Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-07-09

The New York Courier contains an interesting lei
ter from Hon. Henry Clay, addressed 10 a mercantile
house in that city, in which he refers the great sub
ec Of American industry. The following extracts
worthy perusa:
son both sides Of the Atlantic, the policy of afford
ing protection TO domestic manufactures sppears To be
under consideration in the national legislatures The
British Minister has brought forward a measure EN-
biacng the doctrines of free trade not, however, with
out exceptions of several and very important,
tcles The manufactures Of Great Britain have reach
ed high degree Of perfection, by OF her great
capital, her improved skill and machinery, her cheap
labor, and under system of protection long, perse-
veringy and vigorously enforced. She pos
sesses immense advantages for the sale and disrlbu
lion OF her numerous manufactures in her vast colonial
possessions, from which those Of foreign powers Ell
iher entirely excluded, admitted terms very
quail with her own.
81 not therefore surprised that under these favor
able circumstances Great Britain should herself be de-
sirous 10 adopt and to prevail other nations adopt
the principles Of free trade. shall be, if any of the
great nations the continent should follow an exam
pie, the practical effect OF which will be so beneficial 10
her and so injurious to them.
The propTiety oil aiiording protection 10 Domestic
manufactures, aud its DURATION depend upon the ma
tional condition, and the actual progress which they
have made. Each nation, Of right, ought TO Judge Tor
itself. ] believe history records instance OF any
great and prosperous nation, which did not draw its
essential supplies Of lood and raiment from within its
own limits. II all nations were Just commencing their
career il all their manufactures had made equal pro-
gress, il might perhaps be wise 10 throw open the mar
kets of the World TO the ifeest and unrestricted
competition. Butt is manifest that while the manu-
features OF some have acquired all the maturity and
perfection of which they susceptible, and those OF
Others yet in their infancy struggling hard for
isence, free competition between them must rebound
to The advantage Of the experienced and skiu, and TO
the injury of those who are lust beginning natural
ize and establish the arts.
81 should deeply regret any abandonment of the pol
ICY OF protection, or any material alteration OF the Tar
i'll of 1872 which has worked so we'll lifts operation
had been even doublfu would il not be wise to await
further developments from experience, before we
plunge into a new and UNEMPLOYED theoTyi Scarcely
any misfortune is great The business and pursuits
OF people as that of perpetual change"
! Such the views OF Henry Clay,-a man whom
few will be likely to deny, possesses sound discrimi
mating mind, and who has watched the subject OF pro-
lection with no little interest.
Hon. Henry Hudson, from Massachusetts, in his re-
cent speech in Congress, places this subject in cea
light. The most prejudced mind cannot but discover
the force of bis arguments. and il will be hard mat
ter 10 salnsay resist them. In speaking Of the com
mercial operations of the Tariff, MI Hudson said
"rhat the balance of the trade was s24, 900 900
against the country for three years before the Tariff o.
1912 went into operation, aud for three years sine,
there had been S22, 600, 900 in our favor. The ton
mage Of The country had been increased under the
Tariff law. The importance OF foreign tonnage haC
been entirely over estimated and the impurance Of the
domestic internal trade entirely underestimate. Mas
sachusetis had eight times the tonnage Of North Caro-
lina Georgia, Florida Alabama, and Mississippi, unit
ed
"There 2s, 900 tons Of shipping built il
l545 Than in the average of the three previous years
Manufactures had materially increased the coasiinG
trade and the value of the manufactures exported wa
Sl2,000,OOO. At 80 per cent. could raise $50 900,
900 Of revenue from 100 900 900 of imports, while
90 per cent il would be necessary import so 900,
900 to raise the same amount Mr. H. then went oil
E TO comment upon the statement Of the Secretary O
the Treasury He amazed that any man, havnl
the least regard for his reputation, should up
on such extraordinary statement as had been sub
miied By the Secretary Of the TreasuTy-a slatemen
that would bear neither the test OF history, arithmetic
or logic"