The North-Carolina standard., 1843-07-12

aid have been permitted 10 fix the amount accord
ing to their own cupdty; and this bill has fxeC
the assessment on the other interests of the com
munity, without consulting them with all the pro
visions necessary for extorting the amount in the
promptest manner. Government is to descend
from its high appointed duty, and become the
agent of portion of the community to extort un-
der the guse of protection, tribute from the rest o
the community; and thus defeat the end of its in
sttution, by pervertng powers intended for the
protection of ALL into the means of depressing one
portion for the benefit of another.
But there never yet has been devised scheme
of emptying the pockets Of one portion of the
community into those of the other, however unjust
or oppressive, for which plausible reasons could
not be found; and few have been so prolific of
such, as that under consideration. Among them,
one of the most plausible is, that the compttition
which is asked to be excluded, is that Of foreign
ers. The competition is represented TO be between
home and foreign industry; and he who opposes
what is asked, is held up as friend to foreign,
and the enemy to home industry, and is regarded
very little short of being traitor to his country
take the issue on the fact l deny that there is,
or can be, any competition between home and
foreign industry, but through the latter; and assert
that the real competition, in all cases. is, and must
be, between one branch of home industry and an
other. To make good the position taken, rely
on simpe fact, which none will denv-that i'm
ports are received in exchange for exports From
that it follows if there be no export trade there
will be no import ttade; and that to cut off the ex-
ports, is to cut off the imports 1t u.s. then, not the
imports. but the exports which are exchanged for
them, and without which they would not be in
troduced at all, that causes, in reality, the compe
tition. 1t matters not how low the wages of other
countries may be, and how cheap their produc-
tions if we have no exports, they cannot compete
with ours,
The real competition, then. is with that industry
which produces the articles for export and brings
back the imported articles in exchange for them;
and the real complaint is, that those so employed
can furnish the market cheaper than those can who
manufacture articles similar with the imported; :;
and what in truth, is asked, is that this cheaper
process of supplying the market should be taxed,
by imposing high duties on the importation ofthe
articles received in exchange for those exported
in order to give the dearer monopoly, so that it
may sell its products for higher prices. 1t is, in
fact, warfare on the part Of the manufacturing
industry, and those which are associated with it.
against the export industry of the community, and
those associatedwith it. Now, l ask, what is that
export ndustry2 What is the amount produced2
BY whom produced2 and the number of persons
connected with it, compared with those who ask
against it2
y
may be put down. even in the present embar
rassed condition of the country, at $l1O.000OO0,
valued at our own ports 1t is drawn from the
forest the ocean, and the SOIL except about ten mil
lions of domestic manufactures, and is the product
of that vast mass of industry engaged in the vari.
Gus branches of the lumber business the fisheries
in raising grain and stock, producing the great
agricultural staples, rice, cotton, and tobacco; in
purchasing and shipping abroad these various
products, and exchanging and bringing home, in
return the products of other countries, with all
the associated industry necessary to keep this vast
machinery in inotion-the ship builder, the sail
or, and the hundreds of thousands of mechanics,
including manufacturers themselves, and others,
who furnish the various necessary supplies for
that purpose 1t is difficult to estimate with pre-
csion the number employed directly or Indirect
", in keeping in motion this vast machinery, of
which our great commercial cities, and numerous
ships which whiten the ocean, are but small
part. A careful examination of the returns of the
statistics accompanying the census, would afford
probable estimate; and, on the faith Of such exam
ina;on, made by a friend, feel myself warranted
in saying that it exceeds those employed in man.
nfactuSng, with the associated industry necessary
to furnish them with supplies, in the proportion
at Last Of ten to one. 1t is probably much
greater
Such is the export industry Of the country
such its amount; such the sources fIom which 1t
is drawn; such the variety and magnitude of its
branches; and such the proportion in numbers
which those who are employed in it, directly and
Indirectly bears to those who are, in like manner
employed in manufacturing industry. 1t is this
vast and various amount of industry employed at
home, and drawing from the forest, the water, and
he soil, as it were by creation, this immense sur
plus wealth, to be sent abroad, and exchanged for
he productions of the rest of the globe that is sg
natized as foreign industry And it that, Sem
ators, which you are now called on to tax, by i'm
posing the high duties proposed in this bill on the
articles imported in exchange, in order to exclude
them, in whole or part for the supposed benefit of
very minor interest, which chooses to regard
selfas exclusively entitled to your protection and
favor Are you prepared to respond hvorably TO
the call, by voting for this bil7 Waving the
high questions of justice and constitutional power,
propose to examine, in the next place. the mere
question of rxpcdiency; and for that purpose, the
operation of these high protective duties-tracing,
first their effects on the manufacturing interest in
tended to be benefited and afterwards on the ex-
port interest against which they are directed s-
Il And here let me say, before enter on this part
of.my subject, that am no enemy to the manufac-
turing interest On the contrary few regard them
with greater favor. or place higher estimate on
their importance, than myself According to my
the great advance made in the arts by
mechanical and chemical inventions, and discove-
res in tho last three or four generations has done