Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-10-04
POLITICS OF THE DAY.
TO The Mechanics, Mnau)ac tuyers, and Working
men Of The city Of Baltimore.

partial in its operation that protects class Of the COM
munity and not another that injuries the merchant and
does good to the farmer that protects artisans and
not Others This they have said Of every protective tariff that
made. These the objections which we
heard thousand times against the whole protective
tenn wish furnish friends with the argument in reply
to these objections.
There is estimated to be about million families Of me-
chanics in the United States comprising between four and
FIVE millions of individuals The last census five years ago.
enumerated the mechanics eight hundred thousand This
was known he below the truth then great many
omitted million would have been the fact Their
families have been computed to be upwards of four
We may therefore, safely that the mechanical popu
laonthose who depend for their livelihood upon mechanical
| employments--are above four millions Of persons
This population supposed Of the products Of
agriculture us vegetables animal food, and
wool for clothing, tobacco, hemp, fax lumber &can
rage Of l2l day for each person. This little
than foyfve dollars year. Four millions of persons, at
this rate would hundred and eighty millions Of
| dollars worth Of agricultural products every year.
Now, here hundred and eighty millions Of dollars
worth Of the products Of agriculture which purchased and
by the mechanics United States every year. and
purchased from the farmers and planters of the United States
But it is said if these four millions of mechanics and their
families not mechanics they would much.
That is not certain 1t would depend upon what Of
employment they could find which would enable them
much they do If the million of mechanics
mechanics they would nearly all be farmers-very
few could be any thing elseas every other occupation would
be overstocked and farmers they would supply their
Thus the four millions of the farmer
would be converted into four millions of his competitors
va taking away his market from him. and giving him nothing
by way of compensation in return
Now, does every that il is Of the greatest i'm
much possible Every farmer taken out Of the field and
made mechanic the addition Of the
mer and the subtraction of old rival from him. The
mers gain therefore, is tofod Every mechanic taken
from the workshop and made farmer is in the same way
twood loss the farmer Thus il that the agricultural
population have the deepest stake in the of the policy
that protects the mechanic They have the greater part Of
one hundred and eighty millions of dollars year depending
on it.
Now, the interest of the merchant in this policy Fo
reign trade every nation mainly depends upon those
modites which cannot be produced home. Nations that
produce only the articles have but small trade with
each other The countries Of the temperate ATTITUDES trade
most advantage with the countries Of the atudes old
countries with countries having great skill in manufac-
lures with countries of little skill in hem wherein the latter
is always the worst off and the lful country very anxious
to keep the unskilful unskfu for The sklfu
country in that case, great advocate for free trade with
| the unskilful one.
But merchant home greatly interested in promoting
large consumption of foreign commodities. -Four millions
Of mechanics consume under any circumstances very
siderable Of these If their circumstances much
improved enable them more course the
merchant profits by it, One day added the con-
sumption of foreign articles by every person depending on
mechanical labor in the United States equal addition
of fourteen millions Of dollars and upwards per the
imports of the country. How much the tariff policy which
has protected, and will continue trust protect the me-
industry of the nation has already added to the
imports for the supply of that demand which grows with the
prosperity Of the working classes every will be able to
tn
intelligence the educaon and the general responsibility Of the
mechanics Of the United States Our Imports as have shown
In my last letter. have already greatly increased the tariff
was enacted in S42 om this and if the policy of
act preserved untouched, they will continue
true, shall not import much of the palmer manufac-
lures of Europeof cloths hardware cottons, glass; hats
Shoes clothing &C. much the better, because our own
mechanics will supply these but shall import more silks
more linens coffee, fruits Spices Wines and fancy
goods than have imported heretofore and thus shall
sustain foreign commerce without njurng domestic
II sometimes asked what interest has the brckmaker the
mason the sonecuer the carpenter and other mechanics
who work in articles that be brought here from other
countreswhat interest have these in the tariff
swe every craftsman has direct interest in the tariff whe
Their the article he deals be brought here or not When
the industry of the country thriving, the capital Of the
try in constant activity. There continual demand for
houses factories stores, workshops machneryand through
this demand the mason the carpenter the machns and all
the rest find employment Baltimore striking illustration
this This city chiefly manufacturing city, Its foreign
trade very small but its mechanical business very great
ID conunuaiy boston, new New
Orleans the great seats of foreign Baltimore
depend upon her manufactures and the domestic trade
Cities grow richer under the home trade than they do under
the foreign. This is almost invariably II
OF New York and Boston much il true of Baltimore,
which have but very small foreign trade The imports
the State of Maryland above four millions dollars
year, and the exports about five millions. The manuac
lures Of Maryland, of which the principal part in Baltimore
and its neghborhood annually worth more than double
this last We have accurate return Of hem but
have believe estimate them much below the mark
when put their annual value at millions The city of
Baltimore contains than thousand inhabitants en-
gagged in mechanical employments What is the value Of
the joint product Of their industry year. aided by all the
power of machinery, perfect is this tme may
conjecture to be very great would undertake state
it. BECAUSE having precise information upon it. might
msead those who read these papers 1t be obvious
however, every who reflects the facts which are
known us that the prosperity Baltimore almost wholly
dependant upon the prosperity Of her manufactures and by
manu- features all those products which created hy
mechanical skil--the work Of hands and machinery.
Baltimore is particularly well adapted building The
timber of the Chesapeake celebrated the skill of ship
carpenters is matter of wherever Baltimore ship is
afoat In some branches Of naval architecture builders
altogether unmatched We have the best iron for this
service and for the fitting Of the workshops
Of Baltimore Justly distinguished unsurpassed by any in
the Union--perhaps unequalled by any. a}6R
Every is acquainted with the rapid growth and the
great value Of the coastng trade and of the and canal
navgaton-o this country. That trade and navigation are
chiefly supported by the domestic manufactures The demand
for shipping in reference to it. is of the best employ
ment which shpbuder enjoy. Break up the domestic
and this coastng trade begins decline With it. course
will decline the navigation the pbudng and the employ
ment of Sailors that belong to it, Our coasng tonnage ia now
330 TONS being upwards Of 900 than our