The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-04-28
vol. 4.--No. "a.

moment the American by his superior
industry and skill begins to succeed, then
the duty must come so as to increase for
eign imports and revenue. This IS the
PLAIN and inevitable operation Of the rule,
and who would go into manufacturing un-
der such an anti-American rule as this.
making in death by the law-certain and
inevitable. As an illustration, take iron
for instance. Owing to the rapid increase
Of iron works in the United States. the
import of iron has been greatly reduced;
then the Executive rule applies-down
with the duties, so as to increase imports
and revenue. Accordingly, Mr.. Walker
proposes to reduce the duty, which he
says, is now rs per cent, to 80 per cent,
so as to increase the revenue. Well, to
do this, he must more than double the I'M
ports, now amounting TO more than eight
millions year, and thus he must import
I6 millions of dollars worth of iron in
stead Of eight-destroy eight millions OF
American manufacture to make way for
the foreign, and thus import IL millions
of dollars worth of foreign (mostly En-
glsh) grain and other produce used in
the manufacture Of this iron; for the fact
is incontestable, that more than three
fourths Of the value of iron is made up of
the produce of the soil. And this is tho
policy to favor American farmers and A
mericans laborers Throw the plough
out OF the furrow, and turn labor out to
starve-to make away for British goods,
increase revenue.
( Mr. S. said he had not time at present,
but he would avail himself of the first pro-
per occasion, TO shew, as he thought he
could most clearly, that all theories OF
the Secretary and his followers in favor
oi their free trade policy were not only
false and unfounded, but that exactly the
reverse Of those theories was true. He
referred to the theories that protection
was for the benefit of manufacturers at
the expense of the farmers and labor
ers of the country;;" that ''protection In
creased the price of manufactured goods,
and reduced the price Of labor and pro-
duce;" that it favored monopoly and
wealth at the expense of the poor" that
"reducing duties would increase revenue"
&c. He could scarcely speak of such
gross absurdities in respectful terms
What! Favor invested capital by build
ing up competition, & increasing the sup
ply Of the articles they had to sell In
iure the farmers by doubling the demand
for their produce, raw materials and
breadstufs of every kind Cypress and
rob the consumer by giving him goods at
one-fourth of their former price! Re-
ducc wages by doubling the demand for
labor of men, women and children? Yes
sir, increase the price of goods by doub-
ling ths supply, and reduce the price Of
Agricultural produce by doubling the de-
mand! Favor monopolies by building
up competition, the only thing to destroy
IT! Such are the absurd theories Of free
trade. But gentlemen must first reverse
all the laws of trade-the great and uni
versal law that "demand and supply regu-
late prIces;''-a law as universal and in
variable in its operation, as the law that
governs the solar system, must not only
be repealed, but reversed in its operations
before gentlemen could sustain any Of
these absurdties.
The clock admonished him that his
time was out-he would avail himself Of
the moment left TO warn gsntlemen-if
they would allow him to prophecy, hO
would say-gentlemcn, pass this Treasu-
ry bill, approved, as he understood, by
the cabinet-bring back the scenes OF
1910 restore your twenty per cent.
tariff-bankrupt your treasury-Paralizo
your national industry-break down
your farmers, manufacturers, and mechan-
les, by importing goods and exporting
n.one,-pass this bill, and in eighteen
months you will scarcely have a specie
paying bank, or specie dollar left in tho
country. Pass this bill, and you will
not only bring back the scenes, but re-
} peat, you will bring with them the po-
! ltical revolutions OF 1910. Again will be
heard throughout the land the cry Of
, ''cHANGE! cHANGEI ANY CHANGE MUST
, BE FOR THE BETTER" Political revolu-
t tons are the fruits of pnpular suffering
, and discomfort; in prosperity the cry u
"ief nell enough alone.
"a voice. Then as Whig you
: ought to go for the new tariff.
Yes, said Mr.. S., if was like some
gentlemen on this .hoor-if loved my
PARTY more than my country, l would;
r but AZ love nv country more than my
party, will not. II it were not Tor the
ASH and drill of party discipline, this
aBrjiish BIR' would find few advocates
on this floor. 1t was the banting of party
, the illegitimate offspring of the Baftl-
more Convention, that Pandora's box
E whence originated most Of the troubles
H.. ..o.. onl;a. IL. country Rn1 hA