Richmond palladium., 1842-06-18
PROTECTION.

PROTECTION.
Extracts from u Report on the Influence of Pro
I tection made at the National C0Hrestion for II,
Protection of american interests, conrened a
/ NeU York, AprH ., lS42.
To protect home interests, however, is no lon.
ger question Of policy in any part Of the coun
try. 1t Is necessary.
Protection Is due to all branches OF industry IN
the planting aud agricultural States we'll as
TO our commerce, navigation and fisheries; but in
especial: manner, to manufactures, artisans.
and mecha nies, not merely becahae iaey support
a hgn rate Of wages but the former have large
capitals invested, and, IN connection with both
the latter. constantly introducing the arts,
sources of wealth and independence to the coun-
try. They more than pay for all the fostering
care they get from Government, not merely by
inventions, new improvements, consumption of
homo products. employment OF iemaie industry,
and encouragement to commerce, but IN the di-
rect cheapening of the cost OF every thing they
manufacture. The sequence which produces this
is a known matter Of fact; and has The brevity Of
a syiogism 10 exempIfv II. PRoTEcrIoN HOME
coMPETIrIoN,-AND REDUCTION PRICE. These
follow another as faithfully as the shadow the
sun. The reduction IN price, too, 'raere pr0fcc
ton IS ample, will go to the lowest extent that
Will sustain the manufacturer, winch must depend
on the cost of the raw materials and price Of la.
abor; but deprive him of protection, and ycu muz
zo the OK that treadeih out the corn; you give
your chiIdren's bread the dogs; and ask aims of
foreign countries rather than be rich and ind pen
dent within yourselves.
No party, no secret sectional conclave, is here
met, to agItate reasonable unconstitutional ia
hIence upon the Government, or any part of our
beloved country; bot delegates from all parties,
and all the broad interests OF the nation, come to-
ge ther openly, and with patriotic motives, u de.
wise mea asures of relief to suiieFipr consltu-
entS. Relief must come to .he hearth of every
family, aud the bosom of every American through
out the land; relief from want and the dread oil
want every whore. We ask with voice for
PRoTEcrI ~ To AMERICAN Labor; and 10 this
motto we are sure that e@erv star in our nations
al banner will lend it's radiance, and the eagle
which sustains 1t will carry victory on lis wings
that victory which is peace-peace with pro-
lection and not war without il. Let II no longer
be iii Irat tiIrs 's',s-r- '.4
e'ers are alone protected; and thai are ready
enough to resist a right Of scarce and irespass
on our property. or slaves on the ocean; whilst
our harbors and home markets. and even our pock-
cts, are searched by adventures from every for
cign country earth. No such abuse do we find
tolera ed by any European government, and our
citizens need no such exotic patronage; but they
are becoming tred Of being fleeced and shorn of
their proportion Of their owntrade, AMI ask le
cis!ative enactments TO protect them. Will not
Congress listen TO them?
The advocates of free trade, fal'eiy SO called,
and of low wages. where high rates would give
Iargcr products 10 labor and capita, seem not 10
know where their delusive theorIes would lead
them. how low would they have wages reduced
in The country? To tho almost starving prices
in Europe or the still lower prtaico meied out
in the Oriental countries? How nsar to nothing
would they reduce their compensate for days
work of an American freeman? Their theory
leads them 10 this. and free trade i just about as
consistent. 1t Is Utopian-a gull rap for the un
wary, and fraud on common sense.