Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-14
Tram rc jjrgiaia Literary Nusston.
TIE rOLiCN or ENCOURAGING MANU-.


II we nave been right in preceding rcul1rks,
irginh Is no more Incapable o cDa miuo in lariu-
lectures to advantage, from her employing slave Ia
pNF thaA rom the nigh price OF ti!1t Rbuur, or the
h., profits OF capital. Il is not meant to be denied
i!iat slave labour a5 its disadvantages which must
- 'aiess DC audca to lis money price, to ascertain
IL nt iusic But when W: s,c so little differences
'>LWeIh Tue wages o. Tree lubUutCrs and slaves, III
many species oi industry, when they are cmrloyct
-! harvest WORK, or as mechanics, w;iermCl, we
must THINK that most or the difference is rather PRO
piec ihun oryratlcr incidental than general
and I'at IT may be made yield to a. course OF Judi
cIou9 management, aud superintendent, winch are,
is we nave seen, more practicable III Il manui;lctory
man on Iartn But however, may estimate the
nicrioflty Of slave llbrur whether az ten or fifteen
per cent, OF yet more, the differences must be added
TO the computed price oihat lahpnr il; orr nrey o,ls
comparative estimates; and abour constitutes but
one oil Tie three elem ents of price, and not always the
largest, such difference would not materially vary the
results that have been already stated.
butff The objections to slave labour had been u:-
answeFab!e they would not have established our IN
capacity 10 manufacture since there would he no If
iicuIty III procuring free abourcrs in this state for
any number Of manuiactorcs, that mplt be establish
ed at price little beyond that cstinatcd for slaves
ii, then, we can admit tue strange prOp"sion, that
cur slaves, VINO constitute large part Of our me-
chanlcs. are incapable of the most si,nnle oncra
ions OF the n1nItactofy, We must also admit that
they may be retained III their present agricultural
einp!oyuienss, and that part of free labourers
may be transferred from their less profitable farInjn
occupal ions, or from downright idencss Let it be
remembered shat the Chief cnp!Jymcnts &c our PEG
PIE must long continue 10 be agricu!,ural and that
Tie diversion or small proportion of our labour,
III the way we recommend, VIII be sufficient To sup
ply lis With coarse manufactures, and TO prevent the
Present nl!5cMeyous redundancy Of staple pro-
d9cts we W.. now consider the
Sd. Objection. YytQi unu}jct0yi.s hare i3i,.;o,g
"oratGnd pJiiticaie1ecis.
The .ilscicis that have been imputed 10 nanufac-
turing establishments, are, LIST. That those vim
work in them are exposed to greater privaL;on and
nI,ri
tl!e 3D. hat they contribute both 10 ths. moral
and the mtelicctu degradation OF the iabourers or
operatives 81. That they congenal with
republican Institutions. 10 each Of these w.. win
give a brief consideration.
t. Tie 'oa'st Of coDaiau Of the manufacturers
That those, who are employed i'll the manufactures
ot Europe, have been often compelled to Undergo
excessive !abour, and endure great prvatIon cpnn0t
be denied. But this is far less the case noy than for
merry and the change is TO be attributed partly to
The extended OF machinery, which at once les
sens Inc !abonTs ii the body, and allows more time
i"r mental unP."Eta and partly to the higher STA
ton th!S cRsso pfsuns nov hold j.. Tx. p,5!c rst
nation.
Butw2 have in the United States, an Intellectual seen
my against these evils III the facility with which any
man may 5ctac himself TO the occupation OF husband
fy, and thereby obtain the comforts of lie. So lonu
as We possess fertile, untitled land, the averane p-o
Ills ana Comforts o. agriculture Will furnish a stan
r1tu Daow which these OF no other employment can
;alE and our manufacturers will not long submit to
over wages, or To less comfort than thew can OH
lam "y cuityaiIng the earth. The uhilanthrori,t.
lien, whose sympathcs have been a!ar.aed for the
misery TO winch tie supposed manufacturers we're
Inevitably doomed, may dismiss thei. fears at least
as to those ot America aud may assure themselves
TAT tins class Of pc-ion5 destined 70
only those y:c4ssltudes Of good and III fortune and
'iat degree Of suffering, which are incidental TO ts
o.Gr Classes ana are the lot of Our common nature
1t is true that The security, here sDokcr nj dros
not extend to slaves, But as 20 them public oDirIian
tie niid spirit OF christianity, whose benpn lnd,
c'icc Is IN "oluirg more felt, than in the treatment OF
lie slave anc bot least, perlaps, the permanent in
.gst OF the muster a.! Of which have 50 ccpc1rred
80 tightening The bonds Of slavery IN the United States
afford The most ample ouIantce that this class of
persons VIII be no more oppressed or abused liz niau-
u!aciu''s tIUn - agriculture.
2. I.@ n1.ynclurGs d.grqdc tic MJouyer-I
las oamoh was first advanced bv Adam Smith !
Eho speahs Of tlic manufacturer il ianruarc that
must nave been exaggerated, even III his day. He
fIJS, The whose W!Ipis life is spent IN arF,r
ming few simple operations, of which the effects 7
TOO, are perhaps, always the same, or very nearly
lie same, has 40 10 exert his uBdcrtaknG.
or to exercise !n~ aventon IL finding ont expedieuts
Or removing difficulties which never occur. He
naturally loses, therefore the habits of such cycr,ion
and generally becomes stupid and ignorant as il
possible for a uuan cr"otnre to become"
Mr. Malthu5 and Mr.. McCuIloch. who differ ON
many of tho dI yUt@d points III political rr.uou
concur denying tho sfucas Oh this repre-. e;tatjo1
JHo latter winter slrs instead of It's being true ,
'ac wJrkmCu. ca ..ra ;" manufacturing establish
Een's, arc loss intelligent and acute than those
eAporei III agriculture, the fact is distinctly and
completely the reverse. The viewers and other
In' 'hancs o. H.asgo", Manchester and Birmingham
.s5cs5 ih'''s more general end extended iniorul-
yj' tdaH j. possessed by tine agricultural labOurers
81. any C''iy .u tbs empire" Aud .rair:--..T,-e
~ not tS-av' ft '..r ever were less iufoI;i,yopi
'-D i.ic a~r!ga .arsts: bat Whatever rav have hceu
tie case fC.E'c w. 10 one i now venture, fn affirm,
i3at itcy e." inferior to them IN intellectual acquire
n.ats, % tttt trey are mere machines without sent.
mort or reason" We W.! add TO fls4 tho, tre,;,,o