New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1842-02-12
VOL. T..
The Merchaps. and Protection.

10 ne Editor ~ 1he Tribune
/ .Our Merchants words very faniiiarly
used and much dwel,zupo by free trade theo-
rists Very great apprehension is proiesscdlv
manifested lest any harm should happen that
class OF our fellow, citizens. The time has been
when we could justly boast of the existence Of a
numerous body Of intelligent, cnterpri.ng, and
high minded Merchants, in all our commercial
But an examination into facts Express 70
our view the larnentable truth that.ihev have
awindied down 10 few in numbers and their place.
have been supplied by numerous swarm OF men
yclcpt foreign agents with whom our land i,
infested throng heut is length and breadth E1-
cmpt from the responsibilities Of citizens, the, ac-
ually ENJOY superior privileges, and have the ct-
feet of le"ches on the body polite by :.bsractng
that which gives vitality TO the business pursuits
OF hte thc=b OF our currency, circumvcntin.
the regular merchant, and overwhelming the arti-
san and mechanic by pouring into market u ger
abundance Of such articles as they can produce.
from the l'aupcr labor OF Europe. | agree with
yol, that . if will give ourselves away, We
should not blame those who come in and take US
But to check this giving, we must examine the rs-
her principles, and will warran, She will have
followers.
Toilll> trac the truth OF what la. been stated
vii! state what has been told me within the last
twcniy-EonI hours hv one in whom have rcas
to place ,hv most implicit confidence. He WAS
engaged in 1882 in furnishing hardware for saddle
~, and having got up new model for a Bride bit
upon improved plan, sent i, to Birmingham
with ordrrsto BE- Immediately Supplied. When in
daily expectation Of receiving his goods, he was
astonishc. to find II nciglbor Of his exhibiting for
sale the Very article On cnquiring where thcy
were obtained, he was told thar it was an entire
new article supplied by -, agcn, for
the manufacture in Birmingham 10 ,vl.m he had
forwarded his order and on enuuirinS of the agent
he was showna pattern card of the very article.
y case occurred very recently at the Custom
House in which IA invoice of saws was stamped
."cu,t steel" and uvoiced I" German steel" r!lv
difference in cost is ten Shillings sterling, The
agent claimed thut the saws were German steel.
although they bore tho stamp of cast steel, and
the matter finally submitted to arbitration. 4
fraud appeared evident somewhere, either aimed
nj the revenue else the consumer: the nrbitra-
tors could not agree, being American
merchant and the other II foreign agent; and hav
ing pitched upon foreign agent umpire, it
was decided TO be all right. SO, cast steel saws,
which should be invoiced at II shillinss ,tcllsg,
presume were permitted 10 pass the Custom
House a, 81 shilling..
| do not wish to- be undersio ID aiming any
rcpiuach against foreigners who are who in
tend o become citizens of ,hr United States; lc,
. man como from where he may, il he attaches
himself 10 our institutions, ma,testing DISPOSE
tjop 70 share the bErde II. well the privileges
! Of citizenship most checrtully extend TO
him the right hand of fellowship But ii is IN
deed humlinting To know that multitudes OF men
who boast Of continued allegiance to thei. foreign
masters, daily sapping the foundations OF our
prosperity in our very midst, mud practising with
impuniry the crosses, inposilons On those who
are TO the manor born. How long these things
ure 10 be endured it not orme sav.But for one
l feel that it is time the merchant, the mechanic,
the ngriculturist and manufactures should lay aside
their mere party predictions, and league TO,
gcthcr for the common good of our country, IN an
effort to lesuscitale its energies, and rid ourselves
Of foreign interference and influence. I.