The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-05-16
THE "AMERICAN SYSTEM i" DE-
PENDED.


protective system, has recenilg punished
series of numbers entitled the "9iiVe
Branch" wherein the advantages OF the
tariff and the ahsurdity of the nuiiihca''oh
doctrine are clearly set forth. We have
only room for the following exiract;
l.. On the suhjec. OF the situation OF
Sou:h Carolina there is an irfeeoncliea"ie
difference between the statements OF Low
Hamilton and Col. ilayne.
2. The Governor, in late message 10
the LeUislature, drev tiatterlng portrait
Of the prosperity of the State-whereas,
s. Col. IIaync depic;ured it rs writing
in the most intense wretchedness.
4 Roth accounts cannot he correct. The
Governor,s appears most to he depended
On. ms given in Il public document, and us
he had recently gone on a tour OF duty
through the State-whereas,
( Col. Havpe's was drawn under strong
~ excited feelings, in the heat of debate,
when every thing takes an exaggerated
hue from the irritation Of the moment.
6. But supposing distress to exis; to the
utmost extent stated by Col. Hayne, or even
beyond it. i, is by no means sequitnr that
it arises from the tariff; because. II it arose
from that source, i: w0aid lesfelt by all
other cotton-gr growing States, whereas they
are all prosperous.
: It has heen asserted by Mr.. M'Duffie,
tina, the reduction of the price of cotton
was caused by the tariffs of 1924 and 1898,
and kept pace with them. This has been
in fact the chief ground of the clamor and
djsaffection of South Carolina-and, were
the assertion as well founded as it is the
reverse, the disaffectlon would be just
But it is mighty error. Cotton fell in
Liverpool from IL 90 pence in 1918, to
I2I a Ia in 1SI9-and from I23 IA in
1919, TO 81 10s in 1890, being reduc-
ton of nearly so per cent. in two years.
Mr.. M'Duffie owes it to his character for
caador and honor, 10 nndeceive, in the mos,
public manner. those whom his unguarde,l
assertions have led astray.
s. Greater distress prevailed in South
Carolina in 1923 than prevails there al pres
ent. The Charleston Memorial. read in
Congress, Feb. 9, 1924, [the tariff of that
year did not go into operation ill July] sta
ted that
"The situation Of the State is deplora-
hle in the extreme. Property of all kinds
is deprecated beyond all example. A
feeling of gloomy dependency is begin
ming to prevail every where in the lower
country. Estates are sacrificed to pay the
last instalments on bonds given for The pur-
chase money. No body seems disposed to
buy what every body is anxious to sell at
any price"
The correctness of this statement, which
overwhelmingly puts down for ever the
charge against the tariffs, is attested by
respectable names of the committee whose
signatures it bears-Messrs. w. Drayton,
H. S. Legaro, Samuel Prioleau, and VIM.
Seabrook.
9. Whatever of reduction of price has
taken place since the enormous fall in 1878
and 1919, produced by the large importa-
tions from the East Indies) has arisen en-
tirely FROM the inordinae, ami perhaps IN
exampled, increase OF production in this
country, constantly keeping ahead of con
sumption all the world over For, notwith-
standing the great increase of our con-
sumption, our export Of upIahds multiplied
above three-fold in years-having hecn
SO,OI3S43 lbs. in 1617-n 1929, l6l ,536,-
50 lbs.-aud 279, 169, 3l7 his. in 1927.
10. South Carolina received nearly 81
100000 more for the average crop of 1880
and 1881, than for the average crop of
4.
pensating hy the increase of quantity, for
the very small reduction of price.
IL. The price Of cotton, at present, not
withstanding the clamor of distress, and
suffering, and oppression, and tyranny, and
injustice, and piracy. is very nearly us high
us it was in lS23-all articles, foreign and
domestic, purchased by the planters, en- the
average, at least 80 per cent. lower than
al, - z
Carolina is far more abundant "a fair cor
ollary from these premises is, that the dis
,ress, if it really exist, is most extavagant-
ly overrateI.
r. Gov. Hamilton and Mr.. M'Dufie
who are now among the prime leaders o.
those who appear determined to resist the
government, and not pay the tribute" a.
it is improperly called, were, about clever
years since, the most ardent, eloquent, ant
Jealous opposers Of these revolutionary doc.
trines which go to Justify notification.
ID. In like manner Mr.. Calhoun and
Judge Cooper, who now denounce the pro.
tecting system as unconstitutional, were
some years since, lis most able defenders
Judge Cooper's Argument in favor of that
system is the most powerful and unanswer.
able Plea for it that was ever penned in 9
small compass.
IA. Cotton is protected by n duty of AZ
per cent.-and indigo by Similar duty
whereas six-tenths of all the manufactures
imported, pay only % per cent.-and three.
fourths average only Twenty-Five and seuen.
eighthS, according to the treasury returns
Is. The middle States, whose grand sta
pie, bread stufs-as also lumber-are al
most virtually excluded from all the ports
of Europe-have infinitely more cause OF
complaint, and more provocation, ito cqicu-
late The ralae ofhe Union," than South Car
DINA, which has oil the markets of the
world open to her staples.
l6. While the alarm is sounded of the
danger of consolidation and the usurpation
of the general government, we find that
government bearded by one of the minor
States-and unable to carry the laws and
solemn treaties OF the nation into effects
that. TO use the sound language of Mr..
MDufbe; " Ne hare more cause of uppre-
tension from the States, then from the gen
erat gouernment-or, in other acords, there is
in our system greater tendency to diSunion
than 10 consolidation"
IL. Great Britain and Ireland, from
whence, in the year 1880, we imported
S25,5l9,2l4, chiefly manufactures, received
from us, exclusive Of cotton and tobacco.
only S40G674s.
Is. ee-lourihs, perhaps fye-six.hs, of
all we export to Europe, are law materials
iDr her manufactures, while nearly an eoual
proportion of all we import from thence. are
manufacturers, with the major part of which
we could supply ourselves,