The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-14

10 enable him to paw the duties accruing on
the proceeds of the cotton. Another answer
is, that, if the producer OF cotton in America,
exchanged against English fabrics, pays the du-
~, the producer of those fabrics also pays 1T,
and then it is twice paid. Such must be the
consequence. unless the principle is true on
one side of tho Atlantic, and false on the other.
The true answer is, that the exporter of an
article, if he invests lis proceeds in a foreign
market. takes care 10 make the investment IN
such merchandise as, when brought home, he
cau sell with fair profit; and consequently.
the consumer would pay the original cost and
charges and profit
3 The next objection TO the American svs.
tenn is iha, it subjects South Carolina to the
payment Of an undue proportion Of The public
revenue The basis Of this objection is the as
sumption, shown to have been erroneous, that
the producer of the exports from this country
pays the duty on its imports, instead Of the
consumer of those imports. The amount which
South Carolina really contributes 10 the public
revenue, no more than that of any other State,
can be precisely ascertained. 1t depends upor
her consumption of articles paying duties, and
we may make approximation sufficient for
all practical purposes. The cotton planters OF
the valley of the Mississippi, with which | am
acquainted, generally expend about one third
OF their income in the support of their families
hands statement from friend of mine, o
great accuracy, and member of the Senate
According 20 this statement, in a crop Of ter
Thousand dollars, the expenses may finctuate
between two thousand eight hundred dollars
and three thousand two hundred dollars. OF
this sum, about one fourth, from seven to eight
hundred dollars, may be laid out in Articles
paying the protecting duty the residue is dis
bnrsed for provisions, mules, horses, oxen
wages of overseer, &C. Estimating the ex
ports of South Carolina at eight millions one
third is two millions six hundred and sxty.si,
thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars; o
which, one-fourth will be six hundred anc
sixtv-six thousand six hundred and sixty-si,
and two thirds dollars. Now, supposing The
protecting duty to be fifty per cent. and tina
it all enters into the price of the article, the
amount paid by South Carolina would only be
three hundred and thirty three thousand three
hundred and thiJty-three and onn third dollars
/ But the total revenue of the United States
may be stated al twenty-five millions, nf which
the proportion of South Carolina. whatever
standard, whether of wealth or population, be
adopted would DC about one million OF course.
on this view of the subject, she actually pays
only about one-third of her fair and Legitimate
share. repeat, that have personal know
ledge of the habits of actual expenditure in
South Carolina tlAsy may be greater than
have stated, in respect to other parts of the
cotton country; but il they are, that fact does
not arise from any defect in the system Of pub
lie policy.
T. An abandonment NJ the American Sys.
TEN. it is urged. would lead IL an addition to
our exports Of one hundred and fifty millions
of doa ,rs The amount of one hundred and
fiflv millions of cotton, in the raw state, would
produce four hundred and fifty millions in the
manufactured state, supposing no greater meas
ure of value to be communicated. in the manu-
featured form, than that which onr industry
imparts. Now. sir, where would markets be
found for this vast addition to- the supply? Not
in the United States, certainly, nor in any 9TH
e. quarter Of the globe, England having al.
ready every where pressed her cotton manu-
features to the utmost point of repetion. We
must look ont for new worlds; seek for new
and unknown races Of mortnis TO consume this
immense increase of cotton fabrics.
General Hayne said that he did not mean
shat tie increase of one hundred and fifty mil
lions to the amount of our exports. would be
of cotton alone, but of other articles
What other nTficiess Agricultural produce
bread stuffs, beef and pork &c Where
not hermeticaIfy sealed against ih eiiT admis
snns Break down the home market, and YOU
are without resource. Destroy all other inter.
ests in the country, for the imaginary pur-
pose of advancing the cotton planting interest,
and you infiict positive injury, without the
smallest practical benefit to the cotton planter.
Could Charleston, or the whole South. when
all other markets are prosirated or shut against
the reception of the surplus of our farmers, re-
ceive that surplus' Would they buy more
than they might want for their own consump.
tom Could they find markets which other
parts of the Union could not' Wonld gentle.
men force the freemen of all, North of James
river. East and West, like the miserable slave,
on the Sabbath day, to repair to Charleston
with turkey under his arm, or pack upon
his back, and beg the clerk of some English or
Scotch merchant, living in his gorgeous pal.
ace, or rolling in his splendid coach in the
streets, TO exchange his truc&" for bit of
flannel to cover his naked wife and children I!
No! ] am sure that do no more than Justice
to their hearts, when believe that they would
reject, what believe TO be, the inevitable eff.
feets of their policy.
5. But il is commended in the last place, that
the South cannot, from physical and other
causes, engage in the manufacturing arts
deny the premises and deny the conclusion
deny the fact Of inability, and if it existed
deny the conclusion that we must, therefore,
break down eur manufactures, and nourish
those of foreign countries. The South pos.
scsses in an extraordinary degree, two of
the most important elements of manufac.
turing industry---water power, and labor
The former gives TO our whole country
most decided advantage over Great Britain
But single experiment stated by the gentle.
man from South Carolina, in which faithess
slave put the torch 10 manufacturing estab.
lishment, has discouraged similar enterprises.
We have in Kentucky, the same description of
population, and employ them, and almost
exclusively employ them in many of our hemp
manufactures. A neighbor Of mine, ons of our
most opulent and respectable citizens, has had
one, two, if not three manufactures burnt by in.
cendiarles; but he persevered, and his perse-
verance has been rewarded with wealth. We
found that it was less expensive to keep night
Watches than to pay premiums for insurance.
and we employed them.
Let it be supposed, however, that the South
cannot manufacture; must those parts Of the
Union which can be therefore prevented /?
Must We support those of foreign countries /?
l AM sure that injustice would be done 10
tho generous and patriotic nature of South
Carolina, if it were believed that she envied or
rcpined at the success of other portions of the
Union in branches of industry to which she
might happen not 10 be adapted. Throughont
her whole career she has been liberal, national.
high minded.
The friends Of the American System have
been reminded by the honorable gentlemen
from Maryland. General Smith, that they are
the majority, and he has admonished them 10
exercise their power in moderation The
majority ought never 10 trampe upon the feel.
ings, or violate the Just rights " the minority
They ought never TO triumph over the fallen,
nor 10 make any but temperate and equitable
use Of their power. But these connsels come