Litchfield enquirer., 1832-02-16


 porous by these establishments. l appeal
 con6dentlysto their actual condition at this
 time. With regard to the gcntleman's own
 State, will apply test which cannot de-
 ceive US. When the policy of "A was
 before Congress, the Senator from Ken
 lucky stood forth as it's champion, and il
 was my lot to attempt to, answer his argu-
 ments. It is true, Sir, that his speech was
 made in the other House, and mine on this floor, but his argument had been sent forth as the manifesto of the party--it was print ed in pamphlet and laid on the tables of
 the Senators, and, embodying the views of the tariff party, it was impossible for me to pass it over. I we'll remember, there- fore, that, on that occasion, the gentleman argued, that Kentucky was to participate in the protecting system by raising large quantities of hemp, and supplying the Southern states with large quantities of cotton bagging-and he strongly insisted that she was then only prevented from so doing. by the ruinous competition of the inconsiderable Scotch towns of Inverness and Dundee. And what is it, Sir. that we hear now-after lapse of s years ?- The old story repeated. Kentucky still deprived of the benefits of the protecting system by those formidable rivals, Inver-
 ness and Dundee. They still constitute " the lion in the path," and foreign manu- factures ever will be a lion in the path" to those whose prosperity depends on the protecting system. We know that the manufacture of cotton bagging is simple process, requiring hardly any skill or capi- tai, and yet, the great state of Kentucky cannot get along with it in consequence of the formidable rivalship of two miserable Scotch towns, the inhabitants of which are said to be so poor and destitute, that they are obliged to import their fuel, and send to Dantzic, twelve hundred miles up the
 Baltic. for their hemp. paying freight e. qual to the first cost. 1t is perfectly clear, therefore, that Kentucky has not realized the promised blessings of the protecting system; and am told, that this is sub- stantially true of the whole West. But, Sir, if the West has gained nothing by the system, she has had no share in the taxes which it imposss-she has paid her pro- portion of duties to tho government, and bounties to the manufacturers and in coR- sequence of the dire calamities which the system has inflicted on the South. When the policy of "A went into operation, the south was snnnliad from fha .uast. thrnngh a single avenue, (the Saluda Mountain Gap,) with live stock, horses, cattle and hogs, to the amount of upwards of mill- ion of dollars year. Under the pressure ofthe system, this trade has regularly been It has already fallen off more than one half, and from an authentic re- turn, now before me, it appears that it has been further diminished near one hundred and fifty thousand dollars the last year, So much for the rich blessings bestowed upon the West by the protecting system.
 We come now to the South. If any portion of the rich fruits of this system have been scattered there, they have not fallen under my observation. Sir, we know them not-we see them not-we feel them not. It may be supposed, how ever, that we are too full of prejudice. or too ungrateful, to acknowledge the bless ings it has bestowed upon us. Sir, we have heard of men having honor thrust upon them, and perhaps there may be such thing as having benefits thrust upon an unwilling people; yet I should think, that even in such a case, they would soon become reconciled to their lot, and submit to their fate with good grace. But, as- sure the gentleman that tho condition of the South is not merely one of unexam- pied depression, but of great and all-per- vading distress. In my own State. the un- happy change which has within few years past taken place in the public pros- perity, is of the most appalling character. If we look at the present condition of our cities, land will take Charleston by way of example,) we find every where the mournful evidence of premature deeay.- Sir, the crumbling memorials of our former wealth and happiness, too eloquently teach us, that without some change in your poli- cy, the days of our prosperity " "are. num- bered." Sir, it is within my own experi- once, that, in the devoted city in which my lot has been, cast, thriving foreign commerce, was, within few years past, carried on direct to Europe. We had na- tive merchants, with large capitals. eHgag- ed in the foreign tfade. We had thirty or forty ships, many of them built, and all owned in Charleston, and giving employ ment to a numerous and valuable body of mechanics and tradesmen. Look at the state of things nowi Our merchants bank rupt or driven away-their capital sunk or transferred to other pursuits--onr ship yards broken up--our ships all sold :! yes.