Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-12

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iaeluces- that these compared With the number en-
gagged in agriculture form but small class-snd
that the latter derive no advantages from tsrid.
have already said that 80 far home industry can
be properly iosle'ed by discriminating duties, Il
should be done. not much for the benefit Of those
engaged In any particular department OF labor. as
for the sake Of national independence. u could be-
lievc that tho interests OF the farmers would be in
iared by this policy, tor one would not advocate il
foe a moment. But IL Is not 80. IL cannot. ia the
nature of things, be so. The gentleman has called
our attention to the very small portion Of our sgri-
cultural productions which find their way TO Euro
pean markets. have shown that the reason Of
this 10 to be found in the prohbitory TARIFF Of Eu
rope. He will not assist US to open those markets
by eounterac,ing impostons. We are then TO
have no markets for the production Of agriculture
abroad. WE'LL he equally denies to us the creation
Of markets at home by the establishment OF manu-
f,eturcs. According to his policy, then, are to
have none. He would have us oil farmers, oil pro.
ducers, and 70 consumers. put II to him TO say
how far his scheme is likely TO benefit the agrcul
turist.
IL will not be denied, that every individual en-.
Gagged in manufactures ceases TO DO producer, and
becomes a consumer OF agricultural products. By
every addition to that class, the market for the far
mer is then increased. Those within the reach OF
manufacturing districts need no argument TO prove
10 them the falIacy Of the gentleman's reasoning
My friends from Ohio Mr. Russell,) snd Kentucky,
mir Andrews,) have in their districts some %
iton Establishments. Heretofore, they have been
the very best markets Tor corn wheat bacon and the
varied crops and productions of the farmer The
gentleman from Ohio informs me that the furnaces
10 his district. when all were in operation, have
consumed annually, q half million OF bushels OF
coma considerable quantity ofcorn from my own
district has found market there. These establish
ments have always been exceedingly important to
the agricultural interests oil that REGION There are
now not more than dozen furnaces in operation.
And if the gentleman will 60 to the farmers on the
Sciota and the Ohio, he will learn from them, that
they consider the prosperity Of those works as int
mately connected with their own.
In my own country VIC have an important manu-
facture, that of salt. The quantity produced there
IS, from million and half to two millions OF
bushels annually. The manufacture of this guam
iity OF salt gives employment TO great many peo'
pie. For the extent OF IL, this affords a good mar
ket for every product Of the farm can he found
any where. For fifty miles around, and in some
directions, for hundred, IL stimulates the arm Of
industry whether that belong to the farmer, the
bost-builder, or the cooper. Let this manufacture
he wholly annihintcd, and the ngrieuturisis OF tina,
region would answer the gentleman from New
Hampshire, that lis destruction was Of some conso-
quence 10 them.
Mr. Chairman, I shall ask nothing for the salt in
terest, except as great national interest," coming
fully within the rule Furnished by MIR Madison and
General jackson. Salt is one of those articles of
prime necessity for which We ought not to be de-
pendent on foreign nations, il our country has the
means OF supplying it. But it is one Of those arti.
cles to which would apply the rule of competition,
any other. The foreign importation and the do.
nestle supply are not very unequal. From the
documents before US, il appears that in the year
lS40, there was imported into the country ISIS, 203
bushels, while the amount made in the country was
6,l79,174 bushels.
would not exclude the foreign article-I would
not impose such duty to increase the price-bu,
simply enough TO sustain the domestic establish.
ments in fair competition with the imported article
BY the revenue bill Of 1889, salt was taxed at
cents per bushel. In about three years it was in
creased to 30 cents per bushel at which il continued
until 1907, when the duty was taken of. 10 1918
the duty OF 90 cents per bushel was restored, a
which il remained until $780, when il was reduces
TO 10 cents, and year after TO 10 cents. This wa
the duty at the passage of the compromise act
The bill now under consideration from the commit
tee OF ways and means, proposes the same duty o
10 cents, but understand from the Chairman, (M
Fillmore, that he is instructed by his committee
move an amendment, reducing 1t TO cents. shal
not oppose his motion. trust, that duty may bt
found adequate TO sustain our works in vigorous
action, though the manufacturers themselves, ia
their memorial, which presented TO the House. ex-
press the opinion that less than 10 cents will not
effect this object.
