Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-03-15

With regard to the quantity of bar and
other iron annually produced, it is deriv-
ed from the known works themselves, q
| know some in Western States which
they have omitted their calculations.
Such are some of the items ofthis vast
system of protection, which it is now pro.
posed to nbandon.-We might well pause
and contemplate, if human Imagination
could conceive the extent ofmischicf and
ruin from its total overthrow, before we
proceed to the work of destruction. Its
duration is worthy, also, of serious con
sideration. Not to go behind the con-
stituton, its date is coeval with that in
strumcnt. 1t began Oh the ever memo
rabc 4th day July-the 4th day of Ju-
ly, 1889. The second act which stands
recorded in the statute book, bearing the
ilustrious signature ofGcorgc Washing
ton, laid the corner stone OF the whole
system. That there might be no mistake
about the matter, it was then solcmnly
proclaimed to the American People and
the world, that it was necessary for "thc
encouragement and protection of manu-
facturcs," that duties should be laid. 1t
is in vain u urge the small amount of the
measure Of protection then extended
The great principle was then established
by the fathers of the constitution, with
the Father of his Country ut their head
And it cannot now be cushioned, that, If
the Government had not then been new
and the subject untricd, greater mea-
sure of protection would have been aRpll-
ed, if it had been supposed necessary
Shortly after, the master minds OF Jeilcr-
son ana Hamilton were brought to act
on this interesting subject. Taking
views Off appertaining to the depart
ments oflorcign affairs and Of the treas
ury, which they respectively filled, they
presented, scvcrally, reports which yet
remain monuments of their profound Wis
dom, and came to the same conclusion OF
protection to American industry. Mr..
Jefferson argued that foreign restrictions,
foreign prohibitions, and foreign high du-
ties, ought to be met, at home, by Amer
ican restrictions, American prohibitions,
and American high duties. Mr.. Hamll-
ton, surveying the entire ground, and
looking at the inherent nature of the sub
lect, treated it with an ability which, il
ever euallcd, has not been surpassed,
and earnestly recommended protection.
The wars of the French Revolution
commenced about this period ,and streams
of gold poured into the United States
through "A thousand channels, opened or
enlarged by the successful commerce
which our neutrality enabled us to pros
cute. We forgot or overlooked, In the
general prosperity, the necessity OF en-
couraging our domestic manufactures
Then came the edicts of Napoleon, and
the British orders in council; and oul
embargo, non-intercourse, non-importa-
ton, and war, followed in rapid success
sion. These national measures, amount,
ing to a total suspension, for the period
of thoir duration, Of our foreign com
merce; afforded the most eiiicaclous cn-
couragemcnt to American manufactures;
and, accordingly, they every where
sprung up. Whilst these measures oi
restriction and this state OF war cOntlnu-
ed, the manufacturers were stimulated IN
their enterprises by every assurance OF
support, by public sentiment, and by leg
islativc resolves. 1t was about that pc
riod (l8O8) that South Carolina bore hel
high testimony to the wisdom Of the pol
icy, in an act of her Legislature, the pre-
amble of which, now before me, reads
"Whercas the establishment and encour
agemeni of domestic manufactures is con
ducivc to the interest OF the State, by
adding new incentives 10 industry, and a'
being the means of disposing to advan'
tage, the surplus productions OF the ag'r'
cuttuyisi. And whereas, IN the present
unexampled state of the world, their es'
tablishment in our country, is not only
erpediea, but polite, in rendering us IN
dependent of foreign nations" The
Legislature, not being competent to al
ford the most cllicacious aid, by imposing
duties on foreign rival articles, proceed
cd to incorporate company.
Peace under the treaty OF Ghcnt, re-
turned in 1915, but there did not return
with it the golden days which preceded
the cdicts lcvcllcd at our commerce b,
Great Britain and France. 1t found al
Europe TRANQUILITY rcsumins the arts an'
tbc b,,s;ncss of civil life. Ii found Eu
rope no longer the consumer Of our sur
plus, aud the employer of our navigation
but excluding, or heavily burdening, al
most all the productions of our agrlcuil'
ture; and our rivals in manufactures, II
navigation, and in commerce. II iouno
our country, in short, in situation total,
ly different from all the past-new ano
untred. II became necessary TO adap
our laws, and especially our laws OF I'M
post, TO the new circumstances IN whicf
we found ourselves. Accordingly, .ha