The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-09

No. 81.

These are the three great interests OF all CIV
| ilized States In their natural ORDER agrcpl
ture and manufactures precede commerce, be-
cause the latter is founded on an exchange OF
the productions of the two former Ii, however
agriculture is the basis of the strength, The
prosperity and the happiness of nations, because
it affords those means, not only essential to hui
man existence, but indispensable to commerce
and manufactures; and while it gives bread to
ALL affords employment to by far the greater
proportion ofthe people.
| 1t would seem then that if governments 'oM
take upon themselves to assume the special pro
lection of any one of the great interests OF the
country in preference to another, II should be
that which is most important TO the prosperity
and happiness of ALL This is most especially
the case in the United States where the number
of citizens engaged in agricultural pursuits is so
much greater than all the rest put together. But
such has not been the policy Of the government
of the United States, which has on almost,
may say all occasions, adopted commerce and
manufactures its pets, leaving agriculture TO
course of legislation from the commencement
of our independence to the present time, we
shall find the alteration of government almost
exclusively directed TO fostering the commerce
of the country, until at more recent period,
manufactures entered the lists most formi-
dable rival. The contest is now between the
two, and it has become struggle, which shall
L ca. 1. - IL
ture. The probability is that they will in ia
ture divide the patronage of government be
tween them, and each get as much rs it can,
while agriculture will be called upon at various
times, to make sacrifices 10 both.
1t has always appeared to me that it is equally
at war with the principles of Justice which
ought to be the basis of all good governments,
as with that wise policy it becomes them to
pursue, to make any distinction between one
great interest of the country, and any, or all the
others. Government is instituted for the bene
fit and protection of all alike, without distinc-
ton of profession or occupation, and has no
right to select any class as peculiar objects OF
its encouragement. This is direct innovation
on that great principle of equal rights and equal
prot elton, which is the basis of all free govern
mens. No government so founded is author
lied TO make itself the judge of what class is
best entitled to its peculiar patronage and be-
stow it accordingly, because by so doing it CON-
mits injustice to all the others, since no propo-
sition is more undeniable, than that what is be-
slowed on one is at the expense of the rest.
All cannot be equally benefited by what is
given to one alone.
| am aware that according to the circular
reasonings of political governments, whatever
is for the benefit of one member of the COM
munty is for the benefit of the whole. These
writers, while railing at ngraranism and social
, ism, thus adopt principle which embodies the
very essence of both; for if the good of one is
SYNONYMOUS with that Of the whole, then it fol
lows that it is right and proper that all should
I equally contribute TO the good Of one. Or, i
3 we take the converse of the proposition, instead
of an argument in favor of agrarianism, or soc
alism, it is one in support Of monopoly, since, il
: the good of one is the good of the whole, the
greater the good he possesses, the better for all
the rest, although they may be deprived of it
altogether.
But nations are not exactly corporations, or
Joint stock companies. Though identified in
certain great points, such as the national inter
est, independence and honor, the personal and
private interests of individuals are different,
| may say opposite, as if they inhabited the most
distant regions of the earth. With these no
government should interfere any farther than is
necessary to the general protection of person
and property. 1t has no right to say to one
man, or one class of men, your prosperity is of
more consequence to the general welfare than
| that of Others and therefore you shall be spec
ally encouraged; to another your labors are less
beneficial, and therefore you have no claim to
protection. They should be left to themselves,
and will venture to affirm, that if thus left to
their natural and inevitable operation, that class
whose occupation is most generally beneficial to
individuals and most conducive to the prosper
! ity and happiness of the nation will always pre-
dominate, Just as far as is compatible with the
rights and interests of the other classes. In
stead Ct this salutary result, the invarable con-
sequence of selecting and pampering one class
or one interest, not only to the exclusion
but at the expense of all the others, is TO create
bloa,ed phantom, which by degrees swallows
up the reality Of national prosperity, and makes
all around it tributary to its Unsuitable voracity
By concentrated interests, and concentrated
wealth, it becomes too strong for the unsteady
unorganized operation of the farmers, who
never combine in anything, and though outnnm-
boring all the rest put together, are always in a
minority in legislative bodies chiefly by their
own short sightedness.
They shrink from direct taxation--the only
elfec.ual mode of REFRESHING the extravaganza
of government--and quietly submit TO be taxed
two or three times as much indirectly for al
most every thing they swallow, and every thing
they wear; they submit t. have their property
mortgaged, and to pay interest for loans to al
most any amount, while they would turn out
any administration neck and heels, that should