Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-11-03
F,sm "a. Nsr Ysrk Tribsne.
ADDRESS OF
GENERAL IA l. VI ADG f.,
AZ uise close es the Fair Of the American

AAAA@ WhANH
the efswd.d a-emblsgc now pressing around US are graft
fyiog pledges OF the public appreciation ct our eoonc, anC
cheer ne onward in support Of the great cause OF The en-
c~oufagvment Of domesuc ind lsuy IN agriculture. commerce
manufactures and the arts" We. who have pesevercd
under much odium and prescription, confess We feel mi
exniting pride. that the courc snd IT. principles are uu-
matcly recognised n. the cour cot the nation, and n essential
10 lie enduring prosperity. We rejoice IN the accession OF
individual. OF known talents and distinguished character
and while g differ in the suggc-ted mode at redress, We
con6de that farther consideration. Win rceonecncn OF past
incidents. in our diplomsey n, least OF doubtful capacity,
will demonstrate that the great interests VI agriculture,
commerce and manufactures, are too momentous to he Ia
len and eon6dcd 10 hands other ih,n the Legislative couu.
SCI Of the nation. From the late census ct the L. ;. itsP-
pear that ~ out Of every 100 Of the population are en-
rsqrd in agricultural labor. Under our free institutions the
.gricultunsts have the power Of the representation and are
Justly chargcablc with the legislative measures OF the coun-
try. Commerce and manufactures are the landmarks oi
agriculture. They ne created by IT, and are dependent on
IL for their continued prosperity and existence. All the le-
sislation Of this country which can b%enehclaly assist ngri.
culture, can only be in the encouragement OF commerce and
manufactures. Hence, protection to commerce aud manu-
features should ever he considered n measure in support OF
agriculture. II is the duty OF Government TO provide and
secure an adequate market for the surplus productions OF the
country. IL can only BE- provided by protection to Its COM
merce. and from the consumption occasioned by the en-.
c~ouragcmcnt OF its domestic manufactures. The relative
importance OF these three great departments OF industry,
will be made best to appear from tables founded on the
census OF 1910, showing the value Of the annual products
of agriculture, S65i,3S7 .597; OF manufactures, 1888
1885, 24; commerce $40. 72l .Os6. Efforts arr sometimes
made TO excite lealousics between ugnculiurists and manu-
facturcr-. by the ol,en-rcpcaicd cry OF "Frc Trade"
IL affords much pleasure TO the American Institute TO a
vow itself the firm advocate and the u-ncompromIsing cham.
pion Of Free Trade. To require open ports. and an open
commerce with the difcrrn, nations OF the globe. separated
into different countries, divided into governments OF various
forms and conflicting Interests, and widely differing m de-
grees of civilization and conditions of moral restraint, would
be To require a chimera Of the madnan's brain. Which ne
yer did and never can elsewhere exist. The Free Trade
which the American Institute advocates and maintains, i a
commerce and exchange Of productions between civilized
nations of equal rights, upon principles OF equality aud fair
reciprocity in trade, measure TOT measure, taking what they
give, and giving what they take. \ government which fails
to obtain such a commerce, and to protect II by all necessa.
ny counicrvaiing measures, fails IN an essential purpose
Tor which il was established. In vain did our fathers fight
for liberty and independence il we, their descendants, crouch
ITO foreign powers, submit, 10 an unequal intercourse with
he nations OF the earth, allowing them anopcnlniercoursc and
Rfreo trade with us; and they, iurctugn, degrading and depscss-
ing our commerce anu tie value Of our agriculture, BY enor-
nous and prohibitory duties or the great staple productions
of this Country. There are two kinds OF free trade. Each
Is distinct in its character. The one which we advocate IL
made equal between the parles-ihc trade between nations
conducted on principles OF fair reciprocity m the exchange
OF the productions OF the respective countries. The other
kind is free trade on one side only, with restrictions against
the commerce aud the productions Of the other side, vary
ing from one hundred In five thousand per cent. Unul tine
enactment OF the late Tanf, and which is now sought to be
repealed, our country has been for many years past under
The enjoyment and in the full experience OF this latter kind
of foreign free trade. To understand the causes Of the
present condition Of the country, 1t seems necessary on this
occasion 10 shew the results %! this Free Trade, as affecting
the commerce, the agriculture, III wealth and the prosper.
~ OF the nation. With Spain, our commerce is of small
amounts surrounded nnd embarrassed aS n Is with leT re-.
stncions and prohibitions. The imports last year were
$l3,i50,O00; exports. S~6,300.O0O, leaving a balance
against US OF s 7,l5O,OOO, to be paid in currency. She mas
long since imposed dates on cotton, %prohibitory in Amer.
can vessels.
