Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-06-21
VOL. XXXvIII, NO. 42.--WHOLE NO. 1866.

lection of property. as well as life and personallib
erty against both the violence and the policy of for
egn powers, was the chief end sought to be attain
ed by the establishment of tie conlederacy. The
power of granting such protection as domestic in
dustry requires, has been surrendered by the ind-
vidual States, and unless it has lodged in the peo-
pie Of the Union, to be by them exercised, through
us, their representatives it is rrecoveraby gone.
The surrender is valid to pass the power out Of the
hands of the grantors the States, but not good to
vest it in Congress, the grantee. Strange anoma-
ly-and yet to this iedtctio dd dbsurdum you are
inevitably brought if You deny the power of Con-
gress to Impose protective duty. But if Congress
may legslate for the protection of capital invested
in trade, why not also for that Of capital invested
in manufactures? The buildings, the machinery,
the stock, in its various stages of its elaboration,
the lands, whose value depends upon the successful
employment of the capital thus invested, all these
are property, as much as the stocks of the capital
list, the ships Of the merchant, the lands Of the
planter, and, viewed simply property, without
regard to higher considerations of national policy
are just as much entitled to legislative favor and
protection The American capital invested in
manufactures and the mechanic arts is believed to
amount to no less a sum than four hundred millions
OF dollars and one-fourth of our population is de-
pendent for bread on the prosperity of those arts.
To this vast sum, add the increased value of lands
in the vicinity of fourishing manufactures, and
you have an aggregate scarcely inferior to any of
the items which make up the sum total of our ma
| tiona wealth.
Destroy the protective system, and you annihate
at blow this great accumulation Of wealth. this
immense proportion of our national resources In
regard to the property invested IN manufactures it
is to be Observed that the destruction involved by
its sacrifice has no compensation. 1t is ann4ila-
ton, not transfer. Thousands are impoverished,
none are enriched. You make your country poor
er, by the amount both of the capital directly in
vested and the difference in value of the lands and
La. ,No1
spring up with its capital of 100000, and it adds
TO the saleable value and actual productiveness Of
the lands IN its vicinity, at least much more
Destroy it, and all this wealth has evaporated. In
the case of the removal of public buildings, and
the construction Of works of internal improvement,
there is often an apparent loss, which Is, however,
balanced by a compensation in the increased value
thereby given to property elsewhere. Construct
canal, passing three miles from country village,
instead of through it. Its prosperity Is destroyed.
One by one, its most enterprising inhabitants de-
sert it, and the aged and the poor alone are Left
The cheerful din Of its industry is hushed. The
grass grows in the Streets It's cottages long
er the home of man, and the fox looks out of the
window. Here is ruin, here is desolaton-melln-
choy enough, no doubt-but there is another side
r to the picture. On the banks of that canal there
arises new village which, in its rapid growth and
improvement, far outstrps all that the most san
guine fancy had ever hoped for its older rival
Here is indeed destruction, but there is also
creation of wealth. Ii is transfer, not an annihi
latlon of prosperity, and though individuals may
suffer- the total of national wealth is undinn
ished, and even increased. On the other hand,
n strike down great branch Of national industry,
f and where is your compensation! Do Southern
: gentlemen imagine that the ruin of the manufac-
lures of Massachusetts will raise the price of cot
= ton? DO the forgemen of Pennsylvania hope to
sell more iron, when the busy industry of New Eng
land shall be still, and the clang of the anvil and
4 tl1, Il.
b the of the waterfall? Does the Western far
mer suppose that he shall increase the price of his
= lands, the profits of his husbandry by compelling
: his Eastern brethren to devote to the growing of
grain and the feeding Of cattle the millions of acres
g which they now occupy for sheep walks, and for
s the cultivation of the teaze and other vegetable
products required for the Of the manufacturer?
New England is able abundantly to supply her own
e population with breadsuhs and meat Her soil,
though inferior to the praries of the West in fer
It tllity, is superior in variety. Sir the West can
e produce nothing, absolutely nothing, which the soil
It of New England cannot also be made to yield in
: supert1uous abundance Even in fertility the diff
ference between the East and West has been great
y ly exaggerated. Sir, this subject do not speak
l. without book. l have seen the principal grain
t, growing States of the West in their harvest, and
Il being practically familiar with agriculture, claim
is to be able to judge of their productiveness The
+ Western people, with all their virtues, and accord
re and have heard on the praires some gasconadlng
N about crops which would have done no dishonof to
lie Ancient Pistol. We of the East, as manufacturers
at and Shepherds are, to some extent dependent on
le you of the West. Destroy our industry, compel
us to exchange the loom for the plough, the sheep
ct for the OK, turn us from into producers
ID and you have lost your best custorner-we buy OF
It you no longer. Of the forty millions of the pro-
r duce of other States which Massachusetts con.
y sumes, she will require not dollar. Add to this
If the supplies demanded for the manufacturers of 9th
re States, and you have not less than one HUNDRED
re millions of American produce for which market
s. will longer exist Where do yop TOOK for COM
pensaton for this loss You have not the smallest
m reason to expect that the Bltlsh corn laws Will be
IS repeaed-no other Eniopean nation will take your
produce, and WHOM you are ready to sell, none will
r be found to bay.
h Let tho Western farmer examine this BILL and
Is calculate the saving which he supposes he would
n make by the operation of this anti labor Tariff
Il How many dollars would he on his cloths how
y many on his ironware, how many his glass, his
e groceries, and other imported goods? Even ad-
hitting the truth of the false principle assumed by
is the report, that reduction of duty is reduction
h of price to the consumer he will find that few fam
h lilies would save fifty dollars, the laboror probably
If not ten. But on the other hand, would not this
L. gain be more than overbalanced by the inevitable
l. reduction III the price of his produce, resulting
IS from the loss of market which consumes, annual
lie y, Sl000U0000 of the products of the non.manu-
Of featuring States? Sir, where the Western States
ID would save one Million they would lose ten. But
D. repeat it it is not true that diminution of the
n duty lowers the price. Reduce them SO as to des
troy domestic manufactures, and do you think tina,
TO the British artisan, when relieved nom American
j. competition, will sell you his wares as cheapy as
r now? Will he not rather take advantage OF his
of monopoly Of the market, and compel you both ia
of buy and to sell at his own prce'
" Attempts have been made to excite the jealousy
lie of the South and West, by inflated statements in
10 regard to the profits Of the manufacturers 1t has
been proved, by calculations, emitting only the use
it. of capital, wear and decay of machinery, fixtures
O. and buildings taxes and insurance, and the numer
a. Gus contingencies to which these establishment.
Il are preeminenty LIABLE that the Eastern manuiac-
n turers must have cleared not less than twenty
IN thirty per cent per annum for series of years..
ln..n