The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-05-01
HON. s. s. PHELPS SPEECH,
ON THE TARIFF.
Concluded.

marks OF honorable Senators on the other
side of this Chamber, advocating upon this
subject British doctrines. Senators are rea-
dy to beard the lion in defence of Maine, OF
Oregon; but upon this question, growing out
of the only particular in which the interests
Of the two nations can seriously come in con-
fiict, tour great commercial rivalry,) they are
prepared to adopt theories manufactured in
England, like her other fabrics, for the Amer
lean market-theories for our adoption and
guidance, but which she never puts in prac-
tice. More especially, that the Senator from
New Hampshire should be found advocating
doctrines so much at variance with the prac-
teal economy OF the people he represents
The people Of New Hampshire, have preser-
we'd more of the early habits of the settlers
of New England than any other portion Of
our people, and they exhibit to the eye of the
traveller more decided proofs of competence
and comfort, considering their advantages
than any people that l know of upon earth
They are an industrious and economical peo-
pie, who make the most of their resources
and practice the very economy which the
friends of the protective policy advocate; YET
strange as it may seem, their voice as express
ed here, is uniformly heard protesting against
the doctrines which they have ever so steadi-
ly adhered to at home. They will adhere to
them. The Senator cannot dissuade them.
He may talk Of the tax imposed upon the ar
ticle of sugar, but will he persuade them to
abandon the manufacture of the article from
their forests, and look abroad for what their
own industry will supply at home!
Mr.. President, the protective policy lhas
been the policy of this people, and it ever
must be. Denounce it as you will-heap up
on it every term of reproach; exhaust upon
it the whole abusive vocabulary of the Eng
lish language, more copious, as it is, than
that of any living language, yet it cannot be
shaken. 1t is interviewer with all your inter-
ests, and lies at the bottom Of your prosperi-
ty. Sir, venture the prediction that the
distinguished individual who has been styled
(not very Justly, as think) the father of the
system, but who may be justly denominated
its ablest and most efficient advocate, will yet
live to see his opinion prevail, and his policy
the approved, received, and adopted policy of
his country. Sir, what has been our expert
ence on this subject. The protective policy
began with the Governmental was persever-
ed in from that period down TO 1888. The
sbill of nominations Of 1924, and the
s.damnable and accursed tariff of 1928" were
enacted; and what were their fruits' Uni
versal prosperity. From one end to the 9TH
err of your widely extended empire, in all its
variety of pursuit. prosperity, public and pri-
vate, competence, thrift, comfort, happiness,
prevailed to an extent as yet unknown, and
unequalled in the history of this people or OF
any people upon earth. The produce OF the
soil found ready market-labor, in all its
walks, met a competent and full reward
An immense public debt was extinguished,
and your Treasury was overlooking. We
had pursued the policy which common sense
and the common judgment of the world ap-
proved, which England herself has long prac-
ticed, and which the nations of Europe, with
scarcely an exception, are at this moment i'm
itating. But in this state of unexampled ma
tional prosperity, when your resources were
rapidly called into action, your production,
and your wealth were increasing, a new light
suddenly burst upon us from the South. A
discovery was made, that the people of the
North, though their energy, their enterprise,
and their sagacity, had, from the period when
these qualities were eulogised by Edmund
Burke, before the Revolution, down to the
present day, excited the wonder and the ad-
miration Of the world, yet knew nothing Of
thew had peopled wilderness, established an
empire in the west, and extended their navi-
CATION and commerce to the farthest oceans,
vet they knew nothing Of the elements of ma
tional prosperity.
And how was this discovery made! Not
by practical men, guided by their own sound
Judgment and sagacity, and aided by expert
ence; but by specializing upon the theories
of writers upon political economy-men
whose theories were adapted to the condition
of the old world, who neither knew nor
thought of the policy Of new nation start
ing into existence, developing its resources,
founding its establishments, and maturing Its
policy.
Sir. these laws Of trade, Of which we hear
so much, seem to have been regarded like
the laws of nature, as immutable and irresist-
ible. They are but tendencies, liable to be
influenced and counteracted in their opera
tion. by thousand accidental and contingent
causes. They are never to be relied on With
ont a careful consideration of the peculiar
condition and circumstances of the people to
whose policy they are about to be applied
These circumstances are various, The con-
dition of an old people, whose population
and ltrade have arrived at their maximum,
whose resources are fully developed, whose
relations with all the world are fixed, is wide
" different from that of young people, ad-
vancing rapidly in the course of national pro-
erosion. with population not yet filed up,
vet increasing in an unexampled ratio. ter
ritory not vet occupied, and resources not yet
developed, nor as yet fully discovered. The
first stare of civilization is undoubtedly agri-
cultural; but in process of time, other objects
of industrial pursuit must be sought-the
neople become manufacturing as well as ag-
riculturaI. Commerce may exist to certain
extent in the agricultural state, or so far as
If is sustained BY agricultural production; but
ali experience has shown that the full COM
mercial capacity of people is never fully at
tanned until its productive industry is brought