The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-23
EXTENT OF THE CoNFEDERACY;
ANN nfpr

EXTENT OF The CONfEDthhI1j
AND THE TARIFF.
Our country stretches through near 30 degrees Of
latitude, and more than so of longitude from the At
lantic TO the Pacific ocean. It presents great ex
tent of territory and of course, great variety Of
soils, climates, productions, emPloyments, and in
terests. Take the simplest production Of the earth
as the measure of its capacities. You may begin
with strawberries in Florida in March, or earlier,
and feast upon them in Maine until July We see
the "New Orleans Picayune" tantalzing its brother
Of the "Boston Post" about fortnight ago with the
promise Of " as fine peaches" now ripe in Louisi
ana, 'as ever blushed under the warm kisses of the
amorous SUM-" In Washington the peach has not
yet pretended to exchange its brownish green for
the blush of maturity.
What should we think of the wisdom or the pow
Of Congress, if they were to undertake to sneOu-
age the growh'of peaches in Maine by bountes
hot-houses still more, to encourage them in the
more genial climates of the sunny SOUTH To pro-
tect them in the South, would be idle and superhu-
Gus. To attempt it in the North, would be an ex-
travagant and ridiculous undertaking. Every eli.
mate in our widely-extended empire produces what
is most suitable to itself
II seems scarcely more polite or proper to
undertake the Office Of protecting and encour-
aging manufactures. What climate and soil are to
agriculture, labor and capital are to the mechanical
and manufacturing arts. Let any section of the
country have accumulated capital and abound with
aborers as well as water power, its quick sighted,
sagacious, and enterprsing people will be the first
to discover the advantages of new investment.
They will of their own accord engage in manufac-
lures. Individuals are in the general, much better
Judges of their own interests than an assemblage of
heir agents, called members Of Congress mem
Der of the House of Representatives might, with
much propriety, tell each Of his constituents how
much wheat he is to cultivate, or how many pairs
Of shoes he is to make, what goods to sell,
the same member of Congress ard his brethren are
to regulate the concerns of twenty millions of
people
Our extensive country embraces such a variety
of interests that it is impossible for any general
government to reduce them all to the same general
Procrustean standard. 1t is the more absurd, too,
because enjoy free institutions because each
ought to be free to select his own empoyments.
There should be little restriction as possible to
cramp the choice industry of the people. Happily
we are free from many of the artificial regulations of
which the economists Of Europe see too much
reason to complain. We have no corporation
laws statutes apprenticeship, orany such facti
tious privileges as Adam Smith reprobates in England
with much force. We enjoy, too, many advantages
over the countries of Europe for the promotion of
ufactures Bread is cheap most Of the materials
abundant and low As for labor, we are certainly
the most inventive people in the world; and more
labor-saving machines have been invented in this
country than in any other. This praise is not
confined to ourselves.
"The London Standard speaking of manufac-
lures, admits that nearly all the recent mechanical
contrivances introduced into factories for dispensing
with human labor, are of Yankee invention"
These machines required no protection to ami
mate the ingenuity of our people, and encourage
their invention. Whitney invented the cotton
gin without any legal provision to stimulate his
powers. Whittemore manufactured his card-mak-
ing machine, before high protective tariffs ever
existed. They.wer wanted and this very necessi-
ty operated as the mother Of invention, particular
y in so ingenious and enterprising a country as
this. They naturally sprang up like Minerva, full
armed, from the head of Jupiter.
This free system, too, has the further advantage
Of equalizng, as far possible, the blessings as
well the burdens of our institutions among all our
| citizens But let government interfere with its pro.
lection to one class section, and Immediately
there springs.up oppression upon others. One sec
ton ofthe Union becomes sacrificed to another and
one class Of the community to another Now, il ia
this equality Of advantage, and this sense of Justice
which constitutes the great ligament that binds to-
gether the peopeof great country in the strongest
bonds OF union. Do the protectionists believe that
il the abominable tariff Of l842 is kept as it is for
some months longer---f the present session of
Congress should turn an adder's ear to the
complaints of suffering people, they will patiently
submit to their wrongs Deeply, awfuly, will they
find themselves mistaken. Let the example Of a
bold people in England correct this mistake. They
established the league-they addressed the people
they flooded the country with papers and pamphlets
They attacked the corn-laws with overpowering
zeal and irresistible arguments. The minister him
self became enlisted in the cause, The corn-sws
are probably by this time cancelled from the statute
book. What has been done in England will be
done here. And Mr.. Owen, in his capital speech,
warns the manufacturers themseve.to save Whist they
lean. Our SonptrEpep E lsxexs ssasiAssc r 4aa@L-<
Il ,,f,