The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-08

oil agrlcultuTe-theSe and the like raw mate
rails are the elements necessary for the subsist-
ence Of labor, and for supplying il with the
means Of productive activity. The permanent
profits Of industry in any country depend upon
the variety and extent of the Improvements and
the enhancements OF value which il puts upon
the crude materials derived from nature. The ex-
portation of the raw material to be manufactured
abroad. and then to be sent back for use, must
of course, TO such extent as it goes, deprive the
producing country Of the benefit, in the way OF
profit to industry, Of all the additional value
impaired to the crude article abroad.
We do moi know how to set forth more clear
ly or more conclusvely the principles of political
economy and Of national policy here indicated
than by quoting the following passages from the
annual Treasury Report of Mr.. Secretary MER-
EDITH:
"Thc manufacture of cotton cloth is begun with
the planting of the cottonit is carried TO certain
point by the planter, and then taken up and per
fccted by the spinner and weaver. The planter
and manufacturer arc not engaged in different
branches of industry, but in the .samc--thc one
commences the process which the other completes.
Cotton seed of insignificant value, being by regular
stages Of labor developed and brought to the form
OF cotton cloth, has acquired n value of about two
hundred and sixty four millions.
"The planting States have added many millions
to the annual production of the country by the
culture of cotton. By continuing the process they
could quadruple that addition.
'The planter would then have a market at his
door for all his produce, and the farmer would in
like manner have home market for his. The
power Of consumption of not only breadstuffs, but
of every article useful necessary in the feeding,
clothing and housing Of man, would be vastly in
crcased-the consumer and producer would be
brought nearer to each other-and in fact stiinu-
lus would be applied TO every branch of productive
industry.
SIT is gratifying to know that the manufacture
OF cotton has already been introduced into several
Of the planting States, (see document marked -
hereto annexed and, it ought not to be doubted,
will rapidly be extended.
''The manufacture of iron, wool, and our other
staples would lead to similar result The effect
would be a vast augmentation of our wealth and
power.
upon commerce the effects might be expected
to be, if possible still more marked. II is not
enough to say that no country diminished its
commerce by increasing its productions--and that
no injury would, therefore, result to that interest
There would probably be not only great in
crease in the amount, but an improvement not less
important in the nature of our commerce.
&" OF the immense addition that would accrue TO
our internal and coastng trade, (Which in every
country form the great and most valuable body of
commercc,) it is unnecessary to do more than
merely speak in passing-but it may be well to
offer few remarks on foreign commerce.
Commerce is the machinery of exchange. 1t
is the handmade of agriculture and manufactures
1t will not be affirmed that it is positively in
jurious-but it will be more or less useful as it CO.
operates more or less with the productive industry
of the country. The mere carriage Of commodities
by or land is necessarily profitable only TO the
carrier, who is paid for it. II may be useful or not
to others, according to circumstances. The farmer
finds railroad great convenience, but he under
stands that it is better employed in carrying his
crop, than in carrying away his seed wheat and
manure.
"Thc commerce which should consist in carry
ing cotton seed abroad, to be there grown, would
not be so useful as that which is now occupied in
exporting the cotton grown at home. We
should easily understand, also, that the commerce
thus employed would be much more limited in
amount and much less profitable to the carriers than
that We now have. Yet our present commerce is,
in fact. the same nature with that above described
The seed bears to the cotton the relation which
the cotton bears TO the cloth. If we now export cot
ton of the value of about sixty millions, the
same cotton, when converted into cloth, would make
an export of some two hundred and sixty four mil
lions some two hundred and forty FIVE millions
after deductng the fifteen twenty millions which
would be required for our own consumption lin
addition TO the portion of present manufactures
consumed at home,) and imports would be
thereby in like manner increased. England at
this moment, derives a large portion of her power
from spinning and weaving our cotton. When we
shall spin aud weave it ourselves, make our own
iron, and manufacture our other staples, shall
have transferred to this country the great centres
of wealth, commerce, civilization, and political as
well as moral and intellectual power"
The varying policy Of our Government. UNI
der the guidance of different parties by turns in
the asccndency, has tended 10 retard the ma
tonal industry IN the application of skill, sci
ence, and invention, TO the adaptation of raw
materials to the final uses of consumption mo
country. !" says Mr.. MEREDrTH's report, .'can at
tain due strength OF prosperity that does not.
by its own labor, carry IFS own productions as
nearly as possible To the point necessary 10 fit
them for ultimate consumption. To export it's
raw material and reimport the articles manufac-
tured from it, or TO neglect its own raw mater-
ais and import the articles manufactured from
that Of another country. is 10 pretennit the
means which nature has provided for its adj
vancement"
But though we have not attained all that
might have been attained, if judicious and
steady system Of discriminating protection had
been uniformly preserved, the progress ofmanu-
featuring industry in the United States has yet
been sufficient To open home market 10 our
farmers and planters market Of their own.
not subject 10 foreign competition or control.
and which is Of inestimable value 10 every cul-
tivator Of the soil throughout the country.
We must return again, however. to the at
fairs Of our Canadian neighbors. Not only has
the British government made the proposal Of
reciprocity TO the United States, as mentioned
above, coupled with the proffer Of the free navi-
cation of the ST. Lawrence, but il has pro
posed another step with the view of conciliating
II Il l. Il.