The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-17


labor can consume; when il is not employed.
it cannot consume. Who buys the pork and
the lard Of The Northwestern States Who
takes the corn of North Carolina and Vir-
einia, and the -four Of the latter State' Is il
not the North and the East Virginia and
North Carolina have no better customer than
Massachusetts. To say nothing of the amount
of naval stores received from North Carolina,
and used by the navigating interest Of the
East, let me only refer to breadstutis. Two
millions Of bushels of corn and four hundred
thousand barrels of -four have been imported
into the single city of Boston in one year
Most of this corn is from North Carolina and
Virginia, and much of the -four from Virginia
| find it has been estimated that upwards of
si1 millions of dDilus have been paid by
Massachusetts, for breadstuffs imported in
single year. All this is consumed and paid
for by employed labor Take away employ
ment from our labor, or drive it from It's ac-
customed pursuits, and its power OF consnmp-
ton is at ali end.
But not only does the protection OF labor
in the North and East enable it to buy the
products Of the South. but all protection Of la
bor increases general consumption. Hence
articles at home does moi diminish the aggre-
gate amount Of imporations. This is very
important truth, and all our history confirms
it. have looked at the tables OF exports
and imports, from the very first origin Of this
Government, and d, not find any thing 10
countenance the idea that imports, in the ag-
gregate, fall OFF in consequence Of protecting
labor at home. There were quite as great
fluctuations, forty or forty-iye years ago, as
there have heen since the tariff of 1924. A
well-empoyed and prosperous community
can buy and consume. An Unemployed
community cannot buy and consume. This
is The solution of the whole matter, and the
whole science Of political economy has not
one truth Of half so much importance as this.
One word more. The experiment Of low
wages has been often tried. We see it going
on now in Asia and many parts of Europe. My
colleague has recently given us list Of the
prices Of labor in various countries. We
know what those couatries are, and what the
condition Of the people is.
On the other hand, we have tried the expe-
riment of high wages, and have we not made
the best condition Of society, for the general
happiness Of all classes that has ever existed
upon the face Of the earth
Nv. A fourth sentiment Of the honorable
member is, that the removal Of all duties in
creases the expectation of articles manufac-
tured at home. | cannot conceive how this
can be true. If foreigners can beat us in our
own market, they can beat US elsewhere
The exports Of domestic articles, in the years
stated in the tables which the honorable gen.
tleman has read, are not all referable, think,
10 any such cause as he supposes that is to
say, some natural cause necessarily produ-
cling such result The truth is, that prices
fell, at that time in consequence Of excessive
impor,ations from Europe, and the holders of
our own manufactured goods were obliged to
get rid Of them, by expectation or otherwise,
in the best manner they could. 1t is known
that our exports Of manufactured articles have
been very variable and irregular. When I'M
portations have been great, and prices become
reduced, then expectation has taken place
Our manufacturers have, in many instances,
shown much skill ia the fabrication Of arti-
cles suited to foreign markets. For while,
they have been successful, in some degree
but the English have always been ready to
initiate them, and profit by their Example. If
particular article, manufactured in the Uni
ted States, has been found capable of being
sold to profit in the Mediterranean, in South
America, in India, or in China, the English
manufactures has Immediately set himself to
work to produce similar article, and 10 drive
the American article out of the market, by a
like article afforded at lower price, because
the result Of cheaper labor. These English
articles have been sold as American products.
The stamp of Lowell and "Tremont Mills"
or Lawrence Mills" has been foudd in Asia
and in South America on articles manulac-
tured at Manchester.
" Finally, the honorable member is Of
opinion that the whole system of protection
was Frustrated, and is Frustrated, cut up root
and branch, and exterminated forever, by the
State interposition of South Carolina. He
has often expressed this opinion before.
only take notice Of it now, as he has ex-
pressed it very strongly, and as it leads me to
fear that have been wrong in the expecta-
ton which have been willing to cherish,
that he himself would see both the justice and
the political wisdom of giving moderate and
reasonable protection, and of continuing it, So
long as necessary, to some Of the great, lead
ing, and important branches of domestic in
dustry
have only to add that wish men, of all
parties, who entertain the opinion that duties
on imports fall heavily and unequally on the
South, would calmly reconsider that opinion
Look to the great article Of woollen cloths ::
where are they most consumed, because most
necessary Our laborers cannot and must
not be left shvering under Northern sky
with the slight clothing which may be suffi
cient to protect the laborer Of the South.
They must have woollens, and they pay the
price for Them and pay the price enhanced,
if enhanced, by the duties; and pay it will
lingly, for the sake Of being secured in the