New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-13
twenty millions Of your own people. bow can we hes
tate 10 pursue the psih visihly marked out BY n
hand Of Providence You Sn.l thus not only preycr
the rsinous Of Azricu Or sAwoApcts By viii
drawing irorskasi branch ofindussy ~ btlds which
r;'Hf m rrmanerstiny pricss.

that which i rsfsd At rcmunerstng prices.
The difficulty in pursuing this psta arises from the
spsrseness of our population IN comparison with the
extent Of territory Labor i scarce and high and
made more by the attractions Of Agriculture. ara
ns from the chcapness Of and the little skill which "a
cultivsfio j. too generally supposed 70 require and
the Independence congeniA 10 frcemen which ~
Ownership cOners Hence the .ssty OF counfersct
ing influence - invite labor 10 otter pursuits This q
to be done only by the hope OF superior OF Al least equ
rernuns ration But this alton cannot be hsd
Ia manufacturing mercantile pursuits - long 40 the
labor of the crowded populations Of Europe-reduref
q The .owest point that Will insure suOsistence-s em
p.oyed IA constructing isbricsior our mpii0n
The Alternatives then before are whether We shall
sustain the lsoorng poor Of Other countries or whether
We sha insure our own prosperity by divcrsuyng our
soor ana bringing It into competition with that OF other
nations oy equaAzsng IL price Ihs can be dorc only
BY the imposition OF duties the importation Of such
articles rs We can ourselves manufacture, which viii
enable employers 10 pay their ~orsmen high wages
Thus duties foreign fsbrcs are in reality premiums
laborers They slso bring into use the labor
OF young persons the lnfrm. and female, and thus
increase vast extent the productive wealth Of the
country. The lsborssving machinery which !. used in
Manufactures snd the application Of steam power in
endless variety 10 similar purpose, also add incscus
bly, 70 the same productive wealth - TIA; without
establishments for their these elements ~ prospect
" be enjoyed BY other countries and lost us
and We must sink ss they rise In comparative wealth
and strength.
An objection 10 this policy heretofore urged that the
prices OF the fabrics upon which duties may be imposed
would be eNtrsvsgsnty enhanced. has been etectgay
Gisprovei BY our experience. For 70 Is well known
thst prices upon such articles have been reduced by
competition among our own citizens 10 orehali one
third and sometimes onehith their cost before
menced their fabrication An etectus prevention and
correction OF shy sbuse' by the imposition OF duties
beyond the necessity OF the case IN respect either 70
the articles themselves the amount levied upon them
will slNays be found In the hands OF those who must
be- the rst 20 suffer from them The exorbitsnt price
o. article OF prime necessity will put In motion
the known shres OF those who obliged 20 pay
I and she ballot box will promptly reouke the wrong.
Aier ALL this objection rests the islsey that power
which may be most benehcisy exercised within proper
limits must not be eNertrd because IL may be sbas~t
"a isllacy that would preclude al les,slaon.
An idea prevails, yet 10 avery limited extent that
the plsn Of deriving revenues from duties Imports
Is dangerous because Il affords practical RESTRAINT
upon the expenditures OF Government And the re
strsint supposed 10 fail account OF the ignorance
OF the people Of the amount thus exscted from them
II this idea adopted IL would. OF course snnlhi.
late manufactures and drive 10 absolute Deepen
dence upon foreign markets Tor our produce IL pro.
ceeds upon the supposton OF the inability Of the PEG
pie to feel when they pinched their incspscity
10 detect the hand that pnches them.
Ths supposition cannot be discussed consistently
Si'h the respect due 10 an American audience And In
behalf Of Agriculture protest sgsns the idea Of sup
porting Government wholly chiefly by direct tax,s.
They reach the visible and tangible subjects in the
session Of the farmer and the mechanic their lands
their houses and their shops and their chsel' while
moneyed capital and credits being out of sight and un
known, estimated at their value IL has al
ways been in all countries. and always will be 80
The ingenuity Of able legislators sad public
officers has been exhausted In vain efforts 10 remedy
the inequality Public stocks have indeed been brought
within the tsxnet but individual capital VIGOROUSLY
slips past IT, As specimen let me give you the results
OF the official statement OF the Valuations of real and
personal property in this state In lei6 upon which tho
assessment was made IL shows an aggregate OF si2O.-
100000 OF personal against et9bOOOoo OF real estate
Who needs be told of the monstrous isscy OF hese
results by which land IA made 10 contribute four times
the amount OF taxes assessed upon personal property
And these valuations doubtless honestly made
Ihs l. r
value Of capital possessed by any citizen known and
can be known only 70 himself Indirect taxes OF i'm
posts practically far more equal they are IN nost
cases voluntarily paid, aud they generally tall ON those
most able 10 pay them The farmer and the mechanic,
aud the land owner have an interest In preserving
them Tor these reasons, well rs account Of their
tendency To favor domestic manufactures ami 70 pro
vide home markets.
