Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-10
S30.OO0,oOO
25,O00,000
100000

Excess Ssr e OF imports 100000 5.oooooo
vi tho domestic ex-
ports, it appears that
the planting states
furnished in cotton,
rice, indigo, &c. 10000, 000 81 ,0oo, 900
Il he rest OF the United
States, 100000 1000 600
The consumption OF the
planting states may he.
estimated at G,00o, 900 100000
OF the rest o. the Uni
on, eo,OO9Oeo $4,000 900
So that the growers OF cotton. indigo, rice, SUI
gar, &c. consumeoi british products, from ten to
fourteen MILLIONS u dolidrs less than they poyfor
i,t their orm productions, while all t.e rest oil the
Union, including the greater part of Virginia. con-
sumo OF foreign products, Jfon sirfee TO nineteen
MiliidnSef doi'drs more 'hais they pay for in their
products.
am not about TO revive, Mr.. Speaker, any Of
what are called the exploded doctrines OF the bal
anee oil trade; and very readily admit that the
exact state OF our trade with any particular nation
can, not always he ascertained from the exhibits
oil the Treasury Department Blu; this venture
to assert, without fear OF contradiction that anu
nation tcaich continues for II series of gears to
bity Hore than 1t cd1I pay for, Ditit its cum la
DOR ana productions, must discharge the differ
! ence, as an indpidudl ,bonid din. 6U an annual
deduction from IFS cdpitdL-that such q trade,
lttsf M ats progress operate most injaTiouSLy on
as t0fereSfS-dndy perSeuered la foT q sufficient
length Of time, must i'euitably result in national
6dn61NPfcy. When such a state of things exists,
anu snail have been obviously brought about by
the commercial regulations II other nations the
only possible remedy will be found in iudicous
couptervailing regulations, reducing importation
from abroad, and by protection, increasing if posi-
Bile, expectation from home.
In the. language Of Mr.. jefferson, already quot.
ell, "when a nation imposes high duties on our
productions, or prohibits them altogether it may
DC proper Tor us 10 do the same by theirs-first
bnTdening or excluding those productions, which
they bring here, in competition with our own of
me same kind selecting next, such IN a nufactures,
IA we take OF them in greatest quantity, and which,
al tile same time, could soonest furnish to our
selves, OF obtain from other countries imposing
on them, duties light at first, but heavier and
heavier afterwards, as other chunne.s of supply
OPEN"
Let me now call the attention of the House
Dack 10 the state OF DIR trade with that nation with
whlsh our commercial relations almost as ex.
tensive. as with all the world besides-I mean G.
Britain. At appears, from the Treasury exhibits
aireaty referred TO. that our imports from her.
I tncluding lreland,) exceeded our imports to her
/ by S6.O00.OO0. in lS26-and 5000, 600 in 1927
1 Whether these amounts show the actual balance
OF trade against us. during these two years, am
not prepared tosay. But that very considerable
I balance did then, ana has at all times, Except
when her ports were open to our bread stuffs) ex-
isted against US, in our trade with Great Britain
surrendered certain by the general state of ex-
change between the two countries. The rate of
exchanges, IN truth, the best, ii not the only
criterion by which to estimate the actual state of
trade between any two nations. II the currency
oil both be the same, its rise and fail are occasion
ed aImost entirely by the fluctuations in the reIa-
tive proportions Of imports and exports: and when
the currency is different, il may still be relied on
as an accurate test Of the difference in value of the
respective currencies. Bills on England are
payable in goId-on the U. States, in silver; and
the former generally bearsa higher price in mar
bot lt,an h. nfsa, !. al ssI-
ten years, has fallen so far short OF the premium
ON English bills. as to show uniform and very
considerable balance against us, in our CONNER.
cial relations with that country.
But exceptionable il the aspect exhibited by
our whole trade with G.. Britain, its defects are
entirely forgotten, in contemplation of that portion
o. II, which pertains to as, in common with OR
brethren Of the middle and northern states. have
already shown, that while the growers of cotton,
indigo rice, sc, consume Of English products in
hnitely less than they pay for with their own, we
OF Virginia, together with the different states.
both North and West Of us, the tobacco and grain
growers, and graziers and fishermen of the coup-
try, consuming S23.000,00O of British imports,
are permitted TO apply only S4,O00,000, of our
productions towards paying for them, and are com
PEELED TO discharge the balance of $40 900 600, by
the profits of our trade with each other and with
the rest Of the world-we of Virginia, especially
devo!ing TO it, the proceeds OF the sales of our
corn, and flour, and tobacco in the North and
Sldues in The South.
need not stop TO remind the House of the eff
fects OF this or some other on the prosperity
OF our state. For ten years past, our staple pro-
ducts have been selling al price scarcely defrsy-
ing the expense Of Their producdon--Isbor through
the greater part 1.-THE state, has barely command
et the means OF a scanty sUbsistence-and our
eiGzenshose esp cialy no constitute the strength
OF the land-have been compelled to seek a better
state oil things in the more frugal aud fertile re-
glons Of The west. If This, sir were natural state
OF things; fit were The result Of causes beyond
me con'roui Of man. we might repine at our con.
diIon, but would bow in humble submission 10 our
fate.
But are these things. sir, the result of natural
causeS Do the or 5000 900 of people, living 10
the north Of the cotton aud sugar states cnn,r;
butte only S4.0Oo,0O0 Of Domestic productions. TO.
wards paying for thos proportion of British inn.
ports, because they have nothing, that the Dsoni>
Of Great Britain and Ireland, would receive in
exchange! Look at the starving popnlato moi Ire,
land-compare the prices of bread in England and
Americs-es,imdte the cost al which every Brit
ish consumer Of your tobacco, is compelled to in.
dulge his appetite--aDli then say whether the al.
Lea taOr of kaf natl L. - 81