The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-09-23
From the New York Evening Post.
THE FREEDOM OF INDUSTRY.

suppose our Government We're 10 send Oh
fcers ihrough all the cities and villig IS oi
he land. clothed with fall authority to in
luire into the pursuits of each nun, and TO
lssign him to labor at one or another kind of
employment, according as he was rich or
poor, had strong and wealthy friends or was
triendless and alone. 1t would be consider
cd one of the most iyrannical ac's which
could be performed by any civil government.
Suppose the pretence given out by the go
vermnent for this strange Conduct was thatit
might SO regulae the industry of the country
rs TO cause her 10 produce within herself all
that her wants required, and thereby the ma
lion might be made independent Of all other
nations, would this pretence be considered a
sufficient reason for controlling every man in
he exercise of that liberty to work when and
where he pleased? So far from it, the peo-
pie would excam with one voice that the
government was making them most truly
slaves. No government that exists over any
civilized society could at this day maintain
itself in such fagrant aggression openly
made on this reserved and sacred right of
mankind.
But to accomplish this very object, which
no civil government dare attempt openly, an
arful way has been devised, which not only
takes from the citizen his freedom of indus
try, but by the force of circumstances assigns
him: and in most cases his posterity after
him 10 particular kinds of drudgery and sell
vitude, if he is poor; or, if rich, opens 10
him golden treasures TO be wrough' out by his
wealth and the sinews of his needy neighbors.
Mons;rous as such a measure must necessa-
rily b., it has been brought forward with such
plausible reasons-ils deform ties hidden un-
der golden rob and lis elf'cs SO solemn
Iy declared TO b. blessings to the country,
tha, the mass Of the people have too easily
been seduced to lend i, ready ear and a
helping hand. The enemi of mankind
have always heretofore beguled them to
forge their own fctters. A protective tariff
destroys the freedom of industry. e
By freedom of industry, we mean not only
The natural and sacred right which every
man poss sses to employ his cup cities, either
menal or physical, in any pursuit he may
choose, but also TO receive the full and M
,ural reward due to his cxeriions. How chn
this be enjoy d when our government passed
4 law VIII ch forbids the farmer TO exchange
his -four and beef and pork for the woolen
cloths of England, with which to clothe him
self and his song. under the penalty of pay
ing fine of one fortieth of The entire value
of the cloths he may obtain. Or ithe wish
as to make the exchange for cal Goes or
lawns, or delaines for hs wife and daugh'-
ele, he must pay fine of nine cents ON eve
~ square yard which he obtains, or fine oil
the whole value, whichever Will amount to
the largest sum.
Does that farmer receive the full and ma
turaI reward of his industry when he is fined
by The government for seeking the most pro-
itable marke? BY no meaus. What is the
consequenc, The moment you deprive
the flrmer of the full aud natural reward
due to his industry, that moment you reduce
III the small farmers TO poverty. All those
farmers who, by their honest toll, were be.
fore only able to satisfy the absolute wants
of young and growing f,m ly, now depriv-
ed of the full rewards due To their labor, do
find at once their scnnly incomesd diminished,
their familics more straltened, and gaunt po-
veriy beginning TO pinch them. What shall
be done? Their children must lnd their
paren S helping hand, and forsiking tn
sccnrs of childhood and the scloolroom,
they go lnto the cotton or wooden factory es-
tadIished by rich neighbor, who by means
Of his capital has been enabled to take adj
vantage of the oppressive law. If the farm
er has only infant children he must either
emigrate or seek some more profitable labor,
Nhich may be presented by the new circum-
-canes INTO which society is thrown. Per
haps he can turn to be an artizan of SOM
kin |, for the effect ofthe new law is TO com
nand a great many citizens to become art
zans.
Perhaps he can turn nail maker, get en-
ployment in dyrng works, or in an iron toun-
dry, or hat factory, earthenware mannftctu-
ry, or any of the various pursuits to which
the effect of the new law is to command a
la, ge mass of the citizens to betake them
selves. That is, it creates such combina-
ton of circumstances that they are forced to
forsake the pursuits they have chosen and
resort to others to obtain the nccessarios of
life. On the other hand, these very circum-
stances command the capitalist, who is oca,-
I'd in any favorable portion of the country,
10 withdraw his wealth from those profitable
nd agreeable enterprises in which it is en-
gagged, and to apply it to manufactures of
some kind. Capitalists not thus favorably
situated for manufacturing must shift for
themselves; perhaps go to specializing in
socks. embark in schemes for new railroads, |
or continue their former pursuits with reduc-
ed profits. Now where is the freedom of
industry in these cases9 Not only is the