Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-11-25
DOME G1IRs
ADORE y

ADORE
V TIE Friends IF Domestic Industry assembled ~
convention at Ne,o York; Oefobe, 20, 1881, to the
People Of the United afes. Published bv order IF
the Convention.
10 THE PEOPLE OF TrE UNITED STATES.
Y'u are mex invited TO -xamins the suh-c, In a,
sonuexon with he principles Of an .Dighi,id pviu,-
cal economy. The sysem which we maintain Iss,s
upon the TO wi prin'ple.:
All he msso' Ct human e, j,yuen, sud all IN.
eupniop' OF ~e"b, are IN product OF hum an labo.
-NAiona harp meas and national wealth arr. ,t.re.
o-e, promoted In pro- oron 10 he active Industry of
We community and 'ha Industry iin p, oporou to Tho
tndocench.s to iato ir'irg from M aud
,din'y OF lis rtmuneta, alton. The mediate ,trr ueLt
for call pe labor Into 'csp L. sa,i al Genital i. n ee..
say 10 furLi'h Tie isbosrr With The mean. If applying
hts tabor - advantage, whether In IL sinpIs ou #
agriculture aud some Of The auis sr, or In tho
'ompl ca',d and sxp'niv. msehinerv applied to GER
isio branches Of manufacture. The modern ,vsp.n,s
10 which lave added 80 uLueh 10 lie productive power
Of men.
tits settled axiom tha, IN, indus,,v Of a nation n.
IN proportion TO the capital devoted 70 s
IL Is therefore, thought 10 be wife poity 20 multiply
ne Inducements to apply capital 20 Inc eu ymeu Of
iab"r bone, rather han 10 tLo rsbass abroad add
ir ffis in commodities Of foreign troduc ion Nv which
the sapi'a OF tho country made sci in M oreyo
iaeo' This IL funded or the principle. universally
admitted that there is in every nation power or capa
biy oil iabour beyond that actually put forth; and that
its effective industry is poporioned TO the stimulus sp-
piled in the shape of capital This constitutes the Anne
rican System IL invites the application OF Amer can
capital to stimulate American industry IL imposes a
restriction in the form of impost duty ON certain pro-
IN l.
can capital, american labour il simply offers
~ and nducement TO the one, and gives energy md
vigour to the other The purpose OF the protective sys-
TEN being thus directed 10 the xpansion of The
industry or the nation into every channel of domestic
competition, il would seem 10 be InanestIy err oDeous
TO call such system resricfire nasnIcb as The ave-
hues oil aeour IN The internal organization of any
inunity are much more numerous and extensive than
those which belong TO foreign trade: whilst on the other
hand, there restrictions upon the occu-
patton OF our citizens and that irressubly inn
pei hbeur into small number OF channels those thai
are created by the capital and industry of older nations
when concentrated and brought into competition with
The capital and industry Of younger people, in their
hrst attempts to possess themselves of the that
create and accumulate wealth. nation that il devoted
10 agriculture only and is dependent upon foreign la
bour Tor its manufactures, presents the spectacle of
people whose industry is conided TO the single occnpa-
ton oil cutvatng the SOIL and transporting products
abroad, aud is always subject 10 be disturbed by the
policy of those whom depends for the purchase of
IT'S products but the same nation, when encouraged In
the attempt TO supply itself with manufactured fabrcs
releases its labour from the restraints OF its pre yous
straened condition, and is rapidly diversyng Its
pursuits, until they finally the whole space that
vas originally divided between itself and the peopIo
that supplied II with manufactures.