The security the country is deeply connected with
the maintenance of Manufactures. How helpless must
that nation be- which war viii cut on from the neces
saries and from tho comforts 90 which it, inhabitants
have been accustomed and from ts Of defence
The ability 10 make our Owl own cannon
and arms Is not essential than our capacity 10
cothe troops 10 furnish the various ishrcs OF
metal required IN military operations Indeed. IRON In
its various formations may be said 10 constitute the
muscle OF nation. With the raw material In PROM
sion how strange and unnatural must be the policy
which would lnerdic It's fabrication by ourselves into
all the forms which our condition requires lhs pm
cipe OF security Il applicable to most Of the manuiac'
lures existing IN this country which even IN their
present state render safe from the hostility of other
nations How dangerous would be To abandon them.
| people engaged exclusively or almost exclusively
in any one pursuit, must necessarily be dependent
people The chances of prosperity are obviously in
creased with the number and variety of their resources
20 that fails, they have others upon which they
rely Aud pur cult Is subject 20 more casualties
than Agriculture, from causes too well known Ia you.
How important then. that agricultural people should
have other employ mcns. self sustaining people must
be the most independent. the most active and enter.
pri.ing the most wealthy and the most happy hide
pendent because neither their necessafies comforts
will depend upon foreign policy upon foreign wars
and revolutions active and enterprising because ths
variety Of employ gives scope faculties OF every
grade and character, inylgortes genius and stimulates
to exertion These produce the really valuable wealth
OF a county,-the active circulating snimaiing wealth
which forms the likelihood Of the system, moving
rapidly through its veins and arteries and carrying
health, yigor and cheorfuness into every part And
such people must therefore be the most happy un-
tettered by restraints, the choice Of employment 10
before them II fails, another lie at hand hope con
tnusly illumines their path competition rouses their
energies and man is developed in all his best faculties
and proportions
TIA, such has been mainly the condition Of our
country Is owing, in my humble Judgment not only To
free institutions but chiefly TO the diversified EN-
ployn;ents OF people. which have been created,
fostered and extended by the policy OF The Govern
nent which with few exceptions has generally been
pursued Friendly and just relations have been main
tanned with foreign nations treaties have secured us
access their ports ard upon the most favof
able discriminating duties have compelled the
abandonment OF onerops charges upon our products of
upon the ships that transported them exchanges OF
our SURPRISES for fheus have been freely made, snd
thus heslthfu mutually beneficial foreign market has
been opened aod preserved for what We did not con.
sumo al home and for the products OF manuisctur
ing and mechanical industry. At the same time tho
home market mas been nursed established and expand
ed by udcious duties upon foreign fabrics until II has
come to amount OF our bresdstuns ana
provisions, greater than that exported To the other
countries Of the world. This general pohcy. origin
ating with the great and wise who laid this Pounds
tons Of our political fabric, has been, With occasional
exceptions pursued by their successors | have en-
deavored show that by maintaining THE policy your
interests sgiculturss will be cherished and pro
noted that the best markets and choice o! them will
BE- provided for your products and that the whole
country will be really independent prosperous and
happy.
am quite conscious that many topics connected with
the main design Of these remarks have been omitted.
particularly the bearing upon Agriculture 81 cheap and
easy sporaton. But the omission was unsvoidsbls
In the compass Of an address 10 such anauoOry Your
forbearsnce has been sufficiently taxed md particularly
that Of the ladies' to whom such dry discussions In
their very forbdding all play Of the fancy must
be- tedious Still cannot regret that those who exer
else such gentle influence feelings and opinions
have had opportunity 10 hear some remarks upon
subjects intimately connected with their and pros
peri'y and happiness
Mr Presifeut and Gentlemen of the Society hesftt.