Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-02-03
Tie Ra{aMCe of Trade.


The friends Of high tariff profess to be g;rcat-
ly alarmed, in consequence Of the large export Of
specie from the United States, during the last IL
nanc;al year. Heavy commercial cmbarrass-
mert, the ruin Of the manufacturers, and Il gene
ral imporeri hn eat # the country, evils pre-
+ diced, unless the present revenue system G
changed, and the producers of our exports and
consumers of the imports. shall consent to spe-
cifc tariff. The iron producers say their coal and
ore SO far apart, aud their mills SO distant from
market, that duty of thirty per cent On foreign
iron, they cannot stand the competition. And
vet they would have us to believe, that al in
terest requiring such props to sustain it, should
be aided by still heavier tariff, else the coun-
try will be ruined.
1t seems to be the fashion of the day, for eve
ry man, who finds himself involved in All unfor-
tunate speculation to look to the Government
of the Union to help him ont of it. Our North
ern cicnds think the products of cotton, rice, to-
bacco, flour, pork and other articles, which make
up the exports Of tile country, are fair game
that they must not only pay the whole revenue
| of the government, but must also submit to a
little extra taxation in favor Of the manufacturer
who has made miss and imagines that he is
about to be ruined. We have never heard of
the government extending its aid to the sinking
agriculturalists. Thousands engage in that busi-
hess who know nothing about it, and in the course
of time, their estates are brought to the ham
mer; but in hssir day of difficulty they do not
dream Of crying to the government for aid, or
imagine that their ruin must necessarily impov-
erish the country. But the manufacturer, who,
in successful times, pockets profits greater than
the agriculturalist can ever hope for, SO soon as
he meets with rcverScS, begins to cry ont for help
and to predict wo for the country if he is not
helped.
To one knowing the facts Of the case, the wall
which the tarfites have raised over the dread
full drain of specie from the country, cyctes no
sympathy whatever. \ part of our specie goes
abroad to pay for articles consumed by the gold
diggcrs Of California-nothing else than could
have been expected; and yet this most natural
result Of the California acquisition, is mourned
over as a sure sign Of coming poverty. Thous-
ands ard tens Of thousands # foreigners rush in
to California, and to supply their need foreign
goods We're imported. But they produced rcth-
er cotton, flour, pork. ""' e. for eXport-noth-
ing but gold dust wonderful, that a part
OF their produce s. &c exported to pay for
the foreign articles wnlch they consume! And
is our country impoverished, because its extraor-
dinary productions for rXiort are not equal 10
the extraordinary demand! The idea is utterly
nonsans;cal. We consume lorvi IN goddard
Fay for thom il our staple production, and the
CaE:ornans do The same. We lay cotton and
rice, and they in gold dust.
Whence, tlicl, tic impovcrishnlent Of the
country: How does it appear from this, that
the balance OF trade is against us? 1t is not so;
the only difference, is that gold has become onc
of the productions our coultry, and Is as much
legitimate article Of export as iron lead Or cot
tom
But, it is said, that Our production of iron
has greatly diminished, and, is inferred that
from this, the RESOURCES Of the country are dl-
minishcd, also This does not follow. The pro
duction Of iron may be profitable, and yet some
other business may be more So; and, if the labor
which might otherwise be expended i'll the man
u;,cturc OF iron, be now more profitably employ
cd, the resources Of The country are thereby III
increased, not diminished. Bat why waste our
time reasoning Oh the subject! All these pre-
tcuceS arc but the efforts of men who desire to
grow rich at The exports Of the country. They
therefore, struggle to Use the Government TOR
the advancement Of their ends. For this, they
plan, organize ard combine, and their opposers
must learn to do likewise. All the victories
which may be gained over them in the field of
argument, will leave them victories in the end,
unless We manage to destroy the lniuenc; OF
lobby mcmber>Mp.-Southrrm Sfo"1o'tt