Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-01-12
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
Mn. SECRETARY MEREDITH's REPoRT-NoH.

the excess of the foreign trade of Great Britain
that of the United States, in great dsproportion
to the comparative values of the products OF the two
nations, as also of their comparative population,
Mr.. MEREDITH remarks:
GA leading cause of this difference is to be found in the
fact that Great Britain exports chiefly that which she has
first brought the form in which ii is ready for ultimate
consumpon-at the stage of the highest value All history
shows that where are the workshops of the world there must
be the of the world, and the heart Of wealth. COM
erce and power is vain hope to make those mas
by providing warehouses, coua be TO make crop by
building barn."
The fact of this difference is one of great import
and the Secretary's mode of showing it is quite
novel. The reason he gives to account for 1t is
undoubtedly true and, being true, is worthy OF
grave consideration. 1t accords with the current
axiom of the economists, that so long one nation
IS the producer Of raw materials for another to
manufacture the former will be inferior in wealth,
in consequence, in power, in every thing-the mere
servant of the latter. The relative position OF the
two is precisely that of the slave to his master:
one sweats in the field, the other enacts the gen
tleman. Such was the fact while the United States
were colonies of Great Britain; and since Great
Britain failed to support this relative position by
arms, she has maintained it by policy. She is still
the gentleman, and her prerogatives such are
yindicated by the sweat Of our brow. Mr.. Secre-
tary MEREDITH, as above cited, has revealed the
secret: it is because Great Britain is allowed to
finish by her arts what we begin with our toll, the
profit being hers, the subsistence ours.
The warehousing system is niertoriously rebuked
by the Secretary, in comparing it to the building
of barn to make a CROP as also by his showing
OF the results of its operation 1t is indeed build
ing barn TO make CROP While both parties
in Congress were hoping well of this measure, in
the adoption of which there was no decided oppo-
sition, Mr.. CoLToN, in his Rights Of Labor
published in ls46, soon after the act was passed,
said of it:
at is indeed marvellous grant, most seductive faci
lily 10 foreigners. 1t is not only Notwithstanding
to with their goods and wait for the chances of
ke suppan American merchants and American labor but
povides them with house and soreroom tistaxng Amer
labor for the OF destroying ITSELF Forcing to
extend gratuous prodgal hospitality deadly foe to-
give that foe the position and the power to pull down the
house from the head Of American labor, and 10 carry
away its bread"
The Secretary's prosecution of the inquiry as to
whether we manufacture % at least our own |
Materials is conducted with singular ability and
cearness. He first notices the circumstances ia
vorable to our accomplishment of this object, about
which there is little or no queston-such as IA
cility of producing raw materials, abundance OF
fuel, abundance of sustenance and comfort for
aborers and the greater efficiency of American la
Dor and skill. He then proceeds to the consdera
ton of the things commonly regarded as unfavor-
able, such want of capital, comparative cost of
labor, and our exposure TO violent fluctuations OF
price in foreign markets. and to foreign COMPETE
ton. These apparent difficulties the Secretary
disposes of with skill and effect
The only objection to protection hitherto made
is that it enhances the prices OF the articles pro-
tected. To this the Secretary answers
has been established here has. after that establishment,
tnued gradually diminish in price, and that without
responding reduction in the wages of labor which indeed
could diminished by Of increased demand
for it, tby means follows tina. abo: must be worse paid
because its products sold cheaper that because labor
is better paid, its products must be sold dearer."
1T is beieued,' says the Secretary, and he re-
fers to annexed statements in proof. This is mo-
dest. Not having seen, I am of course ignorant
of that paper. But happen to know that more
than he has promised can I've proved. To show
that protective duties not taxes, but quite the
contrary, is, in this country, one of the most i'm
portant labors of the day. Mr.. Cotton, in his
work on Public Economy" was, believe, the
frs, to enter this field in right good earnest. Be-
sides the reasoning to illustrate the quo modo he
has collected and coated the evidence of facts, and
followed up the whole by showing that, for want
of adequate protective system, the United States
are now, and for the greater part OF our history
have always been, paying immense amount of
foreign taxaton-an amount which, at this mo-
ment, hardly be less than fifty millions of dol
lars year. The average of foreign taxation, as
certaned by credible rules, as entering into the
prices of our imports, is about three-fourths OF
their to us as consumers. 1t follows that what
ever portion Of these imports we could produce
under protection, without increasing the prices OF
the articles 10 consumers, would be rescue of the
country to the amount of three-fourths of their
costs from foreign taxation besides that it would
be equal amount of benefit to American labor
and skill and it is believed this amount is not now
less than fifty millions year. Nor does it follow
that our imports would be less on that account.
They would probably be greater, and 60 on in
creasing IN a greater ratio; but they would be to
a large extent different in their kinds
These Two, Messrs. Editors, are greatly impor-
tant points; first, tina. protective duties are not
taxes and next that an American protective sys-
TEN is rescue from an immense foreign taxation
both of which Mr.. Cotton, think, has established
in his work, and the first of which is clearly i'm
piled in the above citation from the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury.
1--WE have been PERHAPS" says the Secretary,
:" too long vacillating on the threshold of great
career" There never was truer thing said.
have no doubt that when the Secretary said this,
he felt it profoundly for, with his views, as ex-
pressed in his report, he could not, think, have
felt otherwise. Alas for those who have so
long stood in the way OF our entering on this
"great career" They seem incapable of appre-
c;a the trne nositinn of this nation Rut orr