II a duty of cents should be adopted by Con-
gress, and we take the importation Of 1910, the tar
on that quantity, distributed among the population
of the United States, ascerained by the last cen
sus, 10 cents per head. Now il it could be provec
that the duty really enhances the price OF the arl
Gle 10 the amount Of the duty imposed, who woulC
hesitate TO pay his cents, in order TO sustain
homo supply of this necessary article in peace anC
IN war Who would not contribute this much to.
wards his countIy's independence What farmer
within the reach Of a salt establishment is not COM
pensated, thousand fold, for his cent tax by the
sale Of his commodities to the manufactured
My whole district is agricultural and maintain
that every part off, must necessarily feel the b.ne
fetal influence Of new and incIe lsng demands 70,
the production Of the SOIL whether that demand ex-
lists in the immediate vicinity OF the product
mences at point far distant from it, Scarcity and
increased demand, whether caused by augmented
consumption failures Of supply, is felt in their
consequences throughout the country. The de-
mand is, in the first place, me, by the most proxi-
mate source OF supply; this, in turn, affects the
next beyond il, until, like the waves Of the ocean,
the encircling swell has passed far from the point
Of original agitation, and disturbed the surface of
remote bays and inets. There is not tiller of the
soil, stock raiser, in my district, who is not d.
reciy concerned in the growth and prosperity Of our
manufacturing and commercial towns and Cities
Suppose Richmond was what il ought 10 be, and
what it is capable Of being, the chief manufacturing
city of the Union, with population OF 200, 900
consumers, instead Of It's present number, am | to
be told that the farmers and grazers Of Greenbter
Monroe, Giles, Mercer, Cabell, Wayne, Kannw
Fayeue, and Nicholas, would not be benefited
thereby? Way, sir, the value OF every sheep. hog,
and steer in those counties would be we'll nigh
doubled.
But, sir, | will close this branch OF the subject
hy opposing 10 the argument OF the gentleman from
New Hampshire, and his party friends, the opinion
and argument of Gen. Jackson their great leader in
politics. and 10 whose precepts they have been ac-
eustonied 10 yield ready acquiescence. ] read
from his letter TO DIR. Colman, dated April 90,
1874:
81 will ask what is the real situation OF the agreuurisi
Where has the American farmer market for his surplus
pToducel Except for cotton, lie has neither foreign
home market Doesnot this clearly prove, when there
market at home abroad that there Is too much
labor employed in agricultural Common sense at once
points out the remedy Take from agriculture in the
United ates SIX hundred thOusand women, and chill
dren, aud you viii give market for bread
stus than all Europe furnishes In short, sir,
chants u il should become little more Amer
canzed and instead Of feeding and aborcrs Of
England, feed own; or else in short time, BY eonnu
present policy, we shn be rendered paupeTs
selves. II s therefore my opinion that careful aud Judi.
siard Is much wanted, TO pay national debt and
pOTd hat defence, within ourselves which the
afety OF our country depends; snd last though not least
give proper distribution to labor, which must prove
beneficial TO the happiness independence and wealth Of
tnc community"
have already expressed my preference for q
moderate tariff, sustaining and invgorating Amer
industry in ITS contest Of skill and enterprise
with the nations Of the world rather than for high
duties, forcing and stimulating, as by some hotbed
influence, the labor OF the country into new chan
nes. The gradual and permanent rewards Of in.
dustry more TO be sought after than sudden, UNI
natural augmentations Of wealth, acquired in some
lucky hour, and lost at the next change Of pros.
porous gale.
will go for properly adjusted tariff o! diScri
minating duties
LIST. To prevent excessive importations from
abroad, and the consequent. Indebtedness Of our
people TO foreign nations. During the two last 40.
mInstrations our imports exceeded our exports by
the sum Of two hundred and seven millions six hun