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

immortal successor Of his own "iIlustrous predeces
| sOr," who has been, and is on both sides Of ever,
| supposable question but two-the abolition Of SLAYER,
in this District namely, and the expediency Of the
lection OF certain avOtite son, certain northern mar
with southern principles, who shall at present b,
| naineess, as the next Democratic candidate for tn,
Presidency On the former Of these points believ,
he is committed; and rather think there are gentle
men hereabouts, who, il they good cause, coulc
| tell how and why he became so. As to the OtheI
question, have never understood that he entertained
any hesitation, unless it may be trfling doubt
would confirm the nomination which the convention
ought to make; and whether they would not, under
the influence Of ancient prejudice or new deluslon re-
ject the cashered plot who asked to be felnsated
and prefer rather more experienced and trusty helms
man.
There are certain kinds and branches of industry
which, as all men agree lawfully may be- and as mat
ter of expedency ought to be- protected. You secure
to the author the copyright in the coinage Of his
brain, and you guarantee to the inventor of new
process machine. the exclusive right to his nven
ton ngains, every competitor, whether native or for
eign Here is protection in the odious form of an alb
soute monopoly; yet no man questions It's justice OF
its expedency. am we'll aware that, in the case OF
the celebrated cotton g !, southern chvarv thought
fit practically TO nulfy the patent law, and 10 deny
to the merorous inventor all substantial reward for
his valuable machne but in general the policy Of the
law is approved.
| IMr. HoLMEs here inicrpo ed. and observed, tina,
South Carolina had purchased the right TO the use oil
the cotton gin. And Mr. RHETT added, that the same
State had afterwards made voluntary grant Of $50,
600 the inventor. 1t was also suggested that North
Carolina had acquired the right for use Of her citizens
by fair purchase
Protection has, as I 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 lndspens
condition of the prosperity and extended amount
h,c rad ms oar ffrt.
ed to the growth and working of cotton, induced in
veslmen,s in this branch of manufacture and it soon
attained considerable degree Of Importance. The
mechanical ingenuity of this country and OF England,
now began TO exert reciprocal inf Ience. The ad-
mrable construction of our machinery, copied and
improved from that Of England, and the a'vantagcs
enjoyed by our manufacturers in the abundance and
cheapness of water power. compelled the English to
improve their spinning 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 completely revOluOnlzed. The consequence has
been vastly facilitated and cheapened production of
cotton goods, and of course proporonally increas
ed of them. Cotton has, to a great extent, sup
planted linen. which is more costly OF production and
far less capable of collaboration by machinery. Cot
tons have also been largely substituted for wooIlens,
in the shape of cotton fannes, and other thick fab
RIGS and they are interviewer with linen, with silk
with WOOL with the fleece of the cashmere goat, and
in fact with every textile substance Cotton is used
in vast quantities for hattlng and padding for canvass
and nnumerable other purposes to which none thought
Of applying il until within the last few years. Hence
there is demand for this product almost without
limit, and the planter both buys cheaper the manu-
featured article and sells vastly increased quantity
OF the raw material.
Such are the effects of protection; and | cannot
forbear to notice IN this conneXon remarkable in
stance of the intcrdependence between different
branches of industry and Of the unforeseen collateral
benefits which flow from this emnently wise and pa
ternnl system. The enlarged consumption, and wear
IF haop rnn ~
ply of rags for the paper market and the raw material
for the most important Of all manufactures-the
handmade Of that art which is the conservaor of all
art and all knowedge--ls furnished IN mex
haus,ibe abundance and at greatly reduced cost H.
Illustrations of this sort might G multiplied without
limit for there exists between the various branches of
productive industry the same common bond which,
according an ancient philosophical orator, unites
the entire body Of the liberal arts into one harmonious
whole.
But, sir is no, tlGs very bill designed to protect
particular branch ofA1pal and industry, and that at
the sacrifice of all others 1t is limited that FOREIGN
TRADE is largely interested in the overthrow Of our
protective system and for that very trade protection
demanded. But in whose behalf is this protection
asked, and for whose benefit are we called upon to
sacrifice our own productive classes? We learn
from unquestionable sources that OF the lmportaions
from Great Britain sixty five per cent. is on British ac
count. OF those from France and other continental
countries, not less than clghly-thfee per cent is
foreign account; and of course nearly the whole
profit on this oimous proportion ot our trade goes
into the hands of foreigners. Shall we egislate for
the subjects of Great Britain and Of France! shall
the foreign importer himself determine The duty which
he will condescend to pay! Are his interests to be
chiefly regarded in the legislation of this Hall But
were it o,hefwlse-were the advantages of this great
commerce the proper gain OF our own cizens-is
this object of the promotion of foreign trade worth
NOT only its present cost, but all the sacrifices which
are asked for it =! In 1896, all men abandoned their
regular occupations, and set themselves to buy sell
and get gain and such the neglect of agriculture
t,nfa trnn he nt fna
Elbe TO feed The horses that pasured IN the valley of
the Mohawk. The excessive trade of 1896 was fol-
lowed BY The CONFUSION of 1897, and there has been
no lack of ecnes from Democratic brethren upon
the causes of that convusion. The crisis Of 1897
said they, not owing TO the specie crcu lar TO the
removal Of the deposits 10 The refusal OF the Govern
ment TO recharter the United States Bank, to the
multitude Of State banks chartered by Democratic
less atures to fill the place of that dead monster to
the arrangement IN fine, Of the currency OF the coun
try by the action of Government; No, 1t was none oil
these things, the combined action of all these
things, bItu was the EXCESSIVE IMroRTATIoN-THE
SPIRIT OF ovERTRApiNG-whchc caused all that ruin
Is then the siri, which in 1896 was spirit Of dark
nes, now become an angel of light! If the foreign
i,npor,atons Of 1896 involved the whole land in bank
rupicy, run, and shame, IS II now wise TO stimulate
importation to the highest extent to which egslaion
can carry III
Again, sir, is not the maintenance, protection and
accommodation of this foreign trade one of the heav
est items in the cost of our national Government 2
TO what other end do you maintain navy, at the
expense of six millions per annum, TO display yonr
flag in every sea? For what other pur-
pose are your foreign embassies, your costly custom.
house establishment, and a vast proportion of your
civil list SIR argue not against these things as I'M
necessary but to draw attention to the fact, that
trade has its protection and to suggest the lnquI
ry how much more We can afford to pay for lis pro-
motion.
Every gentleman who has studied the history of
the origin of this Government, knows that the pro
lection of property, well life and personal liberty
against both The violence and the policy of foreign
powers was the chief end sought 10 be attained by
The establishment of the coneseracy. The power of
granting such protection domestic industry re. |
quires has been surrendered by the individual States
and unless i, has lodged in the people Of the Union
he by them exercised through u.s. their representa-
ives il is rrecovcraby gone The surrender is valid
10 pass the power ont of the hands Of the granrors,
The States but not good TO vest II in Congress- the |
grantee. Strange anomaly-and yet to this reductio |
adj absurdum you are inevitably brought, if you deny
The power of Congress TO impose protective duty
But if Congress may lcglsafe for the protection OF
capital invested in trade, why not also for that ofcap
tai invested in manufactures? The buildings, the |
machinery the stock its various stages of elabora
on the lands, whose value depends upon the sue
,essful employment of the capital thus invested, all