The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-10-31
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY, MORNING, OCTOBER 81. is4s.


We broke lance, few days ago, on the Protective
Policy, with the Boston Atlas And now we have to
encounter another champion in the Boston Courier.
Our readers viii remember that few days since we
published few remarks on the home eharket and ex-
posed some of the falacies which the proeconss urge
upon that subject The Boston Courier has assaled the
principles which we advocated and it endeavored--no
by fair and legitimate argument. but by the arful Of
deceptive catch words induce ;he farmers OF the
try lend their aid in building up the protective system,
in order to establish home market for the surplus pro-
ducts of agricultural labor and capital II we under
stand rightly the views which at the bottom OF the
specous defamation of the Courier that journal
tends that national legislation should build up by prohi
billions and restrictions levied foreign mportaons
domestic market for all the products of American labor
and capital SO that need not look to foreign nations
supply any of wants, trust 10 foreign markets
to absorb any portion OF our surplus production. This
principle fully carried out-and if the theory OF pro-
lection be sound and logical, il ought to be fully
carried out-would at once destroy all CONNER
cial intercourse between the United States and
other nations. 1t would surround with Chinese
wall OF prohibitions and restrictions, and speedily reduce
10 the miserable condition OF China, whose policy for
centuries has forbidden all communication with stran-
gers and despite the industry and ingenuity OF her people,
the fertility OF her SOIL the salubry OF her climate the
great commercial advantages OF her geographical posi-
ton and the internal peace and tranquility which she
enjoyed for hundreds of years, has made her compare
uniayorably with the weakest Of those nations
which have sought in commercial intercourse an outlet
for their surplus productions.
The great advantages Of exchange between individuals
and OF commercial intercourse between nations are plain
and apparent to all who not blinded by interest," nor
ensaved by fixed idea. The individual man. if induced
by insane ideas OF personal Independence refuse all
dependence his fellow man, and to attempt supply
all his wants by his own labor alone, would soon
be reduced to misery and want and bare sup.
port, and that of most meagre kind, would be
the only remuneration he would receive for his toll
In community living on this plan, universal desti
tuition must exist, and the wages OF labor would be
at the lowest possible point for it would do more than
subsist itself 1t would become apparent that d.
vision OF labor must be resored to- and that each person
must confne himself to particular branch of in
dushy. and exchange the surplus production Of his own
labor for the surplus production OF those engaged other
employments than his own. Five men following each
different employment, produce more than they could
produce If each OF them gave his time and attention to
all of those empoyments and that increase o. production
would increase the value olabor and as necessary con-
sequence, would the wages of labor to RISE The
principle holds good when applied to nations Each
soil and climate has appropriate productions and such
the diversity which theearh exhibits that 10 every coun
tya given outlay of labor and capital will produce the
largest return when applied to the production OF those
commodities for which it is adapted And experience
has shown tina, labor aud capital so applied will pro.
duce surplus large enough TO purchase OF those
othe nj ntryI
might require than the supposed outlay OF labor and
capital could possibly produce. II is true policy, there
FORE for each nation produce those things which ma
has fitted il TO produce, and look to commercial in
tercourse for market where its surplus production may
be sold or exchanged The advantages derived from
such course are precisely the same as those which
each individual derives from a division of labor
Greater skill is acquired, labor saving machines are
invented, and time saved in going from one EN-.
ployment TO another Bet he prolectonists hold that
commercial intercourse should be destroyed, and that
each nation should be forced by legislative compu.
sion not only TO produce those commodities for which
it is fitted by nature, but to produce within its bo
ders everything which its wants may require This idea
would, have shown, il fully carried out require every
separate community to refuse to exchange with every
other community and require Of each individual man to
assert entifc own
labor every article Of food and rament which his necess
ties might require. This would make labor almost worth
less, and convert into slave capital In the early
ages of the world commercial intercourse almost un
known. and every nation forced by necessity to sup
ply its wants; and they have left to monuments
of the worthessness OF labor in those days in the mas
sve and useless piles which prove nothing but the dega
dalton OF the great body OF the people But commercial
intercourse has extendei and it extended labor has
become valuable that the richest State on earth cannot
waste it in sufficient quantities TO build the Chinese
wall, or even one Of the pyramids OF Egypt
We therefore repeat the proposition which the Boston
Courier affects to criticse and we say again, that The
idea Of building up home market necessarily and insv-
tally involves the injury Of agriculture tie great interest
hi lies al the foundations ola Stale In every country
the natural division Of labor naturally produces home
market, without the aid OF legislative enactment and pro-
hibitory duties. To that home market produced by diff
erent remun1aing empioymens in the same country, no
one has ever objected and ever nehtfuy OBJ
ect But the Boston Courier and the other advocates OF
protection say that should not be content with the
natural home market which exists in our country,
but that should build il up and extend it by
prohbitory duties for5ddng the cheaper products OF
foreign nations TO within our borders, and
forcing labor in capital to leave remunera,ing en-
ployments and 60 into those which would not be re-
munerating IL free competition allowed II is that
home market-not existing naturally but built up un-