Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-03-28
P @ LITIC A L !.
Fem TIE Richmond Enquirer.
THE TARIFF.


afr. Clay-av very ,ceak, or very corrupt man
Mr. Evans, who is at least good Wing
authority, said in his late speech in the
Senate, that competition would prevent
our manufacturers from reap;ng exorb
tant proEts'--and appealed to the well.
known law of trade, that the profits Of
all pursuits and trades tend to a level,
because labor and capital are ever ready
to desert the less profitable trades to en-
gage in the more lucrative, till competi.
tion brings the profits of the latter to
level with those of the former This, as
general rule, is true, and is universally
believed and acted on. We beg the
reader TO bear it in mind. II is espe-
,ialIy true in England. There labur and
capital are superintendent. The great
difficulty Of finding employment for the
one and profitable investment for the
other, makes the hire of labor and inter.
est Of money exceedingly low. No
mea understand these facts better than
the manufacturers; and hence their LOUD
complaints of being by free trade brought
in competition with the enormous capt.
tai and pauper labor of England The
manufacturers in England are Obliged to
be conten. with very small profits at all
tines-for. TIE moment they begin to
reap larger profits, millions of idle CAPT.
tai, or of capital engaged in less profta-
BILE investments, and millions of poor la
bcrers unoccupied OF less proiitably en-
ployed, are ever ready to engage in ma
nuiactures, and thus immediately by
competition and excessive production,
reduce the profits of manufacturing to
the low rate of profits with which all 9TH
err trades and pursuits are content in
England.
It is true, Men,, Mn Evans: that com.
petition among oar manufacturers, even
when foreign competition is excluded,
will prevent them from long reapirg ex-
travagant profits: bat al is more obviously
and certainly true, that competition among
English manufacturers aoiH always CON
gel them to sell al a very lotv rate Of prof
III You complain of the pauper labor
and redundant capital of England, and
admit by the very complaint, that she
can manufacture cheaper than you can !!
You assert, that competition here will
compel our manufacturers to work as
cheap as they can afford, but you admit
that there is more labor, more capital
and more competition in England, hence
she can afford tu work cheaper-and by
your own showing she must, and will,
work as cheap as she can Afford But,
sir. you also say, that when we add ten
or twenty per cent. 10 our duties. she
will take off ten or twenty per cent. from
the price of her manufactures, and still
will sell to US III defiance of the duties.
That is, you say in effect, that she will
continue to sell to Us at rates ten or 90
Der cent. less than she can afford! Was
ever grosser absurdity uttered Will
sane meh forever spend their capital. and
labor and delve, in order to reap loss !?
No. sir. according to your own theory
Of competition, England must always self
Ter goods 10 US as cheap as she can af
sord. When we lay on duties, aUs must
nav those duties to get her goods-for.
competition had already compelled her
to sell as cheap as she could. You, sir,
have, BY your theory Of competition here,
shown coneIusiyeIy, that England must
and win Sell her manufactures 10 Us as
. cheap as she can afford. You have also
shown, as coroIIary from your theory,
s.bat lie can afford to manufacture chea-
sner than we can. You have proved, BY
lis same theory, that England cannot
|slf,rd to pay any portion Of our duties
where we lay on increased duties, be-.
rause competition had before compelled
bey "a work at The lowest rate Of profit.
Hence. IN all cases. according to your
avn theory. when an article continues to
II ;mported and sold here after such an
s,i,iitionaI duty is laid, the consumer
,sys the duty on the imported article to
ar Government; or, if he buys dores-
~ article like if, he pays the duty to the