The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-08-18
EXTRACTS FROM THEE
SPEECH OF
HON. A. STEWART.
Delivered in the House Of Rep
TeSenSatiVeS, May %, ES46.
A CHAPTER FORaWORKING MEN
TO READ.


Mr.. Stewards system was this: Select the
articles YOU can manufacture to the full
extent of our own wants, then, in the Ian
guage of Thomas Jefferson, ''impose on
them duties lighter at first, and afterwards
heavier and heavier as the channels of
supply were opened" This was Jefer-
sons plan; the reverse of democratic''free
trade" Next Mr.. S. went for levying
the highest rates of duty on the luxurics
of the rich, and not on the necessaries of
the poor. Encourage American manu-
factures, and while on the one hand the
poor man found plenty of employment,
on the other he got his goods cheap. He
could clothe himself decently for a mere
trifle. He wanted no foreign commodi-
ties but his tea and his coffee, and they
were free, and should remain free. The
poor man could now buy cloth for full
suit from head to foot for less than ONE
DOLLAR of substantial American manufac-
ture. He had himself worn in this hall
garment OF this same goods, at 10 cents a
per yard, and il was so much admired that
more than dozen members had applied
for similar garments, and they had been
supplied 10 Sanators and others; yet we
are told the tariff taxes and oppresses the
poor. Put high revenue duties on wines,
on brandies, on silks,on laces, on jewelry,
on all that which the rich alone consum-
ed and which the poor man did not want.
Take off the duties from the poor man. s
necessaries and, give him high wages for
his work. That was the way to diffuse
happiness and prosperity among the great
body of the people: That was good
sound democratic policy. He was for
lifting up the poor. He was for ''levelling
upward" for increasing the domestic
comfort Of our own laboring population
the true democracy of the country
The rich could pay, and ought to be made
to pay, and they should pay: the poor
man could not, and should not, with his
consent. Mr.. S. went for the system
which elevated the poor man in the scale
of society; thatpromoted equality, that es-
seniial element in all free Governments,
not by pulling down the higher, but by
lifting up the lower classes to their level.
The gentleman from Alabama and his
friends advocated policy which would
have precisely the opposite effect. Their
system would truly make the erich richer
and the poor poorer" The gentleman
advocated system whose direct and un-
deniable tendency was to destroy compe-
tition, and thereby give a monopolyto the
heavy capitalists. He would benefit those
very "millionaires" of whose presence
here he complained 10 loudly. Free trade
would inevitably degrade the wages of la
Dor in every department of industry, whe-
ther employed in the fields or in the
workshops, to the level of wages in Eu-
rope; this was as certain as the ebbing and
flowing Of the tides. What could be
palmer! Take two cotcrminous States
Kentucky and Ohio. Suppose in Ken
tucky, as in Europe, wages was l2a cts.
per day, and in Ohio, as in the u. S., rs
cents per day. Now was it not perfectly
clear that, unless Ohio protected her pros
porous labor, the productions Of the low
price labor Of Kentucky, boots, shoes,
hoes. every thing would come in, and
compel the mechanics and laborers Of
Ohio 10 come down 10 l2a cents day, or
give up their markets, quit work, buy ev-
cry thing, sell nothing and GET RIcH.-
And he submitted, would not this be the
effect Of ''free trade' with Europe! The
only difference was the cost of transport
alton across the Ohio and across the At
lanhc, End with the modern facilities Of
steam, ton of iron could be brought from