The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-23

not as yet interrupted as at the North by factories but
impeded when the morning star first reoiced IN the
East You may find the people Of Virginia, ay even even
Virginia may in time that they should IKE 70 pe
placed under the protection that other
the country have beenhat they should IKE 70 ~ ~
the dormant capital quckened into power ana use'.s
ness He should not urge them to ask q ProseeusV
tariff, for while the interests Of the Norm 90 hos
quire it, the feelings of the South are NOT resuy ~
Mr.. JOHNSON said he believed The Peop'e :, w ~
South were in advance OF their Poluclahs, a -
cotton region may find that Texas, with neI gen ,
climate and fertile soil, may enter INTO ioIhuaoe
competition in the cotton marker, ana 'ney ~ 80
now so loud against protection may look WIN hio'I
calmness questions of political economy; io nau
seen factories OF cotton at Lynchburg and manuiac-
turing establishments at Richmond Inc coai, IRON
and water power contiguous, may YET deseiope untou
wealth. Coal and iron IN sicinage, gives wales ns
wealth and prosperity; and what American but ire's
that this nation should pay TO England alone during
the last ten years eighty millions OF dollars Tor Inc
single article OF iron-an amount equal 10 what inc
President computes 10 be the entire amount nf gou
and silver this country, though he did not beeve
there were fiy millions OF specie in the nation at this
time That the cotton interest IN the South Is de-
pressed is most true, and no one was more anxious
than himself TO it flourish; but direct taxation
would but accelerate its embarrassment because, ny
the Constitution the holding region would have
most to pay. The gold mines Of tho South give but
little wealth TO the nation, and he was the last man 70
urge people TO be gold hunters When Spain aban-
doned her work shops and expelled the Moors, VINO
her best mechanics she built up factories, win
bordering nations which gave them wealth IN COM
mercc and in war 1.-THE immense amount OF bull
lion which brought her by the discovery OF the
| New World and her extended commerce, could NOT
make her independent-ali the gold and silver when
her colonists dug up, and all the bullion which was
extoted from her conquered provinces, were INSULT
cient pay other nations for those very Injuries ana
articles with which she supplied all Europe and
gradually degcnerating from that time, SPAN has De-
come wi hat she is now--the cTumbng corner OF once
mighty Empire What was the best mode Of supply
ing the wants of the Government was the true ques-
ton to he considercdoher questions which might
arise were incdental-the balance Of trade, for IN
stance involving in itself the question Of currency
He would not 20 into examination Of these, be-
he wanted information to the condition OF the
Treasury, and could give him that know
ledge. for two agreed upon the sabject. He would
not take step In the dark, and while he had no light
he would pause. When proposition for protection
direct incidental shall be presented, il will DO time
enough discuss it but he free to confess, that
he anxious to see agriculture manufactures, and
commerce, advance hand in hand in this nation We
cannot be prosperous without their high advancement;
and he believed that time would prove that mechanics
were important to the South as to the North. In
the South, they would give greater independence IN
time of peace and in time OF connection within, or
war without they would give the assurance Of protec
ton to institutions. Even in Utopia, where its
best wisdom is borrowed from Plato's Commonwealth,
Sir Thomas Moore in this beau ideal of happy peo-
pie would have them till the land and pursue the me-
chanic arts by turns shifting the population IN regu
lar rotation from town TO country. lie would have
the whole people acquainted with mechanics and the
useful arts.
Mr.. JOHNSON said, he had been in Canada and
the system of colonial dependence--a dependence
which showed poverty, ignorance and stupidity
in the people when conirasted with those OF the States
He had seen the whip-saw used beside the waterfall
of the st. Lawrence where five hundred dollars
would have built complete saw-m- and SO IN all
other matters and why because the mother country
did not countenance manufactures in Canada. II
tho same policy which she had pursued towards
these States when colonies-every effort made TO
se the genius and curb the enterprise OF the people.
Manufactures of all kinds discouraged and every
thing TO be procured from the workshops of the
mother country. To foster and encourage her man
uacures at home-to find employment for her surplus
population-to afford her the means and articles OF
traffic, the policy was as it is now, and ever will be,
10 make her colonists believe that every article Of
comfoit-every instrument of art and every implement
of industry could be made cheaper and better in the
mother country and thus the colonsts continuing the
mere producers of the MATERIAL should remain
forever Observation-Disclosures to exaction from
which ndustry--no patient labour could relieve
them.
Mr.. JOHNSON said, he would not discuss the power
OF the government 10 give protection, nor would he
discuss the policy of such an exercise of power-it
was unnecessary but reyerting to what had occurred
in the past history OF this country and what might be
its future policy, he would remind gentlemen and par
ticuary his Virginia friends that the first movement
in reference to the encouragement of domestic manu-
features from Virginia, and that Mr.. Madison
had urged it, shown by his friend from New
York, Mr.. Munroe) who had read the preamble Of
the second law passed by Congress, prepared and
written by that sage statesman and he would further
remind them that Mr.. Jefferson in 1876 in letter to
Mr.. Austin repudated the views he entertained when
the Notes Virginia first published and advanc-
ing as nc says With his country declared that to he
independent for the comforts of life must fabricate
them ourselves We must place the manufacturer by
the side Of the agricuurist and further, that expert
ence had taught him that manufacturers as neces
sary TO our Independence as to our comfort.
Mr.. JOHNSON said his devotion to the interests of
the South rested than mere professions, and
he had given such evidences of this no one would
question. He had but alluded to certain facts and
circumstances, to admonish his Southern friends not
to force collisions that were unnecessary and to avoid
excitcmcn,s when they were unproducve Of good
in any quarter. He had been constrained,
than occasion, request gentlemen from the South
to speak for themselves, and for their constituents,
and not, in the benevoence of their nature, to take
the whole South under their especial charge. lie
was not annoyed, but often amused when some mem
Der from that region rose, and spoke il he were
armed with the thunder of Jove to threaten, command
or destroy, when such member would draw the cir
Gle Of the South contracted possible around him
self, TO make himself the ccntre-the peculiar re-
preventative of tho South. It reminded him Of
Mandarin in Chinese circular battery which has
brstling cannon pointed in every direction, but the
commander, filled with apprehension the appear
ancc of the first sail, without waiting to whether
it be harmless merchantmen a ship Of war; orders
general fire, when loud discharge will ensue the
balls flying in every direction, seldom reaching the
enemy, and often doing great injury to friends around
He regretted to find that members were anxious TO
draw distinction among the Whigs-of Republican
and National Republican Wings. He could perceive
no beneficial object in it. Such gentlemen should re-
member that Gen. Jackson was highiariff man; Mr..
Van Buren, was also ultra on that question. And if
he might be allowed TO make the allusion to gentle
man who often alluded to him in debate, he would
say that, if he mistaken, the venerable gen.
ieman from Massachusetts MIR A1amsl had staied.