Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1842-08-25


Lyceum of Natural History, 563 Broadway,
in this city, on the 18th day Of October next,
ut IL o'clock, A. NJ, when general attend
ance of its members, and those who wish to
become such, will take place, without fur
thor notice.
An address to the people Of the United
States, setting forth the general views Of this
Association, has already been circulated
throughout the country, and has met with
marked appreciation. From an institution
scarcely vet n year in existence, it cannot be
expected that any boast will be made Of what
it has done, and still less of what it is likely
to achieve. No banners are displayed to
aid party strife or to excite popular commo-
ton; but converts from all parties and nsso-
Citations in all sections Of the country have
Joined its ranks with proper spirit of indie
pendence, to establish. peacefully and per.
mancntly, union of interests distinctly
AMERICAN, in opposition to those animation
al and unpatriotic dogmas which have late
ly been undermining our character and
prosperity as an independent and sovereign
people.
In the two conventions, which hive been
held in furtherance Of its objects, harmony
of action and consistency of conduct were.
manifested, which not only proved the Home
League to he above scrvility to local and
party prcjudices, but by the diffusion Of a
mass of useful and timely information, and
the fearless expression Of sound and patrio.
tic views, an interest has been everywhere
awakened in its favor, so that now its warm.
est advocates are among those who first
questioned its utility, and derided the possi-
bility of its independence. The statistical
facts collected in the course of its numerous
meetings in this city, aided by publications
giving the result Of their discussions To the
people Mt large, have essentially aided in
the formation of Tariff as indispensable for
revenue and the basis of sound currency
rs for protection to domestic industry. The
baneful and deceptive doctrines of free trade,
which an insidious foreign rival was com.
mending to our adoption, without deigning
TO practice them herself, have here been sue
| cessfully combatted, and il is now no longer
hcresv to-protect our home concerns or to
foster n commerce that is truly reciprocal.
To carry on the great objects for which
such nm association was formed, and is so
lmanifesEy qualified to promote, the central
| committees feel themselves privileged to urge
upon their 1ellow-citiZens, of all parties and
in all the states throughout the Union 10 con.
tinue the efforts already commenced, and
TO form state and county leagues to aid in
| completing the good work thus auspiciously
commenced. Much yet remains to he nc.
complished, which the narrow aims of party
discipline would neglect or subvert TO its
own selfish purposes. A special vigilance is
necessary to watch those who are the chosen
guardians of the public veal. to see that our
Legislators accomplish the work for which
they were appointed. and should there pa.ri-
otto efforts to relieve our present embarrass-
ments be defeated, to hold ourselves in rea-
diness to call public meetings for tho protec.
| ton of our home interests, at all hazards, to
sustain those and only those who constitu-
tionally enact laws for the relief of our suf-
fering country, ard 10 prevent our birthrght
from being bargained away for the ofIilis OF
foreign free trade-these are some of the du.
ties and privileges that belong to the Home
League, and which it will faithfully perform.
1t is one Of the cardinal principles of our
Association that the Government and people
of this country owe 10 themselves to protect
American Industry and enterprise, wherever
and however developed. With advantages
greater than any other nation possesses, the
United States have rightfully assumed a
higher stand, and are bound to maintain a
loftier and freer character in a moral and
political point of view than any other com.
munity. Our laboring classes especially
set out to be better educated, better clothed
and better fed than the oppressed operatives
of foreign countries. But TO maintain this
ascendancy at this moment is no easy task.
Low labor and low prices prevail every.
| where. The Old World seems generally
going into state Of liquidation, and there Is
| scarcely an article we produce or manufac-
ture which cannot or may not be produced
in some foreign country ct less price than
we can produce it here. Our carrying
trade too, and our fisheries, and in short ali
the labor Of our hands, are interfered with
when placed in competition with the depres.
sed labor of Europe, or that of its lower re.
duced colonies.
Now, unless our working men arc ready
to abandon the benefits Of education, the
comforts Of decent apparel, and the whole.
some living TO which they have been accus-
toned, we must guard against foreign COM
petition by securing preference to the H..
Dor Of our own citizens, whether native or
naturaIize,i, ind to our legitimate home into
rests. We have no other alternative, for the
benefit OF the laborer or capitalist; for il
cannot be doubted that il is for the interest Of
the capitalist TO pay higher rate Of wages
TO the free American who supports himself
independently, rather than to give lower rates
TO such degraded and pauper dependents 9s
are maintained by poor laws in foreign coun.
tries. Nor will the delusive doctrne Of free
trade help US. That demands the exchange
of labor for labor-an eye for an eye and "A
tooth for tooth. whatever be their character.
II is only by judicious protection to our
own skill and industry that our working
classes can be secured in their privileges.
The half starved, no f-clothed and ignorant
foreign serf, can aD1 must work cheaper than
we do. and Of course the purchasers of his
labor will in an open marker, have an ad-
vantS &c. 1t is worse than idle to be blind
to this conclusion. The rates of labor