New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-14

be compensated IOr q uiliinutioh III INC uoui0'-
tic demand for food consequent upon our ao-
stinence from manufactures, by vast demand
for the supply of artisans abroad. Experience
has however. proved the fallacy of this anticipa-
ton. Our whole export to the manufacturing
countries of the world in the last two years,
has averaged, we believe, little more than ten
millions of dollars, being far less than one per
cent. of the value of the produce OF our farms,
and certainly not more than one-third of the
amount of the market that would almost i'm
mediately be created by a restoration OF pro-
lection to iron and other branches Of manu-
features. That protection would likewise di-
minish the necessity for resortingto agrcul-
ture as the sole means Of employment, and
would thus diminish the competition for the
sale of the products of the farm, while, BY d.
versifying the employmsnts OF the laborer and
increasing the demand for labor, the power to
purchase food and clothing would be increased,
and all, farmers, planters, mechanics and Ia
borers, would be benefited. Our populations
now increasing at the rate Of almost million
year. and nearly all Of this large increase is
forced to apply itself to the cultivation Of the
soil, with constantly increasing necessity for an
enlargement Of their market; and yet In the
only food-purchasing country OF Europe we
have to remark that the population has be-
come stationary, while agriculture improvesso
rapidly as to promise speedily to supply the
whole demand for food A continued increase
of the number of our producers, accompanied
by decline in the number Of their customers
such as is now taking place must be productive
consequences most injurious to our great agri
cultural interest. That protection which would
enable our farmers to supply themselves cheaplys
with iron and manufactures generally, is pre-
sisely the measure needed for giving them the
market they require and for enabling both farm
or and planter to obtain better prices for
their products, and both laborer and mechan-
ic to obtain better prices for their labor
The revenue is now as we see, large, but it
behoves us to study carefully into the causes
to which this fact is due, with view to deter
mine how far we may rely on its continuance
at or even near its present amount. On for
msr occasion, the Treasury labOred under
remarkable plethora of revenue, but it was fol-
lowed by period equally remarkable for its
exhaustion. Our imports now exceed, as they
then exceeded, our power to pay for them, and
we are now contracting, as We then contract
ed, a large foreign debt, the growth Of which
becomes more rapid from year to year. These
impOrtations yield revenue, but its continuance
is dependent on the power to purchase foreign
commodities without the means of present
payment. The slightest occurrence affecting
our credit-the least panic in foreign markets
whose movements are to great extent con-
trolled by persons whose feelings are adverse
to our iDstitutiOns-the occurrence OF any
1 circumstance tending to the production of
state of war-would certainly be followed by
decline in the prices of the vast amount of
stocks and bonds now held in Europe, esti-
mated to exceed in amount S250000,000, aud
this would be followed by mercantile paraly-
sis similar to that witnessed but few years
since Not only would our merchants then
be disabled from making further purchases on
credit, but large amounts of credit already
given would be withdrawn, and our revenue
would disappear at the moment when it might
mCst be needed. L" In time Of peace prepare
for war" was the advice of Washington, and il
is advice that should never be forgotten. How
ever peacefully We may be disposed and how.
ever tranquil may be the aspect of affairs,
causes Of war are always liable to occur, and
the surest way to secure respect for our rights
and thus avoid the calamities of war itself, is
10 show to the world that We are always pre-
Jared 10 defend those rights. Apart, however,
from all consideration of present danger, it
must, We think be obvious TO every man of
reasonable judgment that the existence of this
enormous foreign debt giyes 10 its holders q
control over the operations of both the people
and the Government entirely inconsistent with
the security and dignity of the nation, and
that continuance Of the system under which
II is now so rapidly increasing cannot fail to be
productive Of the most injurious results.
We desire TO see our people advance in
prosperity and our country in power, and to
tie accomplishment Of these objects combna-
ton OF effort among ourselves is indispensable.
Tie purely agricultural countries of the world
are weak and their people are poor, whereas,
IN all those in which efficient protection
has enabled the farmer to combine his efforts
with those Of the artisan we see steady i'm.
provement OF the condition Of the people, and
increase of the power of the nation of which
they are a part. What We see TO be true of
all other nations can scarcely fail to be true in
regard m nrrsalvas