Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-12-18

nance las winter) Whilst our country was strue
Cling under the embarrassment thus produced, the
American system seemed to come 10 a head,
and IN ISL. Tie second tariff law was passed
This fell with peculiar hardships upon the cu;,i
vators oil the earth: the tempting prospect OF agri-
cultural prohi, which an ,mprovcc. comiuc rec hal
opened, had sejuceI them from their sncient DO
hey Of" living within themscIves"-,o Ills noIcv
however, 'hey would gradually have been brough,
back by the same necessity, " hich had compeIIed
them to adoptit, and such return would have been
easy and natural; but the process seemed too low
TO our rulers, and stimulated by petitions from tie
manufacturers, who saw once, that the period
was favorable one, for pushing their fur,une--it
was determined to hasten the operation by the APP
plication OF force The partially of government
to this tavorite scheme, aud the appetite OF the
manufacturers Tor gain, only sharpened by partial
gratihcation, urged them on TO another and vet
more oppressive tariff Thus, an evil, which if
let alone, would have found a remedy i'm that
principle OF our nature, which impels US to tax.
care Of ourselves, was increased by the empirici.a
OF government. Ihe consequence is, that the po-
Icy OF living within ourselves" which when
commerce was young and the profits of labor bu,
snail, was wise one, and under similar circum-
stances will always be wise, is engrsGted upon Va .
al time when by different course the doors of
commercial intercourse with foreign nations,
might have been thrown open 10 US, and when
labor in the field would be worth more than at
the loom. The period has not arrived when we
can speak from experience of the full effects Of
this system--but we are unable 10 account for the
continued depression upon agriculture, otherwise
than by ascrbng in part, TO the operation OF that
system; & in this, we are strengthened by all the
views we have taken of its mode Of operation -
The exclusion Of foreign manufactures from our
ports, it appears TO must necessarily be follow
ed by the exclusion OF our agricultural products
from foreign ports We flattered with the idea
that home demand for bre ad -stulf5 will be
ated by the extension OF manu- fac turing establish
ments, TO make up the loss OF the foreign demand;
this we believe TO be Observation-Disclosures that ex-
tension is produced, not 50 much by increasing the
number OF hands employed, by the improve
ment OF machinery: IDLY, because, the supply Of
bread stufs must from local causes increase be-
yond comparison lsster than the consumption of
them i'll this country can be made by any device to
increase: 3dly, because our government cannot
by Legislation controu the products Of other coun-
tries as to make the supply of foreign manufac-
lures exactly equal to the deficiency of our
the foreign demand for bread stutis lust sufficient
for our surpius-thus, we shall be left entirely in
the power Of our own manufacturers. In reply to
the remark often made by the friends of the Ia
riff, that the prices OF manufactures have not in
creased, and therefore ought not to complain,
il sutfces to say, they have not decreased as
we had right to expect they would under the o.
peration Of protecting duties. From the fact that
the New-Engiand delega ion voted against the re-
cent law OF 1928, we have right to infer that the
principal manufacturers realised fair profits with
out its cid. That the representatives of other man
uiacturing districts voted for it, may be satsiacto-
FLY accounted Tor upon the suppositi0n that they
were not 80 we'll advanced in the business of man
ufacturing and could not come into competition
with their New England brethren without add-
tiona protection. Hence may be learned the
instructive lesson that every new competitor will
require new aid, and the farmers be called on to
pay for it
Let us farther test the policy Of the American
system" by the end proposed to be accomplished.
That end is, Independence of the world. This
strikes us 10 be anotion Of independence errone-
proposed. The wealth Of a nation is propor,ioned
70 its exports. In period of peace, if COM
Inerce is lett free to pursue lis track wheresoever
II listeth, and the industry aud ENTERPRISE OF
man, untrammeiled by artificial systems Of
government, nation, whose products OF whatso-
ever kind enabled it to command the products of
other nations, is necessarily independent of them
When war comes,,it is the better able to meet il
and then may that labor ard capital which are
thrown out OF agricultural and commercial en-
poyment, be advantag eously added to the stock
already employed in manuiactures-for il must b.
supposed that without the aid of legislation self
interest and local advantages will always give due
impulse to manufacturing establishments which
may be extended with facility in time of war. We
do not dissent from the principle, that in peace,
nation ought 10 make some preparation for
but we say that ii is unwise, it is suicidal, for
nation whose policy is peace, TO impose upon it.
self without necessity, the privatons of a war
in anticipation OF the occurrence of war at
some remote period And, in relation TO the en-.
enlargement Of manufactures, our principle is
let natural causes and individual enterprise be
aided, not Jorced ly legislaticn.sEg
To sum up the errors o! the protecting sys-
tem."-It requires ihat people thinly scattered
over an extended and fertile territory, whose oh.
vious interest consists mainly in agriculture, should
become serve imitaors OF populous nation
crowded within comparatively narrow limits,
whose tue interest is found in manufactures
commerce being necessary link between them:
il makes il expedent for one hall the labourers
a farm to make bread for the other half whilst the
latter are engaged in making clothes for the for
Iner, leaving Rothing TO sell: u taxes the two
heading interests Of country for the benefit Of
the third: lis obvious tendency, and essential
characteristic is, to diminish revenue by diminish
ing importation, and therefore, it is an abuse of
the power O. taxation vested in Congress, for rails
ing revepue by its cXorbitant duties, and the RI
gor of Custom House regulations, smuggling
loses much OF its crininality: Finally, we eau
find no warrant for il in the Constitution.
Whether right or wrong III our opinions upon
public policy, and the causes which have led to
the existing pecuniary distresses OF the country,
we cannot err in assuming the fact, that
dition is one requiring energetic and combined
efforts to ameliorate it, Selling but little, we
ought to buy but little. Let retrenchment aud
economy be first principle OF action-and the
second, encouragement OF industry in our county
and state.
Resoiued, therefore, That so far may be
practicable and consistent with true economy, we
will raise and make at home or procure in our
several neghboihoods, every thing designed for
use consumption in our families or upon cur
farms.
Resolped, IDLY. That whatever it may become
necessary to buy, we will in all cases where there
may be choice, give the preference TO articles Of
Virginia growth OF manufacture, having regard to
price and quality.
RESOLVED, 3diy. That we soemnly enjoin upon
ourselves the practice of rigid economy in our
general mode of living and pIainness Of apparel