American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-10
aa1ertcau 9Sep2tt,ltratS,
AND BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
SATURDAY MORNING, Jan. 10, 1876.

a pamphlet copy of the speech delivered by
the Hon. A. Stewart, of Pennsylvania, on the
9th of Dec. last, in the House of Representa-
tives, on the portion of the Presidents Message
and Treasury Report relating TO the tariff. To
the speech is attached an Appendix, PROFOUND
ing certain important questions to merchants,
manufacturers, farmers, mechanics, laborers,
&c. We copy the two following from those
addressed to aborers together with the brief,
but pointed replies given by Mr. Stewart:
"Wth our present facilities of intercourse
with Europe by steam, would not Gree trade
reduce the wages of labor here in every de-
pattment of industry to the level Of the wages
of labor there Just as certainly as the re-
movaI of u wall separating two unequal bodies
Of water would reduce the one to the level Of
the other
If the productions Of European labor work
ing at % cts per day in making shoes, hats
cloth and every thing else, were admitted into
our ports free of dn,y, must not our mechanics
and la6Orers come down and work as low as
they do, or give up the market: ust as Ger
talnly AZ that labor ON one side OF Il street OF
river working at IS CTS, would reduce 10 cent.
labor on the other side 10 its own leyeI?'
Mr. Stewart will find that reasoning upon
this subject will prove to be inohectua: nothing
less than practical experience can conquer par
ty prejudices. We had a trial Of this in 1912,
when mechanics and laborcrs went with their
hands in their pockets, and almost destitute Of
the means Of subsistence. But relief came in
the shape of the present tariff, and the distress
Was Soon mt m lv f,rrnttnn hut manu- ,F thoeo
who then suffered, are now amongst the most
C}amorous for a reduction of the tariff to the
revenue standard. We say, let them hare it
let the tariff be reduced to the lowest possible
point, or repealed altogether, and substitute a
direct tax for the support Of Government
Whatever present Inconvenience or distress
might be produced, the result would be salu-
tary hereafter, by giving permanency to our
Legislation. The constant agitation of the tariff
question unsettlos business and keeps capital
from being actively and bonefcially EMPLOYED
If the people desire 10 have free trade, they
should be gratfied, especially as they have
placed the control Of public affairs in the hands
OF those who are the friends of the free trade
system. However impolitc we may consider
the measure, or however destructive to the best
interests of the country, we recognize tho prin-
ciple that the maority shall rule; and, as
majority of the people of the United States
have cast their votes in favor of encoura cling
foreign manufactures in preference to their
own, they have a right 10 demand that the
MI pF ha ;,t,
1t will have at least one good RESULT will
close the factories of this country, and thus
lberato the working people who have been
employed in them, from what has been desig-
mated condition of slavery and oppression.-
Yes, they will once more breathe the free air
Of heaven, and though not with heavy pockets,
they may have light hearts.
MIR. Stewart thinks that ''frec trade" owing
TO the facilities of intercourse with Europe,
will reduce the wages of labor here to the
level of the wages there. Perhaps not. 1t
may be, that we shall have to keep our work
shops altogether in Europe. At all events, if
the mechanics and laborers of the United States
prefer low wages to hgh-or If they think that
foreign workmen should he preferred to them
selves, let the trial be made. We have heard
considerable complaint made in this city on ac-
count of emigrants underwriting regular me-
chances; but this complaint will cease when all
are reduced to the foreign standard of wages,
or have no labor to perform. We have invar-
ably advocated the protection of American la.
bor-the preference Of onr own mechanics and
laborers to those in other lands; but we pre-
sumo that they understand their own interests
better than we do, and if they are in favor of
free trade, it is not for US to say them nay. If
they are not content with the experiment Of
ls42, let it be repeated for their benefit and
qualification.
DEFENCE OF BALTIMORE. The general gov