Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-10-31
From the Richmond Enquirer.
RAW COTTON. AND COTTON
GOODS.

Cotton is now down to five and half cents
for prime new, the pound. We ask the great
cotton planting interest, if this be ''the enter
tainment to which they were invited" when
they were told in 1870, that the price Of their
agricultural produce was then too low--and
that the overthrow of Van Buren, would res
tore confidence 70 the country and allow them
better prices for their labor If the Wing
hugnouggers would impoverish the agricultur
lists to such an extent as TO deprive their labor
ers Of good bread, in land Ike Virginia or in
the S5uth, abounding i'll hreadstuffs, is not This
the way 70 bring them t. it--that same black
bread Of Germany and Holland, which Mr..
Willis Green has so kindly procured for the
inspection of the Virg;nians2 What better
mode could they adopt to bring it about than
to stick to an oppressive tariff, reduce our I'M
ports, and cut us from many of the markets TO
which our productions would be exported
But thanks be to Heaven! the most improvi-
dent American Government cannot reduce us
to the necessity of eating this ''pauper labor
bread, as the Wing wits call it.
We ask the Cotton planters further, nay, all
the Agriculturists of the country, what justice
there is in cutting us off from some Of ths for
egn markets, and getting better prices for their
productions, aud then paying dearer for the
goods we could import from abroad. The
Wings tell US, indeed, that the Tariff is i'm
partial, because it lays duties, for the benefit
Of the Farmer, upon the article which he pro-
duces. Is this any thing but mockery2 Mr..
CLAY himself admits, that agriculture does not
admit of any considerable protection, but yet
he Expresses it for the benefit of the maRufac-
turing classes. What justice is there in this?
Is manufacturing industry the only domestic
Industry IN the United 5rdtesl is nut the M
dustry Of the farmer, the planter, the Mer-
chant, the Mechanic, the Professional man,
equally domestic, with that of the Manufac-
tures-and why is it, that every other species
of domestic labor is to be taxed, for the protec-
ton and benefit of only one species Of domestic
labar2 Why cant about duties for the protec-
ton of Agriculture, when she does not admit
of it, When 50 few articles can be brought
in competition with her productions, IS 1t not
mockery to talk of reciprocity? Take up
this Tariff act of l842-Read over its first
and second clauses. The first lays duty OF
three cents per pound on rae cotton-1he
first laws a duty upon cotton goods, particular
" those intended for the consumption of the
laborers and the poorer classes Of the country
many of these articles being prohibited in
deed, most Of them very severely taxed, by the
minimum principle. D9es Mr.. Rives recol-
lect the celebrated tables, which he enclosed to
Correspondent in 1912, to show the oppres-
sive character Of the Participating, as
the printed sheet did, the operation Of the min
imum and the specific duties? For instance,
here is an extract from it:
"a casual observer on taking up this bill,
and looking under the cotton section, might
rest satisfied with reading as follows: son all
manufactures of cotton, or of which cotton
shall be component part, not otherwise speci-
fed, a duty of thirty per centum;" the mini
ynura provisions afterwards introduced. if read
by any but a merchant, would probably be pass
NJ NJ over without being thoroughly understood
Al ,Na therefore taken for granted as levying a
duty something near thirty per cent; but let US
look at the practical operation of this matter
let us unrnask this most specous mode Of fra
ming Tariff to suit particular interest, ant
then it will be more apparent what duties are
levied for protection, and what for revenue
.White cotton goods, So inches wide, cost
mo Sd. sterling, OF Gets. per square yard
would pay cents duty, or 100 per cent Oh
cost.
..White cotton goods, So inches wide, cost
ipg I'D. sterling, or cents per square yard
would pay 6 cents duty, or Is per cent, or
cost.
"White cotton goods, Sc inches wide, cost
ing Sd. sterling, or 10 cents per squase yard
would pay cents duty, or 60 per cent or
cost.
ssWhite cotton goods, SO inches wide, cost
ing cd. sterling, or IL cents per square yard
would pay cents daty, or 80 per cent OF
cost.
"White cotton goods, SO inches wide, cost
ing "a. sterling, or IA cents per square yard
would pay cents duty, or 43 per cent OF
cost.
ssWhite cotton goods, 30 inches wide, cost
ing Sd. sterling, OF l6 cents per square yard
would pay cents duty or 81 IL per cent OF
aWhite cotton goods, So inches vide, cost
inn Cd. sterling, or IS cents per square yard
, ,re pag 6 cents duty or "a l-3 per cent o.
cost. .5. -.
mo lOd. sterling, Of 20 cents per square yard