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

: ITwENrY-sEvENrH CoNGREss--2d Session
, MINORITY REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON
MANUFACTURES.
House Of Representatives., May D, le42.
=, lad upon the table and ordered to be printed
Mr. HABERSHAM, from the Committee on manu-
tactures, made the following
REPORT
The minority of the Committee on Manufactures, t
which was referred SO much Of the Presidents Mes
sage as relates to the discriminating duties ana do
mestic manufactures, not concurring with the MAJOR
y'n the views presented 10 the House, ask leave, re
specially, to submit their own in o 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
cues and embarrassment in which it is involved
We are aware that is subject of the deepest inter
est not only to every section Of the country, but to al
most every individual citizen and therefore demanding
OF US and OF Congress the gravest and most mparta
consideration. We are also aware that whatever view
We may present will encounter the severest scrutiny
and be condemned by the many who look not beyont
The limits OF their own county or State nor beyont
the profit or loss of particular branch Of industry.
| The capital and productive labor of the u. 8. may
be divided into SIX great interests; the farming, thu
planting, the commercial, the shipping, the manu-
featuring and the mechanical; as distinguished from
the manufacturing; each closely allied with ane
dependent upon others, that one cannot be affected
benehcally otherwise, without affecting all, 10
greater less degree In addition TO these, there is
another upon winch they all DEPENDENT not only
for protection but for their very preseryaton-Me
ccnue of The Union-which is ITSELF in turn, depend
ent for its increase or dimnuon upon the prosperity
or depression Of each and all.
If did not approach to the consideration Of SUBJ
ect comprehensive and delicate, and the legsa
| ton upon which must act benefciay mis-
chievously upon this great and growing country, we
would be wanting in the most ordinary patriotism as
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
curity to industry, increased extent perhaps
examped 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
10 Europe and in North America. lfthis extraordinary
increase Of productive force had been confined to the
mere ordinary labor of man, assisted alone by the
science, skill, instruments, and machinery, which he
had previously possessed, consumption might, and
probably would, have kept pace with production, and
country, especially, would not have been found
in its present unprecedented stuatlon-a situation
in which superabundance Of food and clothing, and
of other essentials is cause of complaint and distress
the The United States produce more of these
than consumed at home and more than can be sold
result is, that Skill and labor, and industry, seek
ployment in vain, except content TO receive equva
lent in the produce Of their own 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 paymen-moncy and, in consequence, cry
of distress, almost Of despair, has up to these
halls, from oil parts of our common country, and our
legislation is required 10 give relief, where we fear
legislation is poweress 10 give it. II would almost
seem if all wise and merciful but just Providence
had willed punish cnpidty and TO teach US con-
tent, by Christening with the very superabundance
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 vegeiation have restored the WORKOUT
lands Of the old world far than their probable
original fertility; while the daily disappearing wilder
nesses of the new, hitherto unproductive, are pouring
forth yearly, in addition to supply already ample their
valuable PRODUCTS exceeding in quantity the most san.
guine anticpations and overlooking the markets OF
both hemispieres with food and the raw material for
manufactures.
Prior to the period of which we have been speaking,
had been content borrow assistance in his abors
from animal power, from the stream, and the wind the
two last OF which he could neither increase nor COM
mand the place where they were needed. Not con-
tent TO depend aid uncertain and beyond his con-
troll he sought in the vapor, and the winds, and the
Storm for new auxiliary; searched effects tor their
causes and found mighty power which, with abund.
ant materials al hand, and lying waste around he could
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
previous discovery of science. On the land has
dered the unasssted labor OF man comparatively value
less and the water we'll as on the land, has al
most annhated space, and has enabled US TO say "io
the uttermos parts of the earth, Thou art my neigh
Dor.
Mr. Adams, in his report from the Committee
Manufactures in 1882 that at the conclusion Of
the in 1915, the mechanical inventions then IN
in Great Britain alone were estimated as equivalent
10 the manual labor OF two hundred millions OF peo
pile. Iflhat estimate was correct, how great must he
the increase that tme not in Great Britain only,
but in all Europe, and in these States? That OF steam
power alone must far exceed the manual labor of two
hundred millions of people, If twenty FIVE years ago
production and consumption kept pace with each
other and then only gave full employment and a fair
for labor and capital, what must be the
cess of production consumption no1o, and what
its effects upon labor, when 1t is believed to be
moderate estimate to say that two hundred millions
of laborers are added, who work without uring,
and consume nothing but the wood and coal which they
themselves powerful agents IN procuring and bring
ing 10 the place of consumption The results of such
an addition TO labor inevitable, and being
realized in production for beyond the wants OF con-
SUMPTION of provisions, the raw MATERIAL and the ma
nufactured article and nations are competing win
is, great reduction in prices-a great d.
mnuton in the profits of capital, and consequent de-
probation in all species of propery-a dearth ofempoy.
ment for labor, both of man and beas-a fall wages,
and corresponding appreciation IN the value OF mo-
new Had the increase of tine circulating medium, or
money, KEEP, pace with the increase of productions the
relative value would have been preserved but it ID be-
leved 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 dimnutIon IN
the produce of the mines. McCuoch, in the last ed'-
ton of his work. published in ls4l, estimates the whole
annual produce of the American and European mines,
including those fRussia TO be about
less the annual produce when greatest and
he estimates the value Of the precious metals annually
applied to the arts in Europe and America at f $780,
OOo leaving about f2OOO 600 year to be manniac,ur-
ed into con-being increase of coin for c,rcua
ton bearing but very small proportion to the IN
crease Of marketable commodities This reduction IN
the product of the mines is the result Of various causes
The monopoly by the great house Of Rothschd, OF the