Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-09-04
Penns yIvania English prize
price of labor of labor mas.
in 1919, per since reduced
ION 10 mr. 1T pr ton
j. 9 81, 50
3 s5t
Difference
SIS Sc

DlHtfencc DO oO
| night cite mahY more instances, but
the foregoing table will serve To show the
great difference, and explain 10 every un,
biased nmnd the reason and necessity for
protection.
With this difference existing. il is utter
ly impossible that our manufacturers should
successfully compete with England without
compensaling duties. One Of three things
is inevitable. You must abandon entirely
t6e manufacture OF iron, or increase the
duty, or else reduce the wages Of laborers
down to the English standard. What gen.
lIeman on this floor, would ask, would
wish to see the free laboTers oi this country
degraded 10 the level of foreign operatives,
Who live only TO work, and work only To
live g? Ii appears 10 me sound policy, as
well as a generous philanthropy, should
dictate TO every one the necessity and i'm
portance of giving competence and dignity
TO labor, that The meritorious and indus,ri-
Gus workingman may meet with the proper
reward of his toll, and be enabled 10 main
tain The position and Independence that be-
comes an American freeman.
But gentleman, when pressed hardly on
this subjecl, have Il final argument to urge,
and believe i, has become usual, in a.
most every case, for honorable gentleman,
when everything else fails 10 fly TO this as
a dernier resort, and that is, that il is un-
constitutional. Yes, unconstitutional for
the American Congress so TO shape and
frame the revenue laws Of the country as
to guard and protect our own industry
against foreign competition and foreign
pauperism, and gentlemen reason and ro-
fine upon ii, by following metaphysical
hnmbugs. until they are lost in the mazcs
of abstractionsm. instead OF looking AT
plain, substantial facts, as they are existing
and transpiring around them and through
out the country every day.
But, MIR. Chairman, it is amusing TO see
with what facility gentlemen get rid OF
these Constitutional scruples, when their
districts or their sections Of the country
are to be benefited by any action Of the
government. These gentlemen who hold
TO this strict consiruc,ion-that you can
not pass d tariff which will discriminate in
favor Of the protection OF home labor-lhat
you can not print an agricultural report
sen, from one OF the departments Of the
Government you have not the power
to establish bureau, nor to improve the
rivers and haIbors Of the country, nor con-
s,ruct great thoroughiares. and public
hishways-yet these same strict construc-
tionIsts, when an appropriation OF public
lands is to be made to private corporations
10 make railroads in Alabama or MiSsisslp
pi, or 10 endow institutions OF learning
there, or support public scbools. forego all
these distractions and come up boldly, and
advocate and vote Tor such measures. do
not alude to these objects 10 express nv
opposition to them do not entertain such
narrow and limited views Of the Const'iu-
tion OF the United States. Nor am infiu-
euced by such contracted notions OF pubic
policy. I do not think that the pubic lands
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