The course of this trade ia to ship our cotton to Cuba,
one Of her dependencies, where, on touching the Island.
tits deemed naturalized, and then shipped in Spanish YES.
sells 10 the mother country a. the produce of Cuba. Our
country has inglonously looked on and seen this sacrifice
to our shipping interested this carrying trade Of the great
staple OF the South. Oar imports from the Island ct Cuba,
amount 10 above five millions; and she receives in return,
exports from us amounting 70 two miliiOns-leaying a yca-.
ly balance against Us OF three millions of dollsrs, I he paid
IN currency. Most Of the imports have been received Tree.
or on light duties. while our exports are charged with cnor.
nous duues-on a barrel OF -four $40 50. TINS Is Free
Trade on one side; and it, advocates are wondering. and
writing, and c~yphenng, 10 ascertain what has become OF our
currency. Our relations VITA Great Britain, are more cS.
tenslVe- and more interesting. One-third OF our whole 10
Teign commerce is with England and her colonies. The
balances Of her trade have been againsi Is Tor many years
past, and have varied in different wears, from five millions,
even up 10 sixty millions Il year. The importation OF her
manufactures has been received by us upon lirlc more than
nominal duties, while duties oppressive and prohibityry,
have been exacted on our produce exported TO her.
Oar breadstuhs are prohibited, unless on q sliding scale Of
prices under her corn laws, and az u rate merely 10 save her
people from famine. To cripple our whale fisheries, her
duty imposed on American oils go - per ton against l.,
imported in her own vessels. American whalcbone il sub.
jected tot duty Of eos per ton, against a duty Of I'll, i'm.
ported from her own colonies. Tobacco in leaf, worth 10
the producer from three to four cents per pound, is subject
I'D 10 a duty OF three shillIngs sterling, which j. from eigh.
1N" oH14N - 80 NAnAh PCT AtA - TIC Eil u
stemmed, then the duty l. nine shilings sterling, which j.
five thousand per cent. Rice IS subject to a duty OF fifteen
stilings sterling per cwt, which is about two hundred per
cent II rice IS in the rough, then the duty j. nominal; be-
cause she secures the labor Of cleaning il. This difference
in the rate of duty on tobacco, and also upon rice, Is upon
the veil known principle OF British legisaton; 10 prohibi;
the labor OF other countries, and also 10 encourage and give
employment 10 her shipping interest. \ monopoly OF the
carrying trade Of the raw materials from other countries,
and which she cannOt produce, Il thus secured TO herself
her shipping interest Is sustained. and her scamen are en-
nlOyad md froinad The. me-. E. .-1. - a. ,...-
specimens Of the free trade and reciprocity in commerce
which has for some time past existed between England and
ourselves, sanctioned and conducted under our late "Judi-
cious Tariff"
With France our commerce has been equally disastrous.
We have taken her wines, silks, aad duty free, and
swelling the balance OF trade against US 10 n great amount.
TO be PAID IN specie. dispatch irom the American Minis.
ter, Gent Cas-, sufficiently illustrates this trade. lie SAYS,
"that two thirds Of all the imp)rtauons introduced from
France into the L. Stltes OFT tree OF duty. Not one article
imported INTO France from the i. States Is exempted from
dlty. The great American staple, cotton, imported into
France pays a duty OF between ( and 5 per cent upon it,
value more than Egyptian cotton; thus far operating as a
bounty upon the latter. Upon silks. imported into the L..
States from countries east Of the Cope Of Good Hope, duty
of ten per cent Is levied, while French silks are free OF duty
- regulation which has driven tho India and CHM siIks
from the American markets, and which operates AL bounty
upon the introduction Of French and English silks and has
oyerhrown oil efforts for the Introduction Of the culture 81
silk int the United Stats. Aguin-" The history cf
modern trade exhibits an insiln-c Of greater inequality
Than the commercial intercourse which now exists be
-N'" ANA A GALN 1"A 'rHH-
merciai relations with Germany, to their extent nrc equal.
Iy injurious IN all their operations. Time will not now
permit us to furnish them In detail The management Of
the diplomatique relations with Great Britain has been still
more destructive OF the interest," Of the nation than the inc.
qualities of her duties oyaatod on our commerce. a com.
lnsrcial arrangement between the two countries was enter.
ed into IN 1880, by which the West lndiu trade was sac1i.
ced. The important event was announced OF ~"BalumD7o,
Sd OF October, 1880, q OF. sock, r. "" GLORIOUS news! '
information has been received of the opening Of tho CO.
lonlal ports to the trade Of the United States" On the 81
of November, 1889, the British P~ariamcnts were inform
cd America had entirely aud uncOndihonally Withdrawn
her pretension, and England now stood upon the footing
on which she leRislated upon the subject IN 1895. The
schedule Of duties for protecting the Colonies was entirely
In their own power, and might De varied O. suit the ir
tetosi OF the country. The object u the schedule wa
60 give an encouragement 20 a supply Of the West Indit
Islands bv the North American Colonies Of Great Britain
instead Of by The United States Of America, OF by any othc
country 9"
The comparative truth Of these two statements will suG
ciently appear from the fact, that the British tonnage GU
teung the United States, r1 tic commerce with the Bfusi
colonies, suddenly rose from about four thousau.
up 10 four hundred thousand tons. The commerce 81 Que
bee has risen from near nothing 90 Jlg,l6O tons. ln 1885,
the British tondngc which entered uur porte. from all cguu