Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-05-31


der outfit when they abandon the paternal fire
side, and commence their pilgrimage to the sun
ny South or the mighty West Prostrate oul
manufactures, deprive us of this one resource
and you plunge us into absolute, hopeless ire
trievabe ruin.
The subject, Mr. Chairman, is one of such
vast comprehension and extent, it admits of such
an infinite variety of argument and illustration
and involves such a mass OF details, that not a
single hour only, but days would be required fol
its adequate discussion and find myself en-.
forced by the narrow limits prescribed by the
parliamentary law of this House, either to con.
tent myself with presenting some very genera
considerations, or to contnc myself to very
partial view of the question. ought not to
complain of the one hour rule, both because
voted for its adoption, and because in debera-
tive assembly of two hundred members, all OF
whom aspire to be heard, while none is content
to listen, the eXuberance of eloquence must
somehow be checked, and such rule may be
considered as necessary evil. But for this evil,
if such it be, there is a ready remedy by appeal
ing to our Cgser--the people--through the
press; and it is happily no breach of privilege
to print as speech that which never was spa.
ken. Moreover, gentlemen who want the STEM
torian power Of lungs required to fill the echo.
ing void of this vast Hall, may find consolation
in the reflection that the still small voice of the
press will penetrate to hooks and corners where
the tones OF the speaker are never heard.
| shall, then, make no effort 10 compass an
lmpossblity, by essayng full discussion of the
tariff question within the space Of a single hour,
and shall limit myself to some remarks of
general character. | beg, however, not to be
understood as undertaking. the Importance of
minute examination and precise detail. None
rpulI have lis,pup1 IN ,bo inc, Ter 6
the gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. Wethered,)
so repcte with sound sense and practical knowl.
edge, without being convinced of the value of
such accurate statistics. But, sir, it has been
my fortune to have had even a better instructor
| have been schOued in this matter by dear
bought experience. Myself unhappiy manu-.
iacturer. know too well the indispensable me-
cesSIty OF the most rigorous eXactness in the cal
cnialion o! the numerous elements Of profit and
loss. have learned how dsasrously an appa.
rentv insignificant change in the arrangement
OF duties may effect large establishment, and
that trivial mod tication of the tariff, which
shall not percepibly vary the amount of rcve.
nue. and shall scarcely save penny to any midi
vdua consumer may work utter ruin to the
manufacturing capitalists and the hundreds who
depend upon him. But, after all, this expert
mental knowledge makes me suspicious of the
"'t"'h'N VI ucldll, anu lnp TeaSOnlDuS
founded on it, and know not whether have
been more strongly moved to ridiculc or to con.
tempt, by the ignorant assumptions and the pue.
rlle calculations to which have listened upon
this floor.
Figures. it is said, cannot lie but this apho.
rism, mere trulsm in its proper sense, is in It's
popular use a mlschevous asehood In the
alro for what called fnctS in this calculating
aye, 1t is astonishing how eagerly supposed facts
and half truths are caught at, to the neglect of
the most obvious principles; and how readily
these facts. by Procruslean process. are forced
INTO accordance with prcconccived theorcs.-
30 tar has this zone that it is time for reaction.
Men are IN danger of running into the contrary
extreme OF despi>ng all statistical knowledge
and IN all probability, "to lie like the multp.
cation table will soon pass into proverb.
In fact, the uncerteiny of speculative est.
mates IN matters of political economy is such.
that we are authorized only to form general con-
cIusIons from prtori reasoning. We may in.
Ter, IN general, that the protection of domestic
industry Is or Is not, advantageous to the inter.
ests OF nation but it is impossible to deter
InIne' even approximately, the effect of given
duty upon either revenue or home production,
than by experiment. But the inter.
eSts involved in these questions are of such vast
magnitude, that the experiments are always in
the highest degree dangerous ; and when YOU
nave lariH winch satIiies at once the demands
OF tlle revenue, the producer, and the consumer
IL is the very acme of madness to adventure up
on extensive changes, except upon such cogent
evidence as, IN the nature of things, is hardly
atanable. An alteration of the tariff, which
shall add hut a few thousands to the revenue NAV
not improbably destroy branch of business in
which millions are invested You may safely
amend your tariff by the gradual and cautious
change OF the duties on single items, or narrow
classes, but the sudden subversion of complete
system, pa sage per saitum from protection to
warfare Is an act OF absolute political revolution
or as have SAID, there is IN the specula.
'o"s vi poitical economists a most remarkable
uncertainty. The calculations OF the keenos,
and most sagacious publcists have been more
frequently disappointed than verified and there
is no branch of human knowledge in which the
results OF experience have so frequently and 50
ii'ly con'radcted the theories of the closet
me causes which affect trade and manufac
lures are numerous, and oftentimes obscure -
ana tue reciprocal action Of these causes upon
each other, and upon commerce aud Industry
complicated as 1t is by unknown and ever chang.
ing 'nhuences, constitutes problem harder of
solution than that Of the pertuhaiions of the
planets. W NV
Were we without the light of experience. il
would seem to be a very obvious truth, that YOU
must increase the cost TO the consumer of every
imported arucle. by the amount ofbu,h the du,y
and the profit and commission on the CAPITAL
required to be advanced Tor the payment OF the
duty. But experience is to the contrary, and
you can scarcely cite an instance in the history
OF any country, whose industry is unshacked
and unrestricted by Government, where pro-
has not been speedily followed by an
Improvement in the quality, and a reduction in
the price, of the articles protected and of this
you have lad numerous illustrations in the
course OF this debate The immediate effect
Of snch duties seems in general to be a reduc |
ton IN the price of the manufactured article at
the place OF production, the foreign manulactu.
rer submitting to a dlminuton of his profits. for
Inc sake OF retaining the market. AT the same
domestic establishments are growing
up and by the double competition of these with
each other and the foreign producer, further
reduction OF prices, accompanied by an improve. |
neht IN quality, soon follows Various causes
concur TO produce this improvement in the quail. |
ny OF American manufactures, besides the com.
I bo,,