Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-06

mad last hour, Win emotions which he
could not describe, collection of thousand voice, " three
thousand American children brought tolook upon this sight,
and learn in their tender years to love their country bet
ter than any foreign land Among these doubtless many
OF the future mechanics and manufacturers and few
the future Legislators Of country He ejoced that they
had learned better lesson than to prefer the prosperity Of for
egners to that OF their parents brothers, and country
men, IL the gentleman would step TO the window behind him
he could behold these beautiful children their march the
Capitol Was this American sight offensive the gentle
man Would he destroy these American products ALSO and
import them from abroad [Grea merrinent He hoped
But he had done with the fair and he turned to con-
slider Of the arguments which had been adduced by the
gentleman from Alabama for whom he cherished high per-
sona respect who doubtless acuated by patriotic feelings
and whom he should be happy hear reply what
about to say. 5+
The first argument of the gentleman had been the position
that the effect Of protective tariff oppressive especially
on the poor and on the interests Of agriculture and labor How
was oppressive upon these No other interest in the
try was half much benefited by the tariff the farmers
aud mechanics and workngmen. The gentleman said that
injured them by increasing the price of manufactured
moduss for the gen,lemans assertion that protection did
invariably increase the price Of the articles protected Now
in reply Mr. 5. would distinctly put forth this assertion TO
which ne challenged contradiction WIZ that there
protective duty levied in this country any article which
we could and did manufacture extensively which had
suited IN bringing down the price of that article and he cha
ienged gentlemen to point him TO single instance in refer
ence To which this not true The prices of commodities
instead OF being raised by poteco had been reduced
third, oneouh, and even to one-enth aud twelfth part
OF what had been paid for them when imported from abroad
The gentleman, he had walked up the Fair might there
nave seen American cotton such had cost, when the
nous minmums first imposed for its protection by Mr.
Lowndes and Mr.. Calhoun, eighty five yard now
ready to be delivered in quantity, and of better quality
at seven cents and wooen Jeans sold in 1910 at sixyve
CENTS selling, Of much better quality for thryve and
these articles subject the very highest duties in the
whole cataogue-provng beyond all condensation the truth Of
the proposition denounced absuy by the gentleman
that the highest duties often produce the lowest prices when
levied articles which supply to the extent Of our
own wants Here the result Of American industry Skill
and Improvement when LEFT free their own energies
ana occupy fully and freely, their appropriate markets.
without the disturbing and destructive competition the pau
per labor of Europe Mr. s. had mentioned the article of cot
ton, because 1t afforded striking illustration of the general
doctrine, showing that the mnimums the highest protective
duies had produced the greatest reduction prices But
same thing was rue to greater less extent with respect
to every protected article in the entire list Mr. s. stated in
conference.-the matters of fact He challenged contradiction
he coured investigation he deed gentlemen to dsprove an
atom OF what he had asserted And put this truth in the
strongest light he repeated that the highest and most obnox
ous duties those abhoned mnimums against which gentle
men had wasted such furious denuncatons presented pre-
cse the very cases where the reduction of had been the
greatest Those duties, said, amounted and
three hundred per cent adj paL,e,a. And why Because
they were fixed specific duties They remained stationary
however prices might changes and of course, the price
went down. the duty bore larger and still larger proportion
10 IT, AT rs the duty say, half the price of the arti
ce as the price declined the duty became equal to the price
thea became greater than the price then double the price
and at length treble and then gentlemen exclaimed in hor
ror, what abominabeduy 1t is three hundred per cent
on the total value of the article What horrible profits How
the duty must raise the price p when all the while the duty
renamed the same, and its effect had BEEN not to increase
out TO bring down the price just three hundred per cenom
thirty TO and half cents per ward and this was roh
ny and plumber And still the gentleman said was an alb
sudty which could swallow say that the higher
the protective duty the lower the price. Now Mr. s. would
venture to say that if the duty iron and manufactures
were increased Tomorrow five hundred per cent the rapid
and of
ply would be SUCH and the consequent reduction of price so
great mat the United States would supply the world with
fon It's capacity for its production being unlimited He had
stated acts showing that high duties had produced low prices
Gan the gentleman deny them There they stand on i'm
Pregnable foundations, firm the hills Let the gentleman
and his friends disprove them as they can.
But he wished TO be understood correctly Mr. s. did not
say that the elect OF all duties diminish prices the
contrary he did not deny that effect Of some duties
TO increase prices But what he said was this that duties
levied on articles could make to the extent of our own
want and with view to protect our own manufacturers did
IN all cases operate to lower prices by increasing capital com
petition, and supply Duties imposed foreign articles which
we could not make for ourselves would generally increase the
prices because they did increase the supply by increasing
home competition. His position this duties Lped for
rerenue on articles cannot produce increased prices whilst
profecttpe duties, rfed articles can and do produce
diminished price The truth Of both these propositions was
proved by undeniae facts and by all experience And the
reason was Just obvious the fact the imposition of
duty article produced here gave an impulse to Amer
can enterprise the machinery employed its production
studied and improved increased supply was the natural
consequence and increased supply, while the demand remain
Cd the same must always diminish prices Would the gen
ueman undertake to deny that the proportion between demand
and supply regulated price Mr. B. hardly thought he would
go so far that But the gentleman had asserted that d
ues raised prices he was bound prove the truth of his posi-
ton by quoting facts The who asserted thing to be
TACT was bound to prove it. in out Of court AS
lawyer the gentleman knew this TO be Now Mr. s. chal-
enged the gentleman to put his finger on one solitary case
where his assertion true What protected article the
product of American skill and industry had been increased in
price, alter the duties however high had been first imposed
for its protection Mr.. y. challenged the gentleman and all
his friends to point TO Name the article pin or nee
de The gentleman had not he could do it. And vet
ne stood up in the face Of the country and the world and adj
vanced the position that protective duties always
prices MIR. ). made his appeal facts Let the gentleman
meet him with facts He could not he dealt altogether in
assertions against facts. Now it, as Mr. g. had proved pro-
ecve duties had not increased but reduced prices what be-
came OF all this clamor about high prices robbery oppression
and plumber vanished into thin air il had no foundation
to stand aud the gentleman and his followers were bound
~ her own principles to for the protective policy which
reduced the price Of manufactured goods by increasing the
supply whilst the other hand increased the price by
the demand Tor agricultural produce and enhanced
the wages OF labor by increasing its employment
but The gentleman had also said that while the tariff was
oppressive on the interests of agriculture and of labor was
nghy beneficial to invested capital TO the rich monopos
ne lords Of the loom Now, Mr. s. said that Just the reverse
u s was true While protection benefited both agriculture
anu aho was but small advantage If any, to rested cn
foI he gentleman and his friends without knowing il
were IN TACT doing for the benefit of rested capfai by
keeping up TINS agitation and opposition TO the tariff and
monopoly by checking competition than
all the tari men in that House put together In the case Of
vested capital the tariff had done its work IL had bui the
up II had introduced improved machinery and
GnI eli bad