The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-21

Sa' in'efest oil any country ever yet grew up in
udt NO new branch OF industry can become firmly
and proftaby established. but in lone course q
years every thing, indeed, great or good, is ma.
tu'eu oy $40" degrees that which attai1s speedy
maturity, is OF small value and is destined to =
Drlef existence 1t is the order of Providence, that
powers gradually developed, shall alone attain per
Inanency and Perfection Thus must il he with nm,
national institutions ard national character itself
feel most sensibly, Mr. President, how much
nave trespassed upon the Senate NV apoloqv is a
deep and deliberate conviction. that the prea
cause under debate involves the prosperity and the
destiny Of the Union. But the best reouitaI I can
make for the friendly indulgence which has been
extended to me by the Senate, and for which |
snail ever retain sentiments of lasting gratitude is
TO proceed, with as little delay as practicable IN
the conclusion of discourse which has moi been
more tedious to the Senate than exhaustinq to me
have now to consider the remaining of The two
propositions which ] have already announced
| That is,
ID That, under the operation of the American
System ihe products of our agriculture Command a
higher price than they would do without il nv Tho
creation OF home market and, by the auqmenta.
ton OF wealth produced by manufacturing industry
which eniarges our powers of consumption, both
OF domestic and foreign articles. The Importance
OF the home market is among the established max
inns which are universally recognised kv all wri-
tiers and all men. However some may differ as to
the relative advantages of the foreign and the homo
market, none need deny to the latter great yaue
and high consideration. 1t is nearer tous bevond
the control OF foreign legislation and undistnrbed
by those vicissitudes to which ali international in
tercourse is more or less exposed The most sim
pio are sensible of the benefit of residence in
the vicinity Of large mandatory, or a market
town, OF good road, u Of navgable stream
which connects their farmswith some great canitaI
1t the pursuits of all men were perfectly the same
although they would be IN possession of the great
oef fab, md, o1Etl,
dusry, they might, at the time, be in extreme
want of other necessary articles of human subsis
tence. The uniformity of the general occupatjon
would preclude all exchanges, all commerce II
is only in the diversity of the vacations of tho
members OF community that the means can he
found for those salutary exchanges which conduce
to the general prosperity. And the greater that
diversity, the more extensive and the more animal
ing is the circle of exchange. Even II foreign
markets were freely and widely open to the recon
ton OF our agricultural produce, from its bulky ma
ture, and the distance of the interior and the dan
gers OF the ocean, large portions of it could never
pfohtaDly reach the foreign market But let us
quit this field of theory clear as it is and look AT
the practical operation of the system of nrotect;on
beginning with the most valuable staDle of onr
agriculture.
In considering this staple, the first Circumstance
that excltes our surprise is the rapidity with which
the amount of it has annually increased Does not
lat HoWCNtIf Llldt the cultivation
OF 1t could not have been so very Improbable If
the business were ruinous. would more and more
have annually engaged in it The quantity in 1916
was eghty-one millions of pounds in 1926 two
hundred and four millions; and in 1880. near 300
millions The ground of greatest surprise is that
1t has been able To sustain even its present price
with such enormous augmentation of QUANTITY
II could not have done it but for the combined on
Grafton OF three causes, by which the consump-
ton of cotton fabrics has been greatly extended in
consequence of their reduced prices 1st compe-
ttlon; I'd, the improvement of labor saving ma
chinery; and 3dly, the low price of the raw mate.
rial The crop OF 1919, amounting to eighty EIGHT
millions OF pounds produced twenty-one millions Of
dollars; the crop of 1928, when the amount was
swelled to one hundred and seventy four millions
(almost double that of 1879 produced a less sum,
by more than half million of dollars and the crop
Of 1924, amounting to thirty millions of pounds less
than that of the preceding year, produced mil
lion and half of dollars more.
II there be any foundation for the established law
of price, supply and demand ought not the fact of
this great increase OF the supply to account salts
factorily. for the alleged low price of cotton! Is
it necessary to look beyond that single fact to the
tariff-to the diminished produce Of the mines fur
nishng the precious metals or to any other cause
for the solution This subject is well understood
in the south; and although cannot approve the
practice which has been introduced, ofquotng au-
thortv. and still less the authority of newspapers,
for favorite theories, must ask permission of the
Senate to read an article from southern newspa-
per. Here Gen. Hayne requested MIR. Clay to
give the of the authority that it might APP
pear whether it not some other than South
ern paper expressing Southern sentiments. Mr..
Clay stated that it was from the Charleston CITY
Gazette, one he believed, of the oldest and most
respectable prints in that city, although he was not
sure what might be its sentiments on the question
which at present divides the people of South Caro-
hna.] The article comprises full explanation of
the low price of cotton and assigns to its true cause
increased production.
Let us suppose that the home demand for cot
ton, which has been created by the American Sys-
TEN, We're to cease, and that the 200, 000* bales
which the home market now absorbs were thrown
into the glutted markets of foreign countries would
not the effect inevitably be to produce a further
and great reduction in the price of the article If
there be any truth in the facts and principles
which have before stated, and endeavored to H.
luSrate it cannot be doubted that the existence of
American manufacture has tended to increase the
demand, and extend the consumption of the ma
terial and that but for this increased demand the
price of the article would have fallen, possibly
half lower than it now is. The error of the oppo-
site argument, is in assuming one thing, which be-
ing Denied the whole fails; that is it assumes that
the lchOle labor of the United States woad be prof
itably employed without manufactures. Now the
truth is that the system erciteS and creates Labor
and this labor creates wealth. and this new wealth
communicates additional ability to consume, which
acts on all the objects contributing to human COM
fort and enjoyment. The amount of cotton impor-
ted into the two ports of Boston and Providence
alone, during the last year, land it was imported
exclusively for the home manuacture) was l09,-
SIT bales
On passing from that article to others of our ag-
ricutural productions, we shall lind not less graft
flying facts. The total quantity of flour imported
int RoStOn 1urinO the 2V4 llI1
barrels and 1886 half barrels; of which. there
were from Virginia. Georgetown, and Alexandria,
ia 222 barrels; of Indian corn 68l l3l bushels
of oats 239 500 bushels of rye about 50 900 bush
els and of shorts 80 4S9 bushels. Into the port
of Providence, II 1863 barrels of -four, PIG 500
bushels of Indian corn, and 7,712 bushels of rye.
And there discharged at the port of Philadel-
pha 400 1853 bushels of Indian corn, POI 1878 BUSH
els of wheat, and ll0557 bushels of rye and bar
ley. There were slaughtered in Boston, during
the same year, 1881, 1.-THE only northern city from
which have obtained returns) 80, 922 beef cattle,
10 400 Stores "a, 453 sheep, and 26,87l swine. 1t
is confidently believed that there is not less guam.
tity of southern flour consumed at the North than
800,0 900 barrels-a greater amount, probably, than
is shipped to all the foreign markets OF the world
together.
What would be the condition of the farming
country of the United States-of all that por
ton which lies north, east, and west of Jane.
river, including large part of North Carolina, i
home market did not exist for this immens,
amount of agricultural produce Without tina
Market where could it be soldl In foreign mar
kes If their restrictive laws did not exist, thei
:" Mr.. Clay stated that he assumed the quantit
tchich iras generally computed, but he beieued
much greater, and subsequent Information justif
his belief. Happears from the report Of The CottO
Committee, appointed by the Ne,D York Conrel
ton, that partial returns Shoic consumption of u
lizards of 100000 bales; that the cotton manVfd
ture employs near 40 900 females, and about 500
children that he total dependents on il are I3l
439 that tie annual lcagss paid are 81, l55, 72S