Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-20
CoNGREss--2d Session.

-ITWENTY-sEvENTH CoNGREss--2d Session
TARIFF.
MINORITY REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
MANUFACTURES.
House of Representatives. May D, lc42.
Laid upon the table and ordered to be printed.
Mr. HABERSHAM, from the Committee on manu-
fuctures, made the following
The minority of the Commute on Manufactures, Il
which was referred so much Of the Presidents Mes
sage as relates TO the discriminating duties and Do
mestie manufactures not concurrng with the MAORI
ty in the views presented 10 the House. ask leave re
spectfuy, to submit their own in q separate Report
The Undersigned being the minority OF the commit
tee, are impressed with the very great Importance
the subject with its delicate nature and with the diff
cutes and embarrassment in which it is involved
We that is subject Of the deepest inter
est not only to every section of the country, but to al
most every individual citizen and the refore demanding
OF US and Of Congress the gravest and most mparta
consideration. We also aware that whatever view!
We may present will encounter the severesl scrutiny
and be condemned by the many who look not beyond
the limits of their county State, nor beyond
the profit or loss of particular branch OF industry
| The capital and productive labor OF the U. ). may
be divided great interests; the farming, the
planting, the commercial, the shipping, the manu-
acturing and the mechanical; as distinguished from
the manufacturing; each closely allied with and
dependent upon others, that one cannot be affected
bene hcally otherwise, without affecting all, TO a
greater or less degree In addition to these, there is
another upon winch they all dependent, not only
for protection but for their very preservation-e
cenue Of the Union-wbich is itself, in turn, depend.
ent for its increase dimnuon upon the prosperity
or depression of each and all.
If did not approach 10 the consideration Of sub.
ject comprehensive and delicate and the legisa
ton upon which must act SO benehcially or mis-
chievousy upon this great and growing country, we
4 he in hP nat 0tIgna
well as the most common self-respect.
The almost profound peace, of nearly twenty seven
years duration, which has succeeded to the long and
destructive consequent upon the American and
French Revolutions, has, by giving confidence and
cury to industry, increased, extent perhaps
e1ampled productions of every description necessary
for the support, the comfort, and the enjoyment OF
man; and these, in turn, by their abundance, have
multiplied to like extent, the productive population both
in Europe and in North America. If this extraordinary
increase of productive force had been confined to the
mere ordinary labor of man, assisted alone by the
science, skill, instruments, and machinery, winch he
had previously possessed, consumption might, and
probably would, have kept pace with production, and
our country, especially would not have been found
in its present unprecedented stuation-a situation
in which superabundance Of food and clothing, and
of other essentials is of complaint and distress to
the mass. The United States produce more Of these
than consumed at home, and more than can be sold
or exchanged abroad for others which they need The
ploymen in vain, except content 10 receive an equiva
lent in the produce of their labor. The property
and the produce Of the labor Of the debtor will not
command that which alone his creditor will consent to
receive in payment-money and, consequence, cry
of distress, almost of despair, has up TO these
halls, from all parts of our common country and our
legislation is required TO give relief, where we fear
legislation is poweress TO give it. 1t would almost
seem If an all wise and mercfu but just Providence
had wiled punish cupidy, and to teach US con-
ohm TOR fha prabu
of his blessings.
By the aid Of chemistry and mechanics the means
of improving soils have been ascertained, and their
cultivation when improved, greatly facilitated; and
lime and mari, and compost, IN themselves incapable
Of producing vegetation, have restored The WORKOUT
lands Of the old world to far than their probable
original fertility; while the daily disappearing wilder
nesses of the new hitherto unproductve, ars pouring
forth yearly, in addition to supply already ample, their
valuable products, exceeding IN quantity the most san
puine anticpations and overlooking the markets OF
both hcmspheres with food and the raw material for
ma nuiactures
Prior to the period of which have been speaking,
ma had been content to borrow assistance IN his abors
from animal power, from the stream and the wind; The
two last of which he could neither increase nor conf
mnnd a, the place where they were needed Not con-
tent depend aid uncertain and beyond his con-
troll he sought in the yapor, and the winds, and the
Storm for new auxiliary; searched effects for their
causes, and found I'M gbty power which, with abund-
both create and command when and where wanted.
The steam engine sprung into being, and has worked
revolution in the world more extraordinary than any
pre- vous discovery Of science. On the land has rem
dered the unnsssed labor of man comparatively value
less and on the water we'll on the land, has al
most annhilated space and has enabled say ITO
the utermost parts Of the earh, Thou art my neigh
Dor.
MIR. Adams, in his report from the Committee OIL
in 1892 states that, at the conclusion ot
A. aLoo,a nf,nna thon IN
use in Great Britain alone were estimated as equivalent
TO the manual labor Of two hundred millions OF PEG.
ple Iftha estimate was correct, how great must he
The increase that time, not IN Great britain only,
but in all Europe, and in these Staes That OF steam
power alone far exceed the manual labor OF two
hundred millions of people. lftwen,y five yenrs ago
production and consumption kept pace with each
other and then only gave full employment ind fair
equivalent for labor and capital what must be the cx-
cess of production consumption noac, and what
its effects upon labor, when 1t is believed to be a
mode rate estimate to say that two hundred millions
of laborers are now added, who work without urng,
and consume nothing hut the wood and coal when they
themselves powerful agents IN procuring and BRING
ing 10 the place of consumption The results OF such
an addition TO labor are inevitable, and are now beng
real,zed in production far beyond The wants of con-
SUMPTION of PROVISIONS the material, and the ma
nufacured article ; and nations are competing with
each other for markets for their superflues. The
is great reduction in prces-a great d.
minut,on in the profits of capital and consequent ce-
probation in all species of properya dearth ofempoy
men for labor both of and beast-a fall in wages
and a corresponding appreciation in the value OF mo-
new Had the increase of tine circulating medium, or
money, KEEP, pace with the increase of production the
relative value would have been preserved but It ID be-
eyed that the quantity of gold and silver now in use
for circulation basis Of circulation diminished,
and is still diminishing, not only by the increased con-
sumption in manufactures, but BY the dilnlnuton IN
the produce of the mines McCulloch, in the last ed
ton of his work, published in 54l estimates the whole
annual produce of the American and European mines'
including those Of Russia, TO be about SO, ooo-s1h
tenhs less than the annual produce when greatest and
he estimates the value of the precious metals annually
applied to the arts in Europe and America at i3ooo,
600, leaving abou, f2 100000 year to be manniae,uF
ed into coln-being increase OF com Tor cifcuia
ton bearing but very small proportion to The IN
crease of marketable commodities. This reducuon ID
the product of the mines the result of various causes