Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-02-08

/ trious classes. In the canvass OF lS4l /,
one of my opposing candidates, at the on-
y meeting where had an opportunity to
hear his views, coniending against pro.
tectiye Tariff, upon the ground that pro-
lection enough would be found 10 the
adoption of what he called, the Constitu.
tional currency-an argument which had
been previously made by Mr.. Buchanan
in Congress, and which could only re-
fer to that sort Of protection which is OBJ.
tanned from wages adjusted TO the hard
money standard. 1t is doubtless true that
the mechanics of the UuIted States could
manufacture any article as cheaply as the
artisans OF Europe, il they would be con.
tent to take the same rate Of wages, IN the
same kind Of currency as the European
arnzans; but hope never to see the day
when our mechanical industry is 10 sub
sst on these terms. Our mechanic arts
will not be worth protecting when they
can only be sustained upon the hopeless
poverty and unrequited toll that throw
such melancholy shades over the history
OF the workingmen Of Europe. Our
government was constructed t. shed It's
blessings alike on poor and rich, and il is
justly our boast that honest industry will
always conduct our people to comfort and
Independence. IL will only do so, how
ever, when that industry receives its full
and just reward according to that higher
scale Of wages which has happily become
charact ristic OF the United States.
Having heretofore expressed my views
somewhat al large, upon the benefits OF
the Protective system, 10 letter address
ed by me 10 my constituents, and IN 9TH
er communications, it is not my purpose
TO expaiate at any grea, length, upon the
Tariff, in this address. have been
mainly induced to bring the subject again
INTO notice, al the present time, b, cause
large and commanding portion Of our POI
lltleal opponents. in every scion of the
Union. from New Hampshire 10 Arkansas,
n we thru atened, and are daily threaten
ing, TO break down the Tariff of 1912,
and abolish the Protective policy. They
cry aloud for REPEAL, and they have
never ceased in their endesvors to enlist
the full cooperation Of their party to &C.
CoiHplsn tneir OBJECT.
desire to put the industrious classes
OF Baltimore on their guard against the
exerlions which are making 10 this ind !;
to warn them of the danger; and espe.
cially 10 inquire whether any of The work
lngmen OF Baltimore intend to help this
party to overthrow the presen, Tariff
] hope our people will reflect upon the
real scope and object of this Low-du,y
system, or Free Trade, of which so much
is said, and which is now attempted, by
new and vigorous efforts, TO be inflicted
upon the country "a system, VIII CHI an
active, powerful, and, # rumor speaks
true, well paid Press-paid by foreign as
well as domestic patrons-is about being
Sc, up in New York to recommend and
enforce. This system will be found 10
be nothing more than an ingenious scheme
for the Protection of Foreign manufactu.
rers and American Cotton. II scheme
to protect English and French fabrics, at
the rxpens" ofour own, that thereby Eng.
land and France may be induced to con-
unue that protection which they have Civ
en- to American Gotten in preference 20
every other American product, - indeed,
almost 10 the exclusion OF all other Amer
lcan products. In short, this Low-du,y
system-thls twenty per cent. MAXIMUM
which is now preached with such zeal
by the Free Trade politicians, has its be-
ginning and its end In des re 10 n,onop-
oh=e Government Protection in faror Of
Cotton at the expense Of nearly every
other great interest 10 the nation. This
is the true meaning of the new proposition
for Commercial Treaties with England
and France, which have lately been so
much talked ofby our opponents; treat.
les 10 regulate the Tariff of duties by com
pact; so that these duties cannot be al
tered by Congress treaties which shall
virtually agree to Protect foreign manu-
features in the United Stats, Il the other
side will protect Cotton in England and
France.
II is not so obvious at the frst view,
but il is, nevertheless, true that the Re.
peal Of duties on British and French goods
IS measure Of specific and distinct Pro
lection TO the cultivation Of cotton. b.
repeating or diminishing our duty on f r
'ign Manufactures zoe make good mar
ket for these manufactures in The United
States. Now the whole purpose, diif and
value Of Government Protection to any
commodity Of trade consist simply 10 this
very result of making good market FOR
such commodity. Protection of any
branch of mechanical industry, 10 fact,
means nothing else but the securing of
good market for the products ofihat indus
try. If therefore by establishing Low
duties, twenty per cent. for example,
or by repeating them altogether, the Gov
eminent makes valuable market in the
United States for English and French
goods, what is this but encouraging and
protecting English and Frecch workmpn
and refusing TO encourage and protect
american workmen engaged in The same
business 7 England and France, in re.
turn for this favor to their industry, are.
of course, expected TO secure to our plan.
ters a permanent preference in supplying
these nations with cotton. Thus the pol.
icy, aimed to be established by this party
in the country, resolves itself into clear
and direct purpose to encourage and pro-
tect the cultivation OF cotton by purcha.
sing Tor II good market n England aud