The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-29

Do we manufacture cotton goods We desire 10
sell them at the most advantageous price for us. We
would gladly consent that all rival manufacturers
should be interdcted, and ii we dare not express
publicly this wish, pursue It's
with any chance of success, we however attain H. in
certain measure, by indirect means; Tor example
~ excluding foreign goods, SO as TO diminish the
quantity offered and thus produce by means ofiorce,
md for our profit a scarcity of clothing.
Were we thus TO pass in review all branches Of in;
iustry, should always find that the producers,
TAR as they are such, have anti-social views.
"The merchant says Montague, is only pros
porous form the extravaganza of youth the farmer
from the dearness of breadstus the architect from
the decoy Of houses; the officers ofjustice from law
suits and the quarrcls of men. Even the honor and
practice ministers of religion arises from our death
md from our vices. No physician derives pleasure
rom the health Of his friends nor soldier from
peace and thus with all Others"
1t follows from this that, If the secret desires Of
aach producer were realized the whole world would
retrograde speedily towards barbarism. Sails would
prescribe steam; the oar would prescribe sails and
would itself soon have TO yield TO wagons, these to
mules and mules to man. Wool would exclude
cotton; cotton would exclude WOOL and so on ap IN
fnitn until the scarcity Of every thing should cause
wen man to disappear from the surface Of the earth
IL we come now to consider the immediate inio-
rest of the consumer we shall find that It is in per
ect harmony with public interest," with the welfare OF
a
When the purchaser appears in the market, he de
,res to find il abundanty provided. That The sea-
shall have been propitions TO all species OF crops
that inventions one more marvellous than the other
should place within his means the greatest number
of products and comforts; that time and labor be
saved that distances be efiaced; that the spirit OF
peace and justice should permit the reduction Of
taxes that obstacles OF every description should dis
appear; in all this, the immediate Interest OF the
Is exactly the same as that OF the public
well understood He may extend his secret wishes
even 10 absrdity without their ceasing 10 be adyan
tageous 10 the human race He may desire that food
and clothing, house and fuel instruction and moral
", security and peace, strength and health he OBJ
tanned without effort, without labor and without
limit like the dust of the highway, the water of the
river the air we breathe, the light we ENJOY without
he realization of their wishes being opposed TO the
welfare of society. n
1t may possibly be said, that If these desires were
accomplished the labor Of the producer would be
come more and more restrained, and would end BY
ceasing from want Of object But why ? Because, In
that extreme case, all the wants and all the wishes
Imaginable would be completely satisfied. Man, like
The Almighty, would create every thing by the mere
.xertion of his will win any one tell me what then
would be the lament in this absence of labonous pro
iuction
Suppose Legislature composed Of labofers, each
member of which should make his secret desires as
producers into laws. The code emanating from such
an assembly would be systematic monopoly, the the
Dry of scarcity put into practice.
Whereas, a Legislative body in which each member
should exclusively consult his immediate interest as
consumer, would end in systematizing liberty, the
Of all restrictive measures the overthrow
f all artificial obstacles; in word, IN realizing the
theory OF abundance. :.
1t follows from this:
That consulting exclusively the immediate interest
Of producers, is consulting aAi-social interest.
That taking exclusively for basis the immediate
interest of consumers would be taking for basis the
general interest Of all.
Allow lie TO urge again this point OF view, even
It the risk OF repenting myself
radical antngonsm exists between the seller and
he purchaser IA
The one desires that the article he deals in should
e scarce and sell at high price.
The other wishes il to be abundant, md selling nj
low price.
The laws, which at least ought TO be neutral, take
art with the seller against the purchaser, with the
rovider against the consumer, with dearness against
heapness, with scarcity against abundance.
They act If not intentionally at least logically on
heprnciple that nation Is only reaily lrhen there
;rtsts a scarcity Of everything.
For they say it is the producer that must be favor
ID by assuring him advantageous sale of his pro-
iucts. For this it is necessary to raise the price
o raise the price, the quantity offered must be d.
and 10 diminish the quantity offered is
'reatng scarcity
Suppose that at this moment, while these laws are
n fullforce, a complete inventory be taken, not
N value but in weight, measure, quantity ofall exist
ng objects in the country, suitable to the wants Of
is inhabitants, such as breadstuis provision, cloths,
inens, fuel, colonial produce, &c.
Suppose further that tomorrow all existing obsta-
lies to the free introduction of foreign products into
The country be abolished.
And finally TO appreciate the effects Of this reform,
suppose that three months later new inventory be
iaken.
Would there not be found in the country much
greater quantity of brcadstufis cattle, CLOTH linen,
ron coal sugar &c. at the second than at the time
Of making the first nventory2
This is 50 true that our protecting tariffs have no
other object than to prevent all these things from
reaching u.s. limit the quantity offered, TO prevent
their depreciation in value, their abundance.
Now ask, ure the people better Ted under the IN
huence 10 these laws because their exists less
quantity bread meat and sugar in the country? Are
they better clothed because there exists less thread
linen and cloihl Are they better warmed, because
there is less coal? Are they better aided in their la
Dor because there exists less IRON brass, TOOLS ma
chineryl
But II is said If foreigners be all owed 10 nundate
us with their products, they will carry off all our
specie
What matters ii If they do7 Man does not feed on
specie he does clothe himself with gold; he does not
warm himself with silver. What matters il If there
is more or less specie in the country If only there
exist more bread in the pantres, more meat in the
laders more clothes in the presses and more fuel in
the yards?
81 Ill awIya )op,se 70 all restrictive la VS. this d,
emmn;
Either they provide scarcity, or they do not.
they provide scarcity, they do the people all the
honor possible. If they do not produce scarcity
then they have not diminished the quantity offered
have not enhanced prices, and consequently have
rot favored or protected the producer.
They are either injurious or inefficient They can
1ot be beneficial.