The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-08-04
SPEECH OF
MR. G.. P. MARSH,
OF VERMONT, ON
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Delivered in the House Of Representative
of;he United States, June Both, 1916.
Concluded.

DcttCSTCfs W. utc IxOuoc " LtCpf Cor'HUSscco
of;he United States, June Both, 1916.
Concluded.
The other ruinous effect of the proposed
reduction is the encouragement Of irhporta-
tons, on which the Secretary's argument Is
founded. Every additional foreign article
imported excludes from use one Of domestic
production. Increased revenue, with re-
duced rates Of duty. can only be obtained by
vastly augmented importations; and whenever
they fall off so as to diminish the revenue,
thew are to be stimulated and invited by a
new reduction of the tariff. The principle OF
encouraging the greatest amount Of imports
is broadly avowed; or, in other words, the
Secretary virtually declares, that SO far as the
power Of the Government extends, the fur
eign shall be enabled to undersell the domes-
tic producer. He is to be aided not only by
low duties. hut by the warehousiug system,
which authorizes him to accumulate his wares
in our seaports for a succession of years, and
then, at his option, to Withdraw them without
paving duties, or, by flooding the market, to
crush at once any American manufacturer
which may threaten competition. 1t is idle
to hope that any branch OF domestic industry
can sustain itself against this unholy con.bIn-
alton between our own Government and the
capitalists of Europe.
There is studied and insidious effort to
sepe-ate the interest of the manufacturers
from that Of the producers; 10 represent the
former as class too insignificant, in point OF
numbers, 10 be regarded in the broad scheme
of national polity, and especially to treat the
subject as an adversary question, betwe
the people on one hand, and the cotton and
woolen spinner on the other. The fact that
every mechanic is equally the object of free
trade prescription of this BILL are just as fatal
to the humble mechanic, who is too poor to
hire journeyman, as to the capitalist who
employs hundred weavers. The blow is 10
be struck, not at the weaver and spinner a.
lone, but at the miner, the blacksmith, the
shoemaker, the tailor, the wheelwright, the
halter, the cabinst-maker; and foreign COM
petition is 10 be encouraged in everything but
mere food and raw material. The best of all
profits, that of the labor Of conversion, is to
be thrown into the hands of strangers, and
the great home market OF Massachusetts, and
the other manufacturing States, which con-
sumo annually produce Of their sister States
to the value OF one hundred millions ofdollars
is to be destroyed, by driving every nanufac-
turer and every mechanic to abandon his
workshop and grow his own bread.
And how are these enormous evils, the
ruin of the millions who depend upon me-
chanical industry, and the loss Of this great
market Tor western produce, to be compensa-
ted ? The markets ofthe world, containing
a population OF eight hundred millions, dis
abled from purchasing our products by our
high duties on all they would sell in ex-
change are 10 be threwn open to u.s. What
a sublime prospect! Republican America
is to turn nursing mother to royal Europe
and barbarous Asia, and our 10000, 900 of
people are to feed, from the surplus Of their
gamers, the furnishing 100000, 900, who are
stretching out their hands TO US, both from
the firm continents and the isles Of the ocean
Hitherto The tariff has been wall OF adafhant
between us and the countless myriads that
are waiting to pour into our laps the gold OF
Ophir and the diamonds Of Golconda, in ex-
change for the food that wastes in our store
house, because there is none TO consume it.
But this barrier is now to be removed; our
people are to return to the pristine simplicity
of Arcadian life; the rude clang of the forge
mans hammer, the hum Of the spindle, and
the creakins OF the Pondcrous engine, shall
no longer crate harsh thunder upon demo-
cratic ears, and we shall know no occupation
but the care of gentle herds. and The quiet la
bors of the plough. The Chinese will bring
the silks and teas Of she celestial empire; the
Hindoo the muslins Of Deccs; the swarthy
Arab the coffee of Mocha; the Malay the
spices of Banda and Amboyna, OF Ternate
and Tidore; the EngIishman the broadcloths
and cutlery of Leeds, and Manchester, and
Birmin ham the Frsnchman the silks and
ribbons of Provence the Portuguese the gen
erous wines Of Oporto and Madeira, and glad
1y exchange them all for the turnips and po-
tatoes of Maine, the cotton of South Carolina
and the Indian corn Of the valley Of the Mis-
sissippi. Then the indigenous luxuries Of
American will gradually via their way to for
eign favor, until they shall every where sup
plant whatever choice viands and luscious
fruits bounteous nature has bestowed on OH
er chimes. The fertile fields of England. and
Holland, aud Germany, and France. shall be
titled no longer; and the rich luxurianee oil
the tropise shall vainly tempt the hand that