Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-02-04

from the market, or greatly reduce the price, MY
sympathiss with the agrcuurists. Their calling
al once the mos, ancient healthy, and honorable is
the foundation of every other. And if believed that
tariff was destructive Of their interest, would aban-
don IL altogether.
BIT the preat value Of manufactures 10 the farmer
is the market which they open for his prod zee Where
would the South and West find market for Their
"ycllow corn" Of which the gentleman from Vir-
sina (NIr. wise) so frequently speaks if we had no
manufactures in the North and East! The ports OF
Great Britain are shut against the corn the wheat
the -four, of the great graln-growing States ihese
Prels aples together with the rice of the Sou,h ana
tn pork Of Ohio, find their best market at the North
among our manufactures. There were imported n mo
the city of Boston alone, during the year past, 4oco
West, while the quantity raised in the State amount
cd to only 800 900 shels. The flour brought INTO
The same ctv amounted 10 100000 barrels, and the
rice TO 20 600 casks. small portion Of this was sent
into New Hampshire; but a much greater amount
was brought in through other channels and clnsuni-
ed in the State. l then address myself to the
grain growing interest in every part Of the House,
and say them, the subject is one in winch you have
vital concern and if you know your own interest;
asI trust you d. the manufactures at he North WI,
be as dear to you as they to Northern mci And
vet gentlemen on this floor will talk about manuiac-
lures being hostile to the public interest," aud especial
ly to the interest of agriculture!
The manufacturers, such, are no party in this
cas-, The great party interested is the iaborers, The
rcorkng men of The tntoie country. And If gentle,
men insist upon presenting this as a SUIT ana VIII
have parties in the case, the parties the Ia
be hostile to manufactures, or to the production of
American industry, unless it be those who lead life
of denesa and wish to live upon the iabors OF others
But sir, do not admit that there are any parties in
this The country, and the whole country, has
lirect interest in the success of the American sys
tenn IN the encouragement OF domestic industry.
That we may see the eiiec, of manufactures upon
general prosperity, lie, us suppose that they were
all destroyed, all struck down at blow. Then the
100000 persons engaged IN this branch OF indus
try would all be turned loose upon the other cailnTs
,l,p ,,,,uv Hast # u
healthful employment, Of agriculture md would ma
urally settle in the ferta valley of the West. And
what would be the consequence These products Of
the earth which are now abundant that thcywould
be alm) st valucess were it not for the markets found
in the manufacturing districts, would become still
moro abundant. And where would they find mar
ket 7 They could not exchange them for the manu-
features of England, for her corn laws would operate
rs prohibition These 100000 who are now con-
sumors would be converted into 100000 producers,
making difference Of 100000. Would this pro-
moe the interest of agriculture Surely no.; its pro-
ducts would be greatly multiplied and its best mar
isot would br destroyed. SUPPOSE tho manufacture
Of sugar should lie destroyed, what effect would that
produce! The sugar plantation, woud be converted
into cotton fields and the gentleman from South Ca
r3lal would find increased competition IN the pro-
ouc,ion of his flvority staple, while his great North
trn market, which now consumes onc-quarter of the
whole crop, would he lost Meanwhile, the expert.
mcnts of Great Britain in India would succeed and
her own colonies, Thus would the policy OF the
South spread de>olation over the country, and in
vove hsr in the same common ruin
The gentleman from South Carolina has assumed
that all protective duties were a tax upon the people
10 be paid as bounty on the manufacturers He
has asserted, again and again, that prices will rise
jus; in proportion to The increase of duty. This Mr.
Speaker, Is far from being the fact. SO far is this
from being the truth that the opposite is more fire..
Giently true. There is, admit, no absolute liked
rule in this What is true of one article may
be true of another. What can be shown to be the
result of duty at one time may not be produced ,o
he s1n n n m. lpr II
tho supply and demand 1t will also be found truc
that small deficiency in the supply will la.sc iha pri
value of the def ii. And On The other hand. sur
plus, though small Wi reduce the price of the whole
commodity far beyond the value of the surplus. A
surplus worth $1,000 would frequently produce a., an
market to the amount of $4,000. This principle |.
50 essential to the right understanding of this part oil
our subject that trust shall be paIdoned If at
there nre ten shops in this CITY, owned by as many
individuals, and that 500 per quarter is fair rent
for each Of them. B II the number of traders wish
ing occupy these shops is bat nine, thereby leaving
practical effect ofths state Of things Nine shops viii
be occupied and one will be vacant. The owner oil
the vacan, shop seeing all his nelghbors enjoying an
income of 500 per qrnrtcr while he receives moth
nag offers his shop FOR 500 on the wise principle that
he had better Ia, that sum than nothing. This offer
induces one of the traders who is paying SlOO, &c
quit the shop he occupies, and take the oie he car
have for 500 This change leaves another shop emp
ty; and this induces It's owner TO put that at $50 pei
quarter; this induces another to remove, and take
shop at 500 And they will! go througl
with each shop, till all brought down 10 $50
Here has been reduction Of $40 upon each shop
making an ag!relat Of 500, eng just equal to thu
value of the surplus. And how stands the matte
n,w } Why, sir there is one empty shop, as at thu
beginning; an the same process of reduction Will -
on, ill the price is brought down 50 low rs to Undue
81 ne person 10 embark trade, who, under othe
circumstances, would not th.,k OF engaging in tn
kind of business.
This priacple, which every practical man will read
readily ackn ow!edge, enters argeyin our CONNER
&C, both foreign and damesc, and has an all-impor
tant bearing upon prices. Keeping tins prnclle i
view io. US inquire into the effect of tart upo
prices Suppose an article now paying ~ per cent
he subjected to 20 per cent more duty; according t
the gen,lemans doctrine, the price must rise 20 pc
cent. in our market. Bat, in fact, this will not b
the case The American merchant, who has cen Il
the habit OF taking this article OF an English house
the amount Of 1000, writes to his correspondent i
Great rlan, that, in consequence o! the increase
duty, he can now lake Tut 81 COO, unless the manu-
facturer will reduce his price, The British manufac
turer, knowing full well that if 81 600 worth of hi
fabric be thrown into his home market, it will rcduc
the price, AMI lessen the value OF his whole stock
hand, immediately reduces his price, and so supple
his d customers with the usual quantity OF the al
,lcle. The amount of the reduction will depend upo
the state of the market sometimes it will be NOR
and sometimes less. The average, perhaps, woul
be one-half of the increased duty. The foreign mani
facturer, paying one-haf Of the additional duty, III
actual duty pad by the importer wuud be 80 per cen
instead oil 40. But as the increased duty would pre-
tect the manufacturer, our citizens would embar
with Yankee zeal in this species of manufacture
This would produce competition at home, and Il
increased guam lty of fabric thrown into our maj Ike
would have tendency 10 produce surplus, and til
would serve to keep down the price. Here would
double competition competition between Il
foreign an! the domestic manufacturers, and con
petition between the domestic manufacturers. III
natural tendency of this would be TO reduce price
its operation would be less sudden, accordil
10 the character of the manufacture. fit cost
kind Of manufacture, or one which required great e
periencc skill, il would take longer TO bring III
reduction about. But If the manufacture were
such nature as to require but little capital or lii
experience the competition and consequent leduct'
would be more immediate. After making all ao'
ances for fluctuations, from various causes, we lay
down as general principle, which will hold GOO
take number of years IN succession, that dutl
loo king TO protection, if they are uilclously laid,
reduce prices,
This not only appears evident from the nature
the case, but is sustained by facts taken from ofic
documents. These facts will present for the cons
Grafton Of the House.