Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-09-19
From The Povghkeepaie Journal
FACTS FOR MECHANICS.

In the year whcn the rate OF duties upon
all imported nrlclcs ranged at twenty per
cent. il is we'll known tina, no, only the for
eign mporiations exceeded the exports as
to create a ~ruiuous balance Of trade against
us. but that owing TO the low duties, IN ad'
dilion TO the usual foreign goods brought IN,
large quantities ofarlicles made by mechan.
ical labor begun also 10 be imported, ana
that kind of business was increased so rap
idly that, had it not been stopped by the
tariff OF 1912, it would soon have proved a
vas, injury, if not utterly r%uinous, 10 a large
portion of American mechanics. Hardly
a ship came from England that did not
bring rs a portion Of her cargo, a large
quantity OF London made hats French cab
met furniture began also TO come almost by
the cargo but among the chief mechanic.
al articles were French boots and shoes and
ready made clothing.
All who had occasion TO visit our large
cities in these times could see in every quar-
ter signs up, showing shops filled with
French boots and shoes, and ready made
clothing brought from London could al
most be found as easily. But we wish to
call the attention of shoemakers and tailors,
especially journeyInen, 10 W simple facts,
which we noticed particularly at the time.
A single ship tina, arrived IN the spring of
ls43 before the Wing tariff was passed,
brought sixteen thousand pair o fParis made
boots and shoes, which were at once thrown
into our markets. 1t was also stated by the
city papers, at about the same time. when
orders was constantly going to England
for ready made clothing, that by the steam
ship Great Western, in one trip there were
sent measures to London for twelve hun
dred full suits of clothes, TO be made 10 or
der for New York and Philadelphia.
By the boots and shoes brought in the
single cargo here mentioned American jour.
neymen shoemakers were Immediately de-
prived OF patronage to the amount of at least
$4,000, and more probably $4,000, all
of which was as so much cash taken direct
ly from their pockets. And IN reference to
the clothes ordered in one trip by the great
Western, the journeymen ~tailors, to say
nothing of their employers, were in like
manner sufferers directly from their pock-
cts in the loss ofso much, to the amount Of
$4,000 cash; for the making Of the twelve
hundred coats alone would have amounted
to $4,000. All this, let it be understood
was lost to American journeymcn shoema-
kers and tailors in but ti1o instances, with.
out reference 10 the hundreds of others Of
similar character, in the importation OF
ready made clothing, hats. cabinet furniture,
&c. to fill the shops in our large cities.
Now we wish that Jul working men Of
all classes, many of whom are doubtless
still acting with the Locofoco party, would
consider these facts well, and then, without
reference to past preferences or prejudices
! as to men, conclude deliberately. according,
to the dictates oftheir own judgment, which
pc Icy is best calculated to promote their
own interests and those of their country
One single fact, like that of the sixteen hun.
. bred pairs of French boots and shoes in one
1 cargo, is worth more to enable them to
n reach a correct conclusion than all the the,
$ ory in the world. A j%ourneymen shoema,
y ker or tailor, when he finds he is discharged
and himself and family suffering through
= his want of employment, and because the ar
: ticles upon which he works are made in
Paris or London at prices below which he
$ can possibly make a decent living, does no
n want 10 read ten columns about"democracy.
"poor mems rights" and "bank," and so on
to understand his position. He sees n
. once, If he looks at the subject without pref
: udice, that both his Interests and his rightl
!, are sacrificed through the bad policy Of tn,
3 government, which allows foreigners TO TAXI
f away his substance by depriving him Of thu
patronage TO which be is entitled. Thu
same rule applies to every branch of indus
try.
But, says a ~locofoco demagogue, anxiou
to conceal the real issue from the people
n wha, has all this to do with the Presidential
!. question: We answer, it has every thing
: to do with it, and upon the settlement Of tina
: question will depend entirely the pro
u ~treclion or the prostration of American in
dustry. Henry Clay has always been tn
y steady advocate OF that system, and if he j
. elected it will certainly be established du
It ring his administration upon a basis so firm
d that il can never again be shaken. On tn
other hand, James X. Polk is, and Away
y has been an avowed opponent to protection
and an advocate Of FREQ trade; he is nov
supported at the South solely upon tha
n ground, as all his party papers and meet
e lnes show: so that if he is successful III
ID protective system will as certainly be pu
e down. There is no Disgusting this issue
IS however much demagogues may seek tt
q mistify it. Let the mechanics, then, choos
y which Of the two they consider as presen.
ing the best claims 10 their support 1t
TO them a plain business matter.
IN TIE LATE JOSEPH BoNAPARTE--Th
~ life ofthe former King Of Naples and Spal
re is well known; we shall therefore, mereI
'e give a sketch of il, in a few words. JOSEF