The southern press., 1851-12-18


idle to claim as the entire work of any human
legislation; but it would be flying In the face of
that prosperity, to revoke the legislation under
which the United States have been so signally
blessed
We are not going to confound those very
distinct things, post hoe and propter hoe, that
which simply follows, and that which conse-
quently resuI s ; but, at all events, negative is
proved, and negative is sufficient for the pur-
pose; the free trade trif OF 1876. has not
ruined the United States, and the dark prognos-
ticailons OF its opponents have been utterly dis
appointed. There is only one fact that so much
as suggests the thought of explanation, for il
cannot be said to require it. The imports into
the United States have lately been considerably
IN excess OF the exports, and it is an axiom Of
protectlonlst philosophy that prosperous ma
tion should always be sending to its neighbors
much more than it is receiving in return. Ac-
cordng TO this theory, the Americans are being
worsted in the competition Of commerce, and
must, before long, find the balance of trade
much against them. Mr.. Walker disposes Of
this view OF the question by the reply that Amer
lea does the greater part of her commerce in her
own ships; and also receives a higher price
abroad for her EXPORTS than they cost her at
home. These two con. iderations are perhaps
quEe enough to account for her excess of i'm
ports over exports. Other considerations might
be added but, for our own part, we must think
it wholly superfluous to account for a fact on
the face OF it so far from distressing, of ma.
ton receiving, for long period, more from her
neighbors than she gives in return.
With the tact of man who has been minis
ter Of finance, and who may be President, Mr..
Walker does not so much us aDlude to the
classes when consider themselves speedily az
grieved by the. existing tariff Of his country.
Such classes, however, there are-spinners.
weavers, lace makers, carpet makers, hardware
manufacturers, miners, machine makers musical
instrument makers, and nnmberless smaller
crafts-who are each of them strongly of opin-
ion that the citizens of the whole Union are in
duty bound to give very large preference to
American manufactures. 1t is argued there, as
here, that the price of imported manufactures,
over and above the cost of the raw material,
consists, in fact, of the wages of labor, which
might have been found and employed at h, me
and that if the United States will do everything
at home, it will save that cost of foreign labor.
As similar questions have agitated every house.
hold in the ord, before free trade or protec.
ton was heard of; md rs the COMMON sense Of
mankind has long settled that, it is in many
cases pecunary saving to bay things ready
made, and get things done out of DOORS instead
OF attempting to do them at home, it is needless
TO say what we think of American financiers
settling the question unreservedly in favor of
home production. Mr.. Walker, doubtless from
motives of delicacy, does not expressly allude
to the singular treasury reports that have lately
come out Mt Washington. In discussing the
bearing of protective duties, he applies his
remarks to this country, and offers an estimate
of the loss suffered by the British community at
large, for the sake of the single agricultural
class, ny the operation Of the corn laws Hap
PLY, the principle for which he is contending
does not depend on any such calculation.
We have not been III the habit ourselves of
considering the corn laws to have operated 80
thoroughly and entirely as a transfer of wealth
to the agricultural class from IT, rest If the peo-
pie. AT all events, an estimate putting that
transfer at eight hundred millions, we believe to
be an arithmetcal illnsion. The corn laws have
been far more injurious to the many than profit
able to the few. Without, then, attempting to
cast up the vast aggregate of mischief, we are
content TO call protection scheme to tax the
public for the benefit of this or that class. That
is what the manufacturers. of New England have
attempted rron the rest of the United States.
Under the tariff Of 1912, they had some success,
but that success has proved their ruin; and now,
ike our own agrlcuiturists, they are demanding
a recurrence TO The former tariff, on the ground
oil good faith, alleging TINT they wCra tempted
thereby to invest money in factories, which they
can hardly afford to keep open under the present
reduced scale Of duties In fact, there are lust
such complaints, and just the same disaffected
classes in the United States, rs in this country
with this difference, that there the malipnants
are manufacturers here they are agiicuturalists.
Yet, amid these complaints, 10 both countries an
unexampled prosperity, extending to all the in
dustrial classes, is sufficient practical reply to
the complaints Of this or that interest, stripped
Of its former prot, elton. That is enough for
rs. We will not call our agrculturists robbers,
or run upa bill Of damages against them; bat
we are satisfied that England can he prosperous
and safe without paying them black mail.
VIRGINIA ELEcTIoS.-The Richmond Times
has the following summary of the result of the
late election:
In sixty-two counties Of Eastern Virginia.
which gave General Taylor 1852 majority, (in-
Guiding all except Accomac, Henry, Patrick
Pttsylvania, Lancaster, Westmoreland, Lunen.
burg, Mathews, Northumberland and Prince
William, which gave General Taylor majority
OF i57) Johnson now obtains n majority of
$3.50; and in twenty western counties heard
from, Qnclrding Rockir CHAN, Shenandoah and
Page, in which we assume that he gets 440O,)
he obtains majority Of about $500. These
twenty counties gave General CasS minority
Of 1888 In the eighty.two counties heard
from, therefore, which gave General Taylor a
net majority Of 26i, Johnson now gets about
5000. As the State gave Gen. Cass a majority
OF some 1000, the Democratic gain thus Gar,
without farther change. would give Johnson an
aggregate majority Of about 1000.
". s...f 4 A.
ocrats and 3s Wings TO the House of Dele.
gates: and Of - Democrats and II Whiv, 10
the Senate. The House has l52 m .mbers. and
the Senate 80.
From the South Caroiinian.