Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-01-16

BY that consideraon-and Holland, still less to
say nothing of the navigating States Of Sweden and
Denmark, which have rarely, fever, enforced CO.
onial monopoly. The remark is, indeed, obvious.
that the shipping liberated from the usual convey
ance of supplies from the parent country the COL
onies mightbe employed in the new channels open
ed for them. in supplies from abroad.
Reciprocity, or an equivalent Tor 1t, Is the only
rule of intercourse among independent commune
ties and no nation ought to admit doctrine. Or
adopt an invarable policy, which would preclude
the counteractng measures necessary to enforce the
rule.
2. The Theory supposes, moreover, perpetual
peace a superstition, it is to be feared, not less
chmerica than universal freedom Of commerce.
The effect of war among the commercial and
manufacturing nations OF the world, in raising the
wages Of labor, and the cost its products with
like effect Oh the charges of freight and insurance,
need neither proof nor explanation. In order to de-
termne, therefore. question Of economy, between
depending foreign supplies, and encoui aging do
nestle substitutes, it is necessary to compare the
probable periods Of war with the probable periods OF
peace and the cost of the domestic encouragement
10 times of peace, with the cost added to foreign ar
ticles in times Of war.
During the last century the periods of war and
peace have been nearly equal. The effect OF state
OF war, in raising the price oimported articles, can
not be estimated with exactness. 1t is certalns
,icles may make it cheaper to manufacture them at
| home.
| Taking. for the sake Of illustration, equality
| in the two periods and the cost of an imported
yard Of cloth in time Of war to be nine and half
dollars, and in time of peace to be seven, whilst the
same could at all times De manufactured at home
for eight dollars, it is evident that tariff OF one dol
lar and quarter on the imported yard would pro-
tect the home manufacture in time Vt peace and
avoid tax Of one dollar and hall imposed by state
Of war.
| 1t cannot be said that the manufactures which
could not support themselves against foreign com.
petition in periods Of peace, would sprung up OF
themselves at the recurrence Ut war prices u must
be obvious to every one. that. apart from the dlthcu
ty of great and sudden changes of employment, no
prudent capitalists would engage i'll expensive es-
adjustments of amy sort, at the commencement OF a
war of uncertain duration, with a certainty OF hay.
ing them crushed by TIE return OF peace.
The strictest economy therefore suggests, as e&-
cepons to the general rule, an estimate, IN every
gwen case, ofwar and peace periods and prices, with
differences thererom, o! the amount oil tariff which
might be afforded during peace, III order to avoid the
tax resulting from And it will occur at once,
that the differences will be strengthened by adding.
to the suppostiun of wars wholly foreign, that Of
wars 10 which our own country might be party
| g. 1t is an opinion in which all must asree, that
no nation ought to be unnecessarily dependent on
materials essential to naval force, where the ma
| ton has maritime frontier or foreign commerce
to protect TO this class of exceptions to the theory
may be added the instruments OF agriculture, and OF
the mechanic arts which supply the other primary
wants of the community. The time has been,
when many of these we're derived from foreign
source, and of them might relapse into that de
pendencc, were the encouragement to the tabrica-
ton of them at home Withdrawn. But, as all for
eign sources must be liable to Interruptions too iu-
conv enient to be haZzarted, a provident policy
would favor an internal and independent source, as
a reasonable exception to the general rule OF con
sulting cheapness alone
a. There are cases where nation may be so far
advanced in the prerequisites for particular branch
of manufactures, that this, if once brought into ex-
istence would support itself; and yet, unless adea
in its nascent and infant state. by public encour-
4 agement and confidence in public protection, might
remain ifnot altogether, for long time unaempt-
= ed or attempted without success. Is not our cot
ton manufacture fair example However favored
by an advantageous command OF the raw material,
and machinery which dispenses so extraord'nary
a proportion with manual labor 1t is quite prooaoie,
that without the impulse given by war cutting on
foreign supplies and the patronage OF an early tariff
it might not even yet have established Itself and
nrey certain that it would be far short of the pros
nervous condition which enables it to face, in foreign
markets. the fabrics of a nation that dehes all 9TH
: err competitors. The number must be small, that
would now pronounce this manufacturing ooon not
to have been cheapiy purchased by the 'aflh wnoh
cursed it into its present maturity
s. Should it happen, has been suspected, to
be an object though not of foreign government it.
self offs great manufacturing capitalists, to strange
in the cradle the infant manufactures otan extensive
customer. or an anticipated rival, it would surely
in such case, be incumbent on the suffering party
so far to make an exception to the let alone Poil-
cy, as to parry the evil by opposite regulations Oh
its foreign commerce.
:. 6. It's common objection to the public encour-
.oe,ent of nartcular branches of industry. that it
calls off Iabnrers from other branches found to DC