The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1845-11-28

Asceriaued and esllmated value ii for.
eign merchandise consumed BY each ler-
son in the United States during the follow.
ing years; Isl, rs 03 1895, Sill; 1900,
$40; 1907, S42 50.
During the ten Years from $50 to ! $50
the rate Of consumption, per capita, was
about So 20 from 1881 to l-i0, both in.
c!uded, ii vas s. 30 and for the four
years ending jane, le44, il was found 10
have returned 10 the rate prevailing be.
tween 1890 and 1880, which may be con.
sidercd about the standard rate Outing a
healthy state Of the foreign trade.
1t viii be readily seen from these state
ments that during The first twenty years of
our national existence The history Of pro.
lection was necessarily a biank. The
good intentions Of the fathers Of the Con.
slitutiou had been frustrated BY concur
renee Of circumstances which no earthly
foresight could have anticipated. let, In
the midst Of this active aud prosperous
traffic with foreign Countries, whch seemed
to absorb all the industrial energies If our
people, the prophetic voice Of MIR, Jetief
son was heard couteHdna .ef the preser.
yation Of the protective policy Of l7S-.-
In his FIST annual message he stated the
fact HAT lhc Treasury was oppressed witt
plelAora of funds, arising from the du'ies
on I'M ports, but advised that, If Congress
should Judge II cXpeudicnt 70 reduce tie
tariff, IN order to yet rid Of this alarming
surplus, they should ayuid t uchlng those
duties which were intended for the piotcc.
ton Of manufactures. Indeed, he made
the Continuance Of these protective duties
d sine qua non, and told The faithful Of that
day rather to spend the surplus that might
result from he system ~ the building Of
roads and canals and other works Of inter.
nal Improvement BY The General Govern.
meUt, than to 90 away with Il. So much
for the opinion Of Thomas JelI.r-on ON
protection which now " learned Thebans
prove by inlaI,ibIc logical processes to be
unconstitutional and undemocratic
The year 1907 was the last Of this peri.
Cd Of free trade. From il close 10 1913
was a lime Of embargo and non-lutcrcourse
laws, and Of actual war, These rcslrlc.
tive laws Of course afforded the mos, thor.
ough species Of projection to the rising
system Of The United States
that could have been desired. Our mer.
chants we're ruined by the depreda'lons Of
the English and French upon our com.
merce, and our means Of paying for man.
goods and imports Of all descrp.
lions were cut of. Thus, after passing
through a state Of things which rendered
the laws designed for The encouragement
and increase Of manufactures imperative,
We were entering upon another Of a pre-.
clse'y opposite character, under which
pursuits were to enjoy, from
the necessity Of circumstances, degree
Of protection aud freedom from foreign
which laws could hardly con.
fer. The former had been The era Of alb. .
'9Iute free trade; the prcsen, was to be a
period OF the most stringent protection to
domestic industry, and OF the seyerest pro.
lIbitlon 10 foreign traffic. And this vas n
season when national manufactures, yet N
heir infancy prospercd and advanced most
"ohdcriulIy, without the aid Of legislative
Encouragement but only 50 because ma
IonaI anImosiry, and tinaIy open war, pre-
lnded any competition Whatever. /,
The period Of efficient protection by
circumstances lasted eight years. Then
ame the peace, aud return Of British
and the threatened proatrn.
on aud ruin Of all cur fine establishments.
lr. Henry Broughnm, from his place in
arliament, ADVISED the manufacturers aud a
ierchants Of England to inundale Amer. 8
with their goods, even at great present n