The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-26

r | such finer fabrics as we would not produce f,r
a some time to come, or into new employments /
0 have no apprehension that people intelligent
energetic and cntcrprsing as they are, will fail to
find means OF sustaining themselves in comfort and
prosperity.
, If i object now to the imposition Of high pro-
tective duties for their immediate benefit Il is be-
cause regard such line Of policy adverse to
the general interests of the country ! admit the
+ advantage Of manufacturing establishments to all
classes OF persons in their vicinity but they
be such establishments sustain themselves
without the aid of heavy burdens imposed on other
Interests. Few persons appreciate the entire
posed on the country. This has arisen very much
from the circumstance which formerly had
casion TO advert to, that there had been great
gradual decline in the prices of all manufactured
articles. This has prevented complaint among our
people. because they did not know that the rcduc-
ton in the prices Of these articles has been even
greater in other countries than in have
also thought that the opponents of the protective
system erred in endeavoring to represent it as
southern and northern question, thereby giving
adventitous strength to the manufacturing inter-
4 ests The northwestern States suffer in the same
manner, and to siniar extent, with those of the
| South.
To make this manifest, let us look for a moment
at the practical operation of the system. Last year
| the Government received about forty millions ia
duties. Remember that this sum, however. was
paid by the importers. When they sold 10 the
wholesale dealers they received their whole ex-
penditure, including the duties paid, profit of
from seven to ten or more per cent. When the
ccived similar profit. When the retail dealers
| sold to the consumers-their customers-they add
ed usually not less than fifty per on the whole
cost Of them. II ia obvious therefore, that by the
timo these goods came to the hands of the con-
sumers Of the country generally they were, in con-
sequence of the forty millions paid to the Govern
| ment, enhanced in value to the consumers 10 the
amount OF at least seventy five millions. The more
remote the consumer from the point of Importation
and the greater the number of ands through which
! the article would have to pass to reach him, the
| M q thc hcayi
the burden. As the Government actually realized
the stated it is obvious that the additional coat
| to the consumers must have occurred. This, how
ever, is only part of the burden. AZ the impos-
ton of these duties increased the prices of the
ces generally, larger Gum was paid for those OF
the iron used in the United States is believed to be
of domestic production, only sixth Of that used
being imported from abroad. What is the proper
certaned with precision, but it is supposed to bo
two three times as much at least in value the
imports There can be little doubt, therefore, that
the amounts paid to the manufacturers indirectly
is vastly greater than that received by the Govern
mcnt. Undoubtedly there is compensation
in the benefits derived from the existence of The
manufacturing establishments. but this il limited
almost entirely to the immediate vicinity of those
factories. Tho great body of consumers in the
western well in the southern States derive lit
tie or none of the benefit. 1t costs them there
nearly much in the way of transportation from the
domestic as it would do from the foreign establish
mens. As purchasers, therefore, il s their interest
to buy the article which s cheapest in Market with
out reference to the place of is production. Nor do
they derive much If any advantage from the home
market, its benefit being confined to those in the
| immediate vicinity Of the establishments What
comfort is it to a farmer. who knows that he is
paying too much for his iron, cotton and woollen
cloths, and other articles Of consumption, and who
is receiving little or nothing for his produce to
| dred thousand mes from him. in the vicinity
of manufacturing establishment, are getting good
prices for their produce. repeat, sir. that am
spring up throughout the country, aud arm graft
fed 70 sec the extraordinary progress made in that
| species of industry. The North has made great
mistake in getting up the late anti slavery agita-
tion. Instead of endcavoring to limit slavery to
the territory where it now exists, if they had con-
suited their interests they would have consented
BY thus allowing the slaves and their owners TO be
diffused over wide extent of country, they would
have been kept employed in agriculture, and the
competition Of their labor would thereby have been
| escaped, and they would have continued good cus-
toners. But by limiting them as to territory they
will be driven, whether they will not, into man.
ufacturing for themselves. The conduct of the
! North, while, in my judgment, "crime" to us.
was, like Napoleon's invasion of Spain, .blunder'
for them. What they intended injury, like
| many other seeming evils. may prove in the end
a benefit So wise and benevolent is the system
| ordained by Providence, that it Usually depends
| upon ourselves whether particular occurrence
shall, in it's results, be evil blessing. In the
language Of Burke, 'our antagonists is helper -
| The energy which we have summoned to our aid
to enable US resist threatened danger will give
US strength for forward movement. A great i'm
pulse has been given to the southern mind within
4 the last twelve months. Much of this s due to the
direction purposely given to the debates of the last
session by some of the speakers While, therefore.
cannot too strongly denounce the acts OF the last
session in relation TO the Mexican territory, do
not, have ever, pretended that they would be
followed BY any great immediate practical injury
| to US. Undoubtedly, depriving US OF all share in
the public territory, and limiting slavery TO the
area it now occupies, is the greatest injury. with
reference to that interest, which the Government
could possibly infiict on US, until it shall have at
tackled the institution in the States themselves.
The other measures proposed by the Abolitionists
arc comparatively insignificant in their ultimate
sion could be claimed a political victory by the
Free. soil Abolition party. That party had
staked itself on the passage of positive act OF ex
clusion, viz the Wilmot proviso, or Jeffersonian
ordinance. After a few weeks discussion il was
driven from this ground, being defeated on direct
| vote. Ii then fell back on what was called the
Presidents plan, to wit: the admission Of Terrific
ries as free Staee In this movement, after long
struggle. they wero frustrated and focd by tho
dilatory motions which the minority resorted ~,
and which il was seen could and would be inde-
initcly prolonged. IL is true, however, that the
measures actually passed did in the end practi-
caly give them the exclusion of slavery which they
desired. This, however, was owing to the ac-
ton of southern men, who by their votes con-
sented that this section of the Union should be-
| excluded What have right to complain of is
that afterthe Abolition party stood thus defeated
before the country, southern men should have
been willing to give them practically all the fruits
of the victory. II is said, however, that the south
saved its honor. So did the Mexican army MT
Monterey But though 1t capituated with the
honors OF war, 1t surrendered up the city, the OBJ
ject for which the battle was fought. Ii we had ,
been overpowered and defeated by this party,
could better have borne their seizing the fruits of
the victory. by giving up thus all the Mexican
territory to them, in addition to that previously
held by the Government and made free by acts
OF Congress, we have put it in their power to call
O n Mt fuu or rfy I'D.
ditional free States. II We have found them trou.
| blcsomc now, will they not be more formidable
when thus strengthened, should they be reused to
another attack II is this view Of the future which
| has produced the deep dissatisfaction existing in
the South. Our people eel that the outposts have
been surrendered to our enemies, and that courage
and hrmncss can alone protect them. Even those
among who have defended or apologxcd for
thcso measures, have tacitly acknowledged the