Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-05-06
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON MANUFACTURES.

also, such must commend themselves to every
patriotic citizen They believe that dscrimina ton in
The .scssment of duties is necessary the pros
petty Of every branch Of industry, and is essential,
not only to the prosperity, but to the very existence
OF some Of our most important manufacturing and
mechanical interests-such as have been protected
and fosterrd by the policy Of out laws, such are
most essentially and extensively ted with the
lahour and industry Of our country in all its branches
and some of which have hitherto been considered as
ofthe highest Importance as national interests. Be-
lirving this. they could not la TO recommend bill
base on principles which, IN their opinion ne.
cessary to the very existence of such interests
They do not propose to raise more revenue than is
necessary for an economical administration Of the
Government but they do propose to do this in such
manner, thai while, in their opn it will not bear
unaqu'ly and oppressively on any part of the COM
munty but on the contrary will render the VIII lie
nation more prosperous in peace and be ter prepared
for war; it will exten its protecting shield the
labor and industry of the country. Their object has
been to assess duties on imported articles in snch a
manner. that while sh 'cient revenue will they hope
be provided the act shall afford reasonable encourage
mcn To or own producers Of the S,me articles, and
shall stimulate their enterprise and reward their in
dustrv, bv 50 far sec ring 10 them our own markets.
that they may, at least, enter into fair competti
with foreign producers. They have especially con-
sdcred the condition and wants of those branches of
industry whose products are in a great measure, the
result of labor as the chef cause of The difference in
the cost of producing manufactured articles here and
IN Europe is the difference in the wages value of
labor But in discriminating the rate of duties, they
nave not uSTenIrOPN Inc lnIpTcS OF the revenue; on
the coatrary, they believe that revenue vii: be
collected by the present bil than wouli be received
under a lower rate of duty, especially iflhe duty
I'D rdlorsm; and they have not made any duty
which will he prohibory, unless the mnr ct is
wholly supplied by own citizens, under the opc-
ration of existing former laws
The great interests connected with wool, in its
growth AMI manufacture, require the continuance Of
the protective pc icy of the Government. Those vast
interests for they m1y he considered as IDENTICAL
in state of great depression. will be by
crrng to the statements Of Mr.. Schenck and of Mr..
Cults one Of a committee from Windsor county,
Vermont. There now in the United States ac-
cording 10 The census. Mt lc,st 200 100000 sheep.
The capital invested estimating the sheep at % each,
and the land necessary for their subsistence (being
the Of for three sheep) Mt Sl2 per acre,
would amount to $3.50 900 600; 10 viii h should be
nj ed the investments necessary for the support #
those engaged in the care of sheep the clipping Of the
WOOL &c, amounting 10 some millions more. The
annual product of wool may be estimated at fifty
millions Of po 'nds.
All the great interests of the country are now in
an extremely depressed condton-every branch of
industry is para wed. How Ia il that, in time of
profound peace with n country Astounding in natural
resources, with an active and enerprsng population
increasing without parallel in the history Of the
human race, aud rolling on towards the Western
ocean settling as rich lands ms the shines upon
and when Providence has blessed us with fiultiul
seasons with all the means md iaci les OF successful
enterprise how is il that, blessed by Heaven beyond
any other people who ever existed, the voice Il COM
plant shoild come up from every part Of the land
There are several for the present depress on
of propcrty and general stagnaton OF business one
of which will be ADMITTED 10 be the large amount of
our imporarlons the amount OF exports. This
depreSses orr home industry and draw from The
country annually large balances in specie, GRIPPING
orr hanks and deprving them Of the power TO grant
the necessary facilities The same causes produced
the exhaustion OF our resources, and the embarrass-
ments which the principal causes of the adoption
Of the Constitution. AS stated IN the very able Pc
rton from Windsor county, Vermont, from l1S3 10
| Il. H.. al, tpr
/ free TO the whole world The result was that Great
Britain filed every section of our country with her
! manufactures of wool, cotton, linen, leather, IRON
glass, and all other articles used here, and IN foul
years she swept from the country every dollar and
In the last term Of General Jackson's administra
| ton the imports exceeded the exports each year
| making an excess of Sl29,6Sl,39 80
The excess of imports during The three years OF w
Van Blren's administration was nearly seventy mn
lions. In 1870. thief first tine FIR ten years. mere wa
an excess of ex ports. In lSil, the import exceeded
III. exports about three millions.
| tariff of duties which, while II will supply the ne
cessary revenue will check excessive imporations
and prevent the flow OF specie abroad for the paymen
Of large balances, will do much 10 restore the pros
prrity of the nation. Revenue ~ necessary; II mus
be raised from duties on imports; and II these ar
wisely arranged, they will encourage domestic indus
rv and improve and increase orr circulating medium
so essential to the restoration Of prosperity.
And why should not rely more on ourselves an
on our own pc icyl Is there any thing IN the pollc
Of other nations to induce US TO eal Inc way IN IRE
trade? Free trade! Where shall we go to hnd a
| example for in All the great nations OF Europe ar
protecting their own industry, and encouraging the
! own manufactures to an extent before unknown
France, Prussia, the German States, and even fnss'
are making rapid advances IN manufactures uhaer
| system of rigorous restrictions. =.
Until the European nations change their polio!
there can be reaIy free trade for the United state
Should we adopt this policy, free trade Wl be onl
= on one side, and that not ours. we snai ENJOY JUL
O. with Them q Their gOC
8 nl,o IRE NAV allow MS. shall We look 10 Englnn
FIR our example of free trade? England imp ST
o prohibltory duties all articles she can RAISE
- m,nufact,ire This is her settled policy. Should q
ins,l lcient tariff with her vast surpl sses poured
o upon u.s. break down our establishments and
g, agoia import our 60 ton, woollen ana other man
lacirei 200 Is, what would she receive IN return
Of ,bem? With what could we pay her She wi y
"a ,e from us our wheIt and corn, unless her popul
re lion is in starving cnnd ton, because they Will |
ne erfere III her agrlc ltnral IN eres's Inc ponue
u Of or fisheries and our forests VIII ma no adm,ss
IN there because she must encourage her own hsherl
A and her colonial timber trade. She VIII taNe le
al thousand horsheads OF tobacco, but charged WIN
ne duty and excise Of ten times lis original cost ana W
Yielding twelfth part OF her revenue ron 'Ilpo'
She will not take from us any article oil the grow
us prodvce or manua" ture Of this country except
ir, cotton which has become essential 10 her cor
ms man faciurers-that branch OF her industry winch
as now essential to her national wealth ana power
in she is sirainng every nerve TO become independent
re- foreign nations for this
ed departure from that policy under winch duties
imports have been so arranged as 70 ehcoulasu
ed nestle industry is feared would be most sas'Io
Ice FOREIGN nations would flood This country WIN u
10 nroductions AMI destroy our manufacturers, ny
Ia Driving them Of The home market Inc opeIauoi
il would be like tina, of our reciprocal treaties as u
are called, under which we have lost erea, Pat
10 tho carving trade of our own produce we
ers o,ev noticed the startling fact that four-hhs oil
md the tonnage entering one Of our southern port'
lay foreign. We are now suffering an ,nunda' e,
tnnlg