures. Thu
farmer who has supplied, at his own door al.
most, The many tenants of these establish
ment5 with he produce of his farm, will find,
not ouly more distant market, but more
ductuatiug and less productive one, when
once his home market is destroyed. Aud that
such must be the consequence of the present
tariff, and the state of our country, seems to
have been fully proved in other essays. Let
every one, therefore, examine for himself the
question that is now presented to them. If ii
Is better to HGrsl back to state OF absolute
dependence upon foreign nation, let us sink
the manufactures of our own country-let not
a loom or shuttlc be heard along our rivers
strike ou' the fair villages that have grown up
on their banks, and let their waters riot along,
useless and unoccupied, To the ocean. But if
national faith, honor, and independence be
any thing more than words of idle import-if
we would see our country ever reach the high
destiny that seems 10 await her-let her peo-
pie awake TO their interest, let our manulac-
lures thrive. PUBLiUS.