, 1842-06-18
IRcported for the Radical.1


Reported for the Radically
1t was contended by the affirmative,
that no nation upon earth was less de-
pendant on other countries than the Unit
ed States. That our agricultural resur-
ces were sufficient to feed the world
whilst the facilities we enjoyed for wool,
cotton and silk growing, conjoined with
the enterprise and mechanical ingenuity
of IL citizens, would enable us TO clothe
it. That our native mineral wealth was
inexhaustable; while nature, as if mind
full of the mutual dependence of remote
portions of our Union, had strengthened
their c~onnexion by establishing naviga-
bic channels of communication between
them.
With allthe elements Of national great
ness, and social happiness, u govern
ment was now on the verge Of bankrupt
cy, and industry was paralazed, because
unrewarded in every department Of bust
ness throughout u wide extended
country. And why? The cause was
plain. We buy of the Europeans, more
than uc sell them.
With nations as with individuals, they
can never prosper till they earn more
than they consume, and sell more than
they buy.
It was insisted that with our abundant
surplus produce, and great manufacture
ing facilities, no adequate reason could
be assigned why the balance of trade
was against us, unless the unequal terms
on which we trade with Europe would
explain it.
England says to the United States,
"your farmers may sell our citizens thier
wheat, ifthey will pay to our government
seventy-fve cents for the privilege of
bringing each bushel into our ports, and
200 per cent. duty on your cor. 300 on
your oats, &c." 1t was explained, that
these rates of duty might be higher or
lower, as regulated by Sir R. Peel's slid
ing scale. So that the shipper might
leave here with a good prospect of OBJ
tanning a good price for his grain, but by
the time he reached England the "sliding
scale" had been caused to rise, by the
demand for grain having been supplied
by their wheat growing neighbors onthe
continent, and the American ~speculater
p~erherhaps ruined.
John Bull, it was said, would not buy
our lumber, wool, potatoes, and many
other important staples, on any terms,
He says to Brother Jonathan, 'true, we
need so, 600, 600 of dollars worth Of WOO,
a year, but we prefer buying it mainly
of our own colonies. By doing so, we
can sell you our cloth, and make a profit
out of YOU on our wool and labour; like
wise your cotton we are glad to get.
even at a mere nominal duty, for it give:
employment to our starving mechanics
and we soon return a large portion Of il
to you in a shape that yields us a fine
profit. We will buy some six or sever
millions worth of your tobacco, annually
provided you will pay us about 35,0Oo,'
600 of dollars by way of duty, for The
privilege of selling it to our merchants
1t was shown by the affirmative, tina
the average duty on manufactured to-
bacco, wrs 900 per cent. on the hom'
valuation. So a farmer may send hi
crop to England or France, where tn
duty is about the same, and if it sells fol
$4,000 he (the farmer) will only re
ceive $1,000, and he is to pay the whole
expense of commission, transportation
&C.. out ofthat thousand. So of his Ba.
con. He sells $4,000 worth in Liver,
pool or London, $500 of which, theil
laws compel him to pay into their Gus
tom house as duty, leaving him $1,000
out of which he is to pay the expense o
shippage, &c., while the English manu-
~facturer at any time since 1888, Nigh
sell 10000 or 10 millions of dollar
worth Of silk in our market. and instca'