Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-06-21

angles, OF the fortress. 1t would therefore be hard
y fair were 1t practicable, to deprive gentlemen of
SO convenient retreat when pressed by arguments
which they unable to answer
But however serious gentlemen NAV be in insist
ing on constitutional objections it can hardly be
expected that the country will now abandon as un.
constitutional system sanctioned by the very fra
mers of the Constitution in the Congress of 1889,
approved by every President, from Washington
down to the immortal successor of his own illus.
trous predecessor" who has been, and is, on both
sides of every supposable question but two-the
abolition of slavery in this District, and the expe-
diency of the selection of certain favorite son,
certain Northern man with Southern principles, who
shall at present be nameless as the next Democrat
ic candidate for the Presidency. On the former of
these points believe he is committed; and rath-
er think there are gentlemen hereabouts, who, if
they saw good cause, could tell how and why he
became AS to the other question: have never
understood that he entertained any hesitation, I'M
less it may be a trihng doubt, whether the people,
upon "sober second thought" would confirm the
nomination which the convention ought to make /;
and whether they would not under the influence of
ancient prejudice or new deusion, reject the cash
tered pilot who asked to be reinsated, and prefer
rather more experienced and trusty helmsnan.
There are certain kinds and branches of in
dustry which, as all men agree, lawfully may be,
and as matter of necessity ought to be- protected.
You secure to the author the copy right in the coin
age Of his brain, and you guarantee to the inventor
of a new process, or machine, the exclusive right
to his invention against every competition, whether
native or foreign. Here is protection in the obi
Gus form of an absolute monopoly; yet no man
questions its Justice or its expediency ] am well
aware that in the of the celebrated cotton gin,
Southern chivalry thought fit practically to nullify
the patent law and TO deny to the meritorious in
ventor all substantial reward for his valuable ma
chine; but in general the policy of the law is ap-
proved.
| Mr.. Holmes here intorposed, and observed, that
South Carolina had purchased the right TO the use
of the cotton gin. And Mr.. Rhett added, that the
same State had afterwards made voluntary grant
of $4,000 to the inventor 1t was also suggested
that North Carolina had acquired the right for use
Of her citizens by fair purchase
Protection has, as have before remarked, already
done its work for the great staple of the South and
no man familiar with the history of manufactures
and particularly of mechanical invention, can doubt
that Legislative protection has been the ndispensa-
BILE condition Of the great prosperity and extended
amount of the cotton trade The encouragement,
early afforded TO the growth and working of cotton
induced investments in this branch of manufacture
and it soon attained considerable degree of i'm
portance. The mechanical ingenuity of this coun
try, and of England, now began to exert recipro
cal influence. The admirable construction OF ou
machinery, copied and improved from that of Eng
turers in the abundance and cheRpness of water
power, compelled the English to improve their spin
ming and weaving apparatus. This improvement
reacted upon us, and, in like manner, led to new
contrivances; and the whole process OF converting
cotton into cloths has been more than once com
pletely revolutionlzed. The consequence has beef
a vastly facilitated and chcapened production o
cotton goods, and Of course a proportionally in
Creased use of them. Cotton has, TO q great ex
tent, suppanted linen which is more costly of pro
duction and far less capable of elaboration BY ma
chinery. Cottons have also been largely substitu
ted for woollens, in the shape of cotton annes, ant
other thick fabrics and they are interviewer witt
linen, with silk, with wool, with the fleece of thu
cashmere goat and in fact with every textile sub
stance. Cotton Is used in vast quantities for bat
ting and padding, for canvass and innumerab
other purposes, to which none thought of applying
it until within the last few years. Hence there
demand for this product almost without limit, an
the planter both buys cheaper the manufactured ar
tice, and sells a vastly increased quantity of tn
raw material.
Such are the effects OF projections and l canno
forbear to notice in this conneXion a remarkabl
instance of the interdependence between ditferen
branches of industry, and of the unforeseen colat
era benefits which flow from this el1inently wis
and paternal system. The enlarged consumption
and wear of cotton goods, has proportonally ii
creased the supply of rags for the paper marke
and the raw material for the most important of a
manufactures handmade of that art which
the conservator of all art and kDowledge--is flu
nished III inexhaustabe abundance, and at great
reduced cost. Illustrations of this sort might
multiplied without limit, for there exists betwee
the various branches of productive industry til
same common bond, which, according to an anciei
philosophical orator, unites the entire body of til
liberal arts into one harmonious whole.
But, sir is not this vely bill designed to proet
a particular branch of capital and industry, an
that at the sacrifice of all others? 1t is limited :h1
FOREIGN TRADE is largely interested in the owe
throw Of our protective system, and for that yer
trade protection is demanded. But in whose beha
is this protection asked, and for whose benefit al
we called upon to sacrifice our own productiy
classes? We learn from unquestionabe source
that of the lmportations from Great Britain sixty
five per cent is on British account OF those fro
France, and other continental countries, not lie:
than eighty-thre per cent is on foreign account
and of course nearly the whole profit OH this emo
: nous proportion of our trade goes into the hand
of foreigners. Shall we legislate for the subjec
of Great Britain and France? Shall the foreig
J importer himself determine the duty which he vi
condescend to pay? Are his interests to ke chieh
regarded in the Legislation OF this Bah! But wer
it otherwise-were the advantages OF TINS gret
commerce the proper gain 20 our own cltlzens-l
this object of the proniotion Oh foreign trade Worl
not only its pyesent cost but all the sacrifices whc
are asked for it? In 1885, all men abandoned the
regular occupations, and set themselves to buy, sci
and get gain; and such was the neglect Of agrlcu
ture, that even oats were imported from the banl
of the Ebe to feed the horses that pastured in tn
valley of the Mohawk The excessive trade
: 1886 was followed by the CONFUSION of 1887, an
there has been no lack of lectures from our Dem'
cratic brethren upon the causes of that convulsio
The crisis of 1887, said they, not owing to Ii
, specie circular, to the removal Of the deposits,
the refusal OF the Government to recharter the
States Bank, to the multitude of State banks cha
tered by Democratic legislatures to fill the place
. that dead monster, to the arrangement, in fine,
> the currency of the country by the action of Go
eminent. No, it was none of these things, nor Il
combined action of all these things, but it was Il
7 ereessiue imporiation-the spirit Of Ouertroding-
4 which caused all that ruin Is then the spr
J which in 1886 was the spirit of darkness, now b
: come an angel Of light? If the foreign import
. tons of 1896 Involved the whole land in bankrup
!, cy ruin and shame, it is wise to stimulate IL
portation to the highest extent to which legislatiC