Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-05-21
MI. GAYS LErrsa TO THE MEMBERS
OF THE New YoRK LEGISLATURES.
WAsuINcToN 18Th April 1910

GENTLEMEN Il have received. by the
hands of the Honorable N. p. KALAMAZOO,
the communication which you did me the.
honor TO transmit to him for me, on the
3lst ultimo; and have perused il with
lively and grateful sensibilty. Such tes-
timonial, proceeding from source highly
distinguished and respected, presented at
the close of my public life, will be cherished
by me, in my retirement, with the highest
satisfaction, and add great strength TO the
consciousness feel that, in all the public
stations to which have been called, have
honestly labored faithfully 10 perform my
whole duty to the public.
In the brief but flattering review, which
you have taken of my public career, you
have Justly conceived the motives of my
conduct. With respect to the measures
themselves, to the adoption Of which ]
have contributed. | will not undertake to
pronounce any decisive Judgment OF
iheir influence upon the interests, the honor
and the character of the nation, the pres
ent generation, and posterity, if a recol-
lection of my agency in maturing them
shall survive me, are and will be the most
competent and impartial judges of them
and Of me. But you have truly attributed
ever concern have had in public affairs,
and especially in reference to great sys-
tenn of National policy.
Divided as mankind are, ever have been,
and will continue to be, into distinct ma
tons, 1t is the solemn duty of each, whilst
it deals Justly and literally towards others,
constantly and sedulousiy to advance, pro-
tect and maintain its own separate inter-
ests. To attempt to legislate for them, or
10 expect or permit them to legislate for
us, would be alike vain and improper.
1t was a view of this condition of the
world, and instructed by lessons of expe-
rience drawn from its history, and the
practice Of other nations, that early led me
to a conclusion in favor of the Protection
of the Domestic Industry of our own
Country. My convictions have acquired
additional strength, from every reflection
could give the subject, and from both
past and present experience in the U.
States. Free trade is beautiful vision,
existing only in the Imagination of philoso-
pliers and theorists, and practically repu-
dated by all nations An indispensable
condition to the adoption of it, by any one
nation, is its adoption by all. But instead
of regulating their trade, according to that
theory, we every where behold restric-
tions, burdens, and prohibitions. And
those nations which make the nearest ap-
Proclamation to il are in the least prosper
Gus state. During the last nine years, about
one half of our imports have been admit
ted free of duty, and as to the other moiety,
descending scale of duties has been in
progress, which is now rapidly bringing
them down. If there were any reality in
the boastful promises of the partisans Of
free trade, our country ought, at this mo-
ment, to be in the enjoyment Of an enva-
BILE prosperity. But directly the reverse is
its melancholy condition. Never were the
products of Agriculture selling at more dis
ceuraging prices: and The great Southern
staple of cotton, which was to have been
go highly benfittcd by reduction of du-
ties, is now sold at price less than it has
commanded at any time since the last war
with Great Britain
Nothing can be more erroneous than to
suppose the existence of any real incom-
patiblity between the interests of Agri-
culture, Commerce and Manufactures. A
conflict between them would be Just as
unnatural and absurd, as between the mem
bers of the human body. Each prospers
most when all of them flourish. Agricul
ture requires little protection, because it!
position secures it against much foreign
competitions: or, rather, protection to Com
merce and Manufactures is the best form
of affording protection to Agriculture.
Without diversity in the occupations
of society, if all are engaged in one COM
common pursuit, there can be no subjects
produced for mutual domestic exchanges
and consequently no home market, by fal
the best, most steady, in War and Peace
and most valuable of all markets.
We shall not, fear, rise from our pres
cnt embarrassed condition until we pro
cure, within our country, more of the sup
plies necessary to consumption, and de
pend less upon Foreign Countries Unit
that object is accomplished, we shall bt
constantly exposed to an exhausting drair
of the precious metal, and to sudden al
formations Of delusive prosperity and rea
adversely. One of the obvious modes o.
accomplishing that object is the regulation
Of our Foreign trade by means of prop
erly adjusted Tariff, stimulating production
at home and diminishing importatons from
abroad. And all experience has shown
that, on whatever object our Manufacture
ing industry has been successfully EN-
ployed, its price to the consumer has beer
almost invariably reduced This is the
necessary effect of the law of competition
The question is sometimes asked how the
manufacturer can be benefited by an in
erpasa of duties If the effnct he IN raduc,