Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-02-11

{ NJ importance that the balances against
5 have b-eu frequent sni heavy. Yet. he
OUR country has survived and Crp.prrd.
But does not Mr.. Walker know. that Ell.
essive imports. and gu u~Itsvorsble balsnce
1 trade arr followed by an expiration OF
pecIe' with oil it, disastrous c~onsaqnences7
MI. Walker might az well tell a iarnef IN
who sold his whole crop to
nerchant from whom he got all his supplies
~ has iimi,y, that il nude no difference to
whether at the end OF the year. the bal
nee was IN his favor or against him. A ma
lon Is a iamilv on . lsrg. scale. and the same
'uncipIrs Of industry and economy tina, 81
.urts wealth AMI prosperity TO the one, will
iccurelt to the other. The error OF this point
III the assumption Of a fact that is
iot ifue-that the foreign goods we purchase
ire to BE- re-slll where they are imported,
Tor consumption, and are consumed, and the
oilance against the country has to be paid in
cash.
! must hasten on-bGt ! cannot omit to
notice Tor a moment one Of the greatest alb
surdlties OF thisexiTaoriinary report. Mr.. w.
gravel. tells Us, that our domestic products
am mat to So 5000, 900 900 a wear of this we
exported last year $50, 900. COO. the bal
snCe being required for the supply Of the
home market; but he saws that BY adopting
low duties, we might increase our exports
and imports TO $500 ,000. 900, and our feve.
nue. to $50 900 900 a year. This he makes
out by surprising. against all experience, that
foreign countries would take from us three
times as much as they now do paralize your
own national industry, export your specie, in
volviug the county in ruin su bankruptcy.
destroying both exports and imports, then
what ? Instead OF 5000, 000, 900, your exports
and imports will sink down 10 less than two
and a hall the orilnsry amount. But Mr..
Walker goes further still he says, BY adopt
| ing absolute aud unqualified free trade, rpsor-
ting, '.of course, to dircc, ~tdration for revenue,
ieyying the taxes on the Amcricdn people in
stead OF foreign goods-Mr. Walker says we
would 'measuie our ANIMAL trade in exports
and imports by thousands of miuions!'' Who
can but smile at such insanity run mad. Mr..
Walker might measure his imports by "thGa
sands Of miHione" ifhe bad money to pay for
them, bat when he tells us that the whole OF
the specie III the United States does not eI-
coed ninety millions of dollars. not enough 10
pay loo one months imports under his "irce
trade system, how long would il last 7 His
free trade" engine would blow out before il
got ialrly under way. Our imports may de-
pend on ourselves, but our xports depend
on the disposition OF foreign countries tc
purchase and they will not purchase from
US when they can supply themselves. II
MIR. Walker can devise a plan to create a
famine or potato rot in Europe, h may, to
some extent. carry out his theory, but moi
otherwise. We Can buy as much as we pleas SC
while we have money or credit; but like the
rackles. spendthrift, when these are gone, we
must quit, and 60 to work or starve. There
Is but one way in which Mr.. Walkers plar
OF making our imports and exports amour,
under Tree trade" 10 "thpusinls OF millions
pnd that is the plan, no doubt, he has in view
That IS, TO export our ore and coal TO Eng
land, and bring it back in bar iron, axes
shovels. needles, and anchors. Export oul
wheat and corn, and bring il back in 4 ,ur
OF what is worse for US, and better for the IN
worked up in costly manufactures Send
them our hogs and bring them back in Bo,
logna sausages. SEN them our raw hides
and bring them back in leather. shoes, gloves
Send them our wool at 50 cents per pound,
and buy II again al ten times that amount, IN
cloth--payiJg, not only for the wool, but
Tor the foreign labor. and the profits OF foreign
capital employed in its manufac IRE. Send
len dollars worth OF raw material and buy il
back again with the addition OF one hundred
dollars paid TO foreign labor for working it in
10 goods, while our owu la boz is left without
money and without employment. see ii
stated, that one dollars worth Of iron, made
into inainsprings OF watches, is worth $40 ,00C
and this is labor and its substance.
Such is Mr.. Walkers theory Of ''iree.trade
carried ont 10 its practical results-,his, he
SAYS, would give employment TO all our ships
Yes, sir, and with the same propriety he nigh
advise a western Pennsylvania farmer to load
his wagon with wheat, vnd taYe it TO Ken
lucky 10 be ground, and bring back his -four
to keep his team employed--what would tn,
farmer say to Mr.. Walkers PROPOSE ton?
But, sir, | wish to present another. and q
more important view, in connection with thi'
subject OF ''iree.trade," which Mr.. Wake
regards as the greatest blessing that could b.
bestowed upon the people OF this country
and especially upon the %laboring people-th;
"tollIns millions" as he calls thcm--in whose
prosperity and welfare he seems to take such
especial interest; he speaks OF increasing theiI
comfort, education, and intelligence" Of
enhancing wages OF mechanics and toilinf
workinen," blessing them with increased
prosperity"
Now undertake to say. and TO demon
strate, that Just the reverse OF all this would
be ITS consequences; aud | submit the mat,
ter to the enlightened judgment and decision
OF the American people. | say that, instead
oil enhancing wages and increasing the ''pros.
perlty, comfort, education, and intelligence
OF 1.-The ,oiling millions" it would degrade
them, in every department of industry. to III.
mise rable condition Of the pauper and serf
iabor OF Europe, subsisting themselves aud
families on d shilling a day.
Break down the walls OF protection. repeal
The tariif, open your ports, establish free
Trade, and let in the products Of foreign l2A
cents a day labor, aud American labor must
quit work and give up their market. till our
money is all gone; then our mechanics and
workingmen must come down, and work as
cheap as they do. Is not this inevitable? and
these are the blessings Mr.. Walker has in re-
serve Tor the dear poodle, 1.-THE voters" 1.-The
tollins millions" Mr.. Walker saws in his
Report, that "frieght," with steam and mod
ern Improvements, amounts TO little or moth.
ing that duties are the only thing that pre-
vents foreigners f,om taking free aud full pos
session OF our markets, and in this he i. right
tor once; they will take possession of our
markets I'LL American labor, mechanics, and
all. come down AMI work for u shilling a day.
Is TINS not perfectly cleart Can il be doubted
or denied? For Illustration; suppose ia Bal
umore manufactured and mechanics hire
workmen at 25 cents a day, and here in
Washington they pay a dollar, will not the
Baliimoreans send down their goods. hats,
shoes, clothes. everything, undersell the hat
tersand Others here, and must they not eth
er give up business, or bring their labor down
to the Baltimore standard. They may buy an
long as they have money, bat when their
money isatl gone. they must work cheap or
starve. The only difference between Europe
and Baltimore is the freight" which Mr..
Walker says is now but a slight impeachment
to imports. Such would b. the ultimate eE.
iects OF "iree trade" On American labor.
Inc great object and office of a tariff is to