Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-10-01
From the North American.
The Iron Interests of Pennsylvania.

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zen of Pennsylvania should be insensible 10
the State pride and ambition which knowledge
of the natural superiority of The old Keystone
is calculated to inspire, or that he should sane
tion the war upon her interests which renders
her advantages of so Ltle avail. Every great
natural avenue of commerce is opeisto her :
The Lakes, the ST. Lawrence, the Ohio, the At
lanic, all contribute to enrich the country. in
her iron and coal she is rendered the empire
State of production. Those interests fos,ered
and developed, would render her the wealhies
community of the Western world. One would
think that such advantages would unite all her
citizens in support of The measures necessary
for their Development. Instead of This, we
find her people supporting, in the maI-admins-
tralion OF her own government, and The oppres-
sion Of that of the nation, The obstacles that re-
tard her onward career. Her own vote on the
Presidential question has repealed the Tariff of
40, under which her prosperity has been so ex
traordinary and now, when the wrong has been
consummated, we find her journals and many
of her people applauding The blow that smiles
her best interests 10 the earth
II is strange that any Pennsylvania should
be careless in relation 10 the maintenance of
such interests as those OF iron and coal They
affect, in their relative operation, every other
interest cherished by our people. The demand
for iron must ever be universal and imperative ;
and whether in peace or war, il is necessary
that the country should be independent of for
eign nations for its supply. No parriot can be
willing TO see our land drained Of its wealth 10
purchase an article Of the most absolute neces-
sity which few years of protection would en-
able US TO supply from our abundant mines
That under the British Tariff our iron trade
must be crippled, il not crushed, is now appa-
rent. The manufacture of iron is in a transit
tion-belween the use of charcoal and anibra-
cite, and the protection has not been enjoyed
for time sufficient 10 establish in full vigor the
latter improvement. We doubt not that some
OF the furnaces, enjoying peculiar advantages,
may struggle on; but already some are closed
and others are preparing 10 close. The inter-
est is an infant one and it needed all the pro-
lection of the Tariff of '42 lis gains have not
yet cleared the losses sustained in it. Ii is
vain TO say that these measures are intended
for effect. What effect! Are the iron mas
lers such mad-men as 10 sacrifice their business
and themselves TO produce political resuIi--a
result, by the way, which many of them oppose,
and which such measures cannot aid in promo,
ling. This absurd allegation has been so oft, N
made, that many have given j, careless rYe.
dence. Let the public mind be disabusea, and
let the party lay no, the fauering unclion TO its
soul ha, it is not the British Tariff, bu. Viii,
panic that is producing the results which all
Pennsylvania must lament.
The consequences Of the depression of the
iron trade must be calani,ous to The entire coun-
try. Had Southern envy spared Pennsylvania,
instead of piling upon her the heaviest and
most destructive penalties of The British Tariff,
a few years woold have seen our country sup.
piled with iron and the manufactures in iron
more cheaply than We will procure them from
England A vast interest would have been
raised up and matured, giving nnbounded wealth
to Pennsylvania and dif1using The advantages
Throughout the whole land Our State debt
would have been rapidly and easily lifted from
Cur shoulder-our farms cleared from that uni
versal mortgage, and our labor disembarrassed
from lis present heavy taxation Our Stale
could have entered anew, with light heart and
heavy purse upon her career of improvement,
agriculture and commerce would have shared
largely in the general prosperity. and our Stale
would soon have been the garden and the work.
shop of The Union. Since the passage of the
Tariff of 10 the population and wealth of Penn.
syivania have increased more rapidly than ever
before. How will il be with US now! And
what should be thought of those of our citizens,
who from lust for office. or slayish subser-
viency 10 party, unite with the enemies OF Penn
syvania 10 crush and mpoversh her--to drive