Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-17
TO TIE EDITORS of TIE ENQUIRER.

0f u Leucr from me o0uih sac, .i0C. ~.
"Wha; co you think OF 'Virglnus in yesterdays
Wing: My opinion is that the reasoning drawing the
distinction which the writer does, between white and
slave labor should never have found its way into any
Southern paper The writer could not have intended
IT. trust hut the spr: OF smacas strongly OF abolition
vIews in offensive form-lhat Of arrayng the white
labor against the slave labor To build up
Gbolitions.n at doors II easy manner to mis-
represent principle and then 10 draw de-
ductons which may suit the stated. 'Fir-
ginius" assumes the ground, which he ought 10
know is false onc-that the Democratic party
favor the repeal Of all duties upon imports and
az consequence, the Government would have to he
supported by direct So far from this being true,
the Democratic party uniformly contend for the sup
port oil Government by duties upon imports, with the
sales Of the public lands; and very Justly contend that
the high and oppressive duties which the great Wing par
IN have laid will naturally lead TO direct laxation while
at the time they inlet great injustice upon the
agricultural and commercial interests OF the county
Mr.. Clays famous free trade letter to Dr. Bronson
clearly shows that the system of high protective du
ties must lead to direc. taxation lie says that under
the protective system, branches of the manufac
iures Of the country have inken such deep to
ba able 10 compete successfully IN foreign markets with
the Eaglish goods Of the kind. II must be ad
mted that all such articles sources of revenue
until the protection was laid 10 an extent as to amount
10 prohibition and that the system rapidly forced an
| amount OF capital into these channels which soon
| swslled them beyond the wants OF the country, and
made 1t necessary for The manufacturers to find
kets abroad Other interests which have received The
especial protection of Whggery in the 9Th Congress,
will also soon be speedily overdone from the same
causes and thereby leave less and less articles TO lay
duties upon, until the abominab!e system Of protec
live, or rather properly, | conceive, pro
hbiiory duties, will force direct taxes upon MIR
Clay, laying the duties in 1S3l stated, think, that
they wonld require duties at average Of 20 per
upon hundred millions of dollars, and they laid
them accordingly; but they proved, IN SO many re-
spects to be prohbitory that the imports fell off
third from that amount; and the rates OF si2 were such
10 cut of the imports TO less than fifty millions OF
dollars, at average Of about 80 per cent. The
ton Of the Government, in principle, amounts 10 pre-
miums TO the manufacturing interest OF the country,
which does not occupy one'eghteenth of the poPua
ton of the counry, at the expense of not only the
of the country but that of the agricultural and
commercial as well as all other interests in the broad
limits of The country. The Wings affect horror at
the idea OF placing free American labor footing
with English panper labor and advance this strong
ground in favor of high protective duties while the
same tme they boast OF sending their goods abroad,
and compete successfully with The goods 10 the
markets from the paupcr facorieS of England. Admit
ting their statements to be true, does it not prove, be
yond ell doubt, that this shot bed system Of protec-
ton will force labor into manufactures than
be heaihly employed, and the natural result is that
the price Of labor must decline to that point that will
admit Of the goods finding markets in direct competition
cuh the paupcr tabOreys Of England. Abolish the pro-
sent Tariff and frame for the support Of Govern
men and | think "Virgiuius' would very soon see
an advance in the value of Agricultural labor, and
wha, is nearly Of equal Importance, revenue sufficient,
to support the Government upon.
"That the Government is rapidly running into
debt, under Wing misrule, is clear to the minds Of ALL
the Tariff The only of revenue to the country
at present. falling millions short of the wants of the
Government.
"The policy of The manufacturers is selfish as well
here in other Countries and they would not employ
white Iaborefs if they I'm the slave Statss) could get
the slave labor for less. In of the largest
featuring establishments in Eastern Virginia. slave la
Dor is used TO very considerable exient-perhnps
above half-and is likely that more would be en-
ployed there if the interest of the Company would BE-
promoted by il, in The way Of cheap labor When slave
labor be employed ct less rate Il will as soon tex
trpate" white labor in manufacturing as it would in
agriculture or farming. 1t is the runous policy of the
Government which makes the price of Agricultural Ia
Dor low; and as the field of white agricultural labor
is immensely large the injury inflicted by the Govern
meut must be proportonaby great upon all those who
are engaged in such pursuits"