The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-08-23
FACTS FOR MECHANICS.

We would that every Mechanic in the
land would " read, mark, learn aud inward
ly digest" the contents Of the following
article from the Ponghkeepsie Eagle. II Is
a concise statement OF the effects which
the election of anti. prolectionisIs Will have
on all line industrial classes OF our country;
and we Cannot too strongly commend to
their notice:
La the years when the rates OF duties
upon all imported articles ranged at ~ per
cent. II is well known not only that the To-
reign imporiations SO far exceed the ex-
ports as 10 create "A rulnous balance oil trade
against US, but that owing TO the low duties,
in addition to the usual foreign goods
brought in, large quantities OF articles
made by mechanical labor began also 10
be imported, and that kind of business was
increasing so rapidly that had 1t not been
stopped by the taritfof le42, it would soon
have proved vast injury, if not utterly ru-
inous, 10 large portion Of American me.
chaDics. Hardly ship came from Eng.
land that did not bring as portion Of her
cargo, a large quantity of London made
hats. French cabinet furniture began al
so TO come almost by the cargo, but a.
mong the chief mechanical articles were
French boots and shoes, and ready made
clothing.
All who had occasion TO visit our large
cities in those times, could see in every
quarter, signs upon showing shops filled with
boots and shoes, and the ready made clio.
thing brought from London could also be
found almost as easily. But we wish 10
call attention Of shoemakers and tailors,
especially the journeymen, to two simple
facts, which We noticed, particularly at the
time. A single ship that arrived in the
spring Of ls42, before the Wing tariff was
passed, brought sirieen thousand pairs Of
Paris made boots and shoes, which were
at once thrown into our markets. Ii was
also stated by the city papers, at the same
time, when orders were constantly going
to England for ready made clothing, that
by the steamship Great Western in Que
uip, there were sent measures TO London
for 1900 full suits of clothes TO be made
10 order for New York and Philadelphia.
BY The boots and shoes brought in lie
single cargo here mentioned, American
journeymen shoemakers were directly de.
priyed Of patronage to the amount of at
least SIS, 900 and more probably of $685.
600, all of which was as so much cash
taken directly from their pockets. And
in reference 10 The clothes ordered in one
trip By the Great Western, the journey.
men iailors, to say nothing Of their en-
poyers, were in like manner sufferers d.
reilly from their pockets in the loss of as
much work, to the amount Of al leas,
$4,000 cash, for the making Of the 1900
coats alone would have amounted TO S..
600 to them. And this, let i, be under.
stood, was lost to American journtymen
shoemakers and tailors, in but tro instan
ces, without reference TO the hundreds OF
others, of similar character, in the impor.
tation Of ready made clothing, hats, cab
met furniture, &c. to fill up The shops in
our large cities.
Now we wish our working men Of all
classes, many of whom are doubtless still
acting with the locofoco party, would con.
slICI luCsG idIio otils anu tHCut nltuOuk
reference to past preferences, according
TO the dictates Of their own sober Judgment
judge which policy is best calculated 10
promote their own interests and those Of
The country. One single fact like that Of
the arrival Of 10000 pair Of French boots
and shoes in one cargo, is worth more to
enable them to reach correct conclusion
than all the theories ia the world. A
journeymen shoemaker or tailor, when he
is discharged, and himself and family sui.
frrlng through his want of employment
and because the articles upon which he
works are made in Paris and London al
prices below which he can possibly make
a decent living, does not want to read ten
columns about democracy" poor mans
rights" and bank" and so on, 10 un.
dersiand his position. He sees at once,
if he looks at the subject without prejudice,
that both his interests and his rights are
sacrificed through the bad policy of The
government, which allows foreigners to
take away his substance, depriying him Of
the patronage to which he is enlltled.-
The same rules applies to every branch Of
industry.
But, says locoloco demagoguc, anx-
ious TO concea! the real issue from the peo-
pie, what has all this 10 do with the Pre-
sIdenlial election We answer il has ere
~ thing 10 do nth il, and upon the settle
ment Of mot question will depend entirely
the protection OF prostraiion Of American
industry. Henry Clay has always been
the steady advocate of that system, and II
he is elected it will certainly be establish
ed during his administration upon a basis
so firm that it can never be shaken. On
the other hand, james X. Polk is and al
ways has been an avowed opponent Of pro-
lection and an advocate Of free trade, and
he is now supported at the South solely
upon that ground, as all his party papers
and meetings show; so that if he is sue.
cessful the protective system will as GER
tainIy be put down. There is no disguis-
ing this issue, however much demagUgues
may seek to mystify. Let mechanics then
choose which of the two they consider as
presenting the best claims 10 their sup.