Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-01-17
POLITICAL.
AGRICULTURE COMM
FACTURES.


We rejoice TO meet on this 18th Anniversary Of
the American Institute 1t has been our lot very
often to meet you on these occasions and always,
on our part, with increasing satisfaction Ii 10
with exulllng pride we find we have your marked
appreciation of our whole course.
The American Institute was inc orporated many
years since, for the purpose OF advancing the Ae-
RIcULTURE, COMMERCE. and MANUFACTURES Of
our country. 1t uvows itself alike the champion
of each, but in particular and especially OF COM
melce. 1t is the interest of the country TO do
justice to her commerce. Secure to that an open
trade an unrestricted enterprise, it will in return
not only build up commercial marine, and esiab-
sh our naval strength, but will provide market
for agriculture and manufactures which will be
sufficient, and all they ask, for their protection and
indemnity.
We have a country unsurpassed in its adyanta-
ges 10y any other portion of tho globe and bles-
sed with government, soil, and climate, unequal
led by that OF any 'othcr Look at the mighty
progress we are making IN internal improvements.
Already this country, which led the way in
canals, has 1900 miles of canal navigation, pour
ing in its abundance; and $500 miles OF raiiruad.
Thus we have about 500 miles OF these nseuI
public works, equal IN value TO about $l60 o00,s
O00 expended for the benefit and happiness of
the whole people. No country on earth, ancient
or modern, can produce any thing in physical a.
chlevemenis Mt all comparable 10 this. How diff.
ferent, and how much better is this, than those
monarchical rouc governments which waste
their revenues, aud can boast only OF their columns
to heroes, pyramids TO kings, and marble palaces,
standing us monuments of the oppression and sub
lection OF the people from whom such abundance
has been wrung.
| We have had during the progress of the pres
ent Fair, addresses delivered various subjects
of public interest, and especially OIL agriculture
and the culture of silk. You have, on our pre-
vious anniversaries like this, been addressed by
the wisdom and the learning of the land: by
| Rnl Ixeip naui "
dy, Souhard Webster, and many others in
TACT, orators have preceded us, and facts and cir
cumstances have been adduced by them espouslng
and illustrating the principles of encouragement
and protection TO the great interests ofagrculiure,
commerce, and manufactures. They have so
brought their eloguence and reason to bear, that
venture 10 say, there is not a book extapt, COM
blnlng at one centie, and containing so much in
telligence in the same space, these bjecfs as
the desk of The American institute.
My purpose on The present OCCASION is TO call
your attention especially to COMMERCE and its at
tendant consequences. 1t perhaps sufficient for
The purposes of the country, and in gradual adj
vancement but ii is rot ,chat IL ought 10 be. .he
extent of our country, its benign and varied ci-
mate with its exu5erant and virgin soil, has fitted
il for every production and every pursuit. The
genius and irrepressible spirit OF our people have
a course that is onward. They aspire to active
pursuits and deeds of enterprise as the price OF
success, and their claim to prosperity
Internal commerce is not what OF right II ought
10 be. Our increasing population, and the super
abundant productions of our land, push 1t for
ward to a state Of partial prosperity. But it bears
no just proportion to the advance OF internal i'm
lprovements, and what the attendant crcumstan-
| ces OF the country invited it to become. Provi-
dence has showered down blessings upon us. We
have been spared fiom the great scourges OF mail
kind; either war, pestilence, or famine. Yet our
country is Responding and suffering under EN-
barrassmenis.
Agriculture is abr 'dant, but las no market -
Manufactures whitening and at a stand. Labour
depressed. This strong arm of supply and de-
fence is not employed and protected as II should
be. The Revenue is diminishing the Treasury
exhausted The Currency deraBget, and credit
destroyed. Foreign commerceas growing on US
at an alarming extent.
Is it not time that we should arouse the ntten-
ton of the Government to these facts and warn
it Of our condition?
II The causes leading to such disastrous reruIts,
are worthy mature consideration. We cut the
following article from city paper, we believe
from the Journal Of Commence of September:
"The Revenue law will go into operation on
the LIST proximo. 1t may produce changes in the
state OF our trade, OF which the extent cannot yet
he foreseen. Al present, oar. trade with the Con-
tinent of Europe, and with France particularly, is
III condition which, il would seem, unwse le-
gsIaton can alone have brought about Ii is al
most altogether in the hands of foreigners. Of
tHe puCket-SHlps recently dTTlFeu from France,
with very valuable cargoes, Jour.ffas of these,
certainly, and perhaps nine-tsnths, were for for
egn account, or consigned to foreign houses here.
With the intelligence, industry, and enterprise of
the American merchant il is quite Impossible that
any equal competition should have shut him out
so completely from the French trade; and there
fore it is, we say, that unwse legislation must be
at the bottom ri it,
" In anticipation OF the new duties on silks and
other merchandise, the produce Of France, now
free, very large assortments have arrived and are
arriving. SO that the calculation of revenue from
this source will, for the first portion of the current
fiscal year, be disappointed, the country being
stocked with free goods"
Yes, -citizens, "unwise legislation" has
crippled the energies md resources of the couD-
try. "Our trade is in condition which unwise
legislation can alone have brought about. Nine
enths of the importatons from France are on
foreign account. The same may be said as TO i'm
porations from England, AMI from Germany
We are advocates for free trade. We have OPEN
ed our ports to the productions of foreign coun-
tries. We receive foreigners with open arms and
extend to them all our civil rights and privileges,
but not willing TO become their interiors m this
land of our birth. This monopoly by them OF our
foreign trade, and OF mporiations, must have a
cause If 1t does not spring from, il is sanctioned
and tolerated by, our own "unwise legislation"
IL is high time our government placed us on a
footing of equality with other nations Foreign
goods are imported on foreign account, accompa-
MED by foreign agent, or consigned TO one pre-
viousy stationed here 10 hold possession of the
goods-to sell them-draw the specie, and remit
the proceeds by the return packet. Our regular
merchants pay taxes and rents, and may look from
their stores to witness what they severely feel, the
facilities afforded TO this process of foreign trade.
The American importing houses have been suPo''
seeded, and but few of them remain. This change
in heIcourse of the importing trade, is declared
by foreigners 10 be necessary, as consequences Oh
our bad currency aud loss of credit. The dimi-
mutton of our imports at the present hme, com
pared with our exports, comes not from any salu-
iary measures, adopted by our government, but
arises from our former great Indebtedness, and the
present doubtful safety for further Liabilities The
most visionary nullifer, could not ask better il