Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-03-22
SPEECH Of
HEN RY CLAY,
In DEFENCE Of THE AMERICAN SYSTEM
against the British Colonial System.
CONCLUDED FROM OUR LAST.
of fKentuckY.


IF the establishment of American man
ufactures, therefore, had the sole effect
of creating new, and an American, de-
mand for cotton, eractiy to the same ex-
tent in which it lessencd the British de-
mand, there would be no Just cause of
complaint against the tariff The gain
in one place would precisely equal the
loss in the other. But the true state of
the matter is much more favorable to the
cotton grower. 1t is calculated that the
cotton manufactures ofthe United States,
absorb at least 2O0,O00 bales of cotton
annually. I'believe it to be more. The
two ports Of Boston and Providence a.
lone, received, during the last year, near
10000 bales. The amount is annually
increasing. The raw material Of that
two hundred thousand bales is worth six
millions, and there is an additional value
conferred by the manufacturer, of eigh-
teen millions; it being generally calcula-
ted that in such cotton fabrics as we are
in the habit of making, the manufacture
constitutes three fourths Of the value Of
the articles. If, therefore, these twenty
four millions worth of cotton fabrics were
not made in the United States, but were
manufactured in Great Britain, in order
10 obtain them, we should have to add TO
the already enormous disproportion be-
tween the amount of our imports and eX-
ports, in the trade with Great Britain,
the further sum Of twenty -four millions,
or, dcducting the price Of the raw mate
rial, eighteen millions! And will gen
tlemen tell me how it would be possible
for this country to sustain such n ruinous
trade? From all that portion of the Uni
ted States lying north and east of james
river, and west of the mountains, Great
Britain receives comparatively nothing.
How would it be possible for the inhabi-
tants of that largest portion Of our terri
tory, to supply themselves with cotton
fabrics, if they were brought from Eng
land exclusively? They could not do it.
But for the existence of the American
manufacture, they would be compelled
greatly to curtail their supplies, ifnot alb
solutely to suffer in their comforts. BY
its existence at home, the circle of those
exchanges is created which reciprocally
diffuses among all, who are embraced
within it, the productions Of their respcc-
tive industry. The cotton grower sells
the raw material to the manufacturer, he
buys the iron, the bread, the meal, the
coal, and the countless number of objects
of his consumption, from his fellow-citi-
zens, and they, in turn, purchase his fab
RIGS. Putting it upon the ground mere
ly of supplying those with necessary ar
ticles, who would not otherwise obtain
them, ought there to be, from any quar-
ter, an objection to the only system by
which that object can be accomplished: I:
But can there be any doubt, with those
who will reflect, that the actual amount
of cotton consumed is increased by the
home manufacture? The main argu-
ment of gentlemen is founded upon the
idea of mutual ability resulting from mu-
tual exchanges. They would furnish an
ability to foreign nations by purchasing
from them, and, to our own people, by
exchanges at home. If the American
manufacture were discontinued, and that
Of England were to take its place, how
would she sell the additional quantity of
"a millions Of cotton goods, which we
now make To US? That has been shown
to be impracticabe. To other foreign ma
tions3 She has already pushed her sup
plies to them to the utmost extent. The
ultimate consequence would, then be to
diminish the total consumption OF cotton,
to say nothing now Of the reduction OF
price that would take place by throwing
into the ports Of Great Britain the two
hundred thousand bales which, no longer
being manufactured in the United States,
would 60 thither.
9. That the import duty is cquiva-
lent to an export duty, and falls on the
producer Of cotton.
Here General HAyNE explained, and
said that he never contended that an inn
port duty was equivalent to an export du-
ty, under all circumstances; he had ox-
planned in his speech his ideas ofthe pre-
else operation Of the existing SYSTEM
To which MIR. Clay replied that he had
seen the argument 50 stated IN some OF
the ingenious essays from the South Car
oina press, and would therefore answer
it,.