1t Is true, that different system of political econo-
my is maintained by certain school OF tbeof ecsI
writers. IL Is coneDded by them, that restriction up
on the importation of foreign commodities under any
circumstances, Is mistaken economy that foreisn
manufacturers should be allowed freely to bring In their
wares, although they will receive from nothing In
exchange, but hle precious metals his is the system
which has been lately called enlightened We, on the
contrary, believe TO be founded mistaken vews
and that practical applications OF would ptrsyze the
industry oil the country. The enai pripcipe IN
this system, is which we deem totally erroneous
IL considers the profits Of capital, constituting the
only tource OF national wealth. IL assumes the fact
that the wages OF labour are barely sufficient to support
the labourer, but leave him nothing tor accumulation
Now. whether this may may be true in the full
ly peopled countries oil Europe, il is palpabe to the
slightest observation that in reference to sbour in
United States il is alb olutely and totally false Such
is the abundance OF the means OF subsis ence in ihi.
favoured country that the abourer Is able TO accumu-
where capital accommodating in connection with Ia
oour labour not with US, az the theory supposes
the mere instrument of capital, the mere handn,ad TO
furnish the profits Of the capitalist; il is on the contra
ry, an Intelligent, active princpe,-the partner aud
sharer in the increase OF wealth produced by the united
action of both. We have no class in America CORES
pondng with the opersives,-the human machines of
Europe. We, therefore, totally deny the correctness
OF the position, that the question relates exclusively
TO the application OF capital" We deny, that The
power OF government Is limited 10 its transfer from one
employment TO another" by increasing The stimulus
to labour, resulting from the application OF capital, TO
home production, additional capital be generated
by act of legislation" 1, is said, that this system
Expresses the many for the benefit of the few" We.
on the contrary, believe, that whilst it benefits ALL its
highest recommendation is found its beneficial action
upon the many-the labouring classes, the working men
III there is any one principle in polite economy which,
is perfectly well established, il is that the profits of
capital. employed in any branch Of industry cannot for
any length of time. exceed the average rate in oiber
employments; il being the constant tendency of free
competition TO equaze profits II is, therefore an ar
gumen altogether faacious TO s6ppose thai this system
faVouS capital devoted 10 branch of business
than that devoted TO another, benefits any one cass
OF individuals TO the prejudice exclusion Of others
IL is also said, that "it is equally untrue that such
system gives greater employment to abour."
We dissent from this doctrine and fortified by the
opinion OF the author OF "The Wealth of Nations
whose language hink ii useful quotes "Tbe CAPT.
tai OF the manufacturer, says this writer "puts imne.
diatey into motion much greater quantity Of produc
tive labour, and adds much greater value the land
and labour Of society," than an equal capital in the
hands OF any wholesale merch n."-"A fter agriculture
the capital employed in manufactures putsnto motion tho
greatest quantity OF productive labuT aud adds the
greatest value 10 the annual produce. That which
employed in the trade OF expectation has The least ef-
iect OF any OF the bree,"-"The capital employed In
the home trade OF any country will generally give en-
enlargement and support TO greater qusHty Of pro-
ductve labour in that country, and increase the value
Of its produce more than equal capital employed IN
the foreign trade Of consumption, and the capital en-
poyed in this latter trade has, In both these respects
still greater advantage equal capital employ
ed in the carrying trade -" hat part Of the capital Of
any country which Is employed In the carrying trade is
altogether Withdrawn rom supporting the productive Ia.
bour OF that particular country 10 support that OF
foreign countries"
Ia accordance with these positions, we maintain the
efficiency OF sbour m add 10 the power aud riches Of
country against the theories Of latter writer's who an
butte every thing TO capital IN fact consider u the
most important ADD valuable feature in system, that
IL tends directly TO increase the effective power and
OF lsbour, thus multiplying the means
the comforts and eDjoyments OF the lsbourng classes
and raising them in the scale Of civilization and social
lite. This political effect the character Of society
may he considered its highest recommendation n is
thus made TO give strength and permanency 10 free
institutions.
The peculiar advantage Of the United States consists
in e abundance and chesPness OF fertile lands, afford
ing easy subsistence and high remuneration abour
We consider the system Of establishing manufactures
end the ars amongst u', distributing and equazlng
these peculiar advantages through all the departments
OF industry and through all classes Of society.
This effect, we believe TO be deducibe from the sys.
tenn according to the approved principles Of po-