Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-08-10
The Protective Policy amd the Demo-
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rendered the following opinion
The prosperity ola people depends upo"
their ability to turn their labor TO account !;
and unless the objects oflabor arc diversified,
there can be no general success"
The Lynchburg Republican OF Monday put
forth the following paragraph;
What privileges advantages and exemptions
do manufacturing companies ENJOY There IS
no premium given To them for their manuiactu-
res-they are not exempt from taxation. and
in reality il is the laboring classes that are
benefited by their establishment. The Yankee
girl, who could no, make more than dollar
and half per week by the spinning wheel. can
now make from six To twelve dollars per
week at the cotton factory. whereas. the stock
holder for years past has not received as
much as the legal interest upon the capital he
has invested, and in many instances no returns
whatever Female labor has never teen paid
SO well elsewhere as il has been by cotton lac.
tories. and as evidence oil it. ia all the New
England States the establishment OF a factory
in a village or neighborhood is looked upon
as a blessing, not as a curse"
We dare say il will be difficult for the read
or 10 realize that the foregoing extracts are
from two of tie most incorporating demo-
cratic journals in the country. They embody
the whole philosophy, and exhibit the prac'
teal working, of Mr.. Clay's celebrated AMER
IcAs system The objects of that system were
to diversity labor.to create new sources OF EN-
ployment and to build up a home market.
His plan was To withdraw from production the
excess Of labor and capital somployed. and
invest ii in manufacturns-th effect OF which
would be TO ereate new element Of national
wealth and independence, and, at The same
time, bring into existence consuming class
To supply hose demands would afford n
market for tho surplus products of the agricuI'
turst. The process by which this was to lie
accomplished was as simple. as tho object is
now admitted to be bcnefcent. 1t was only
necessary, in laying the duties on imports, 80
10 adjust them, as TO sustain the manufactures
in competing with the cheap labor of Europe.
Mr.. Clay thought i, necessary to hold upour In
FAINT establishments, until they should be able
To stand al, ne--and then ho was wiling to see
the hand Of the government wi'hlrawn This
is the entire theory, origin, motive and ed of
the much. abused protective system, OF that
great statesman and patriot, We do not pro
fess To he sufficiently Informed in regard to
the present condition of our manufacturing es.
Establishments, TO say whether all assistance
could now be safely Withdrawn from them.
fit were so, an abandonment OF the protective
system would involve no departure from the
doctrine of Mr.. Clay, nor be at all inconsistent
in his followers. Certain it Is, the party now
in power-that party which for years denoun-
ccd the protective policy as the essence of all
political abominaiion. and DETAINED and yill6ed
its great author, without measure or respite
have not DESTROYED it-and from the language
ofthe journas quoted above, there seems but
slight cause 10 apprehend any such result. 1t
has been but q brief period since these same
journals ragged fercely at" the black tariff
"the bill Of abominaiion"-"the lords of the
loom and 90, through the woo ange Of ephhet
ic denunciation. Now they are mildly and har
moniously cooling over the blessingsol' diver 81
fed labor and the beauties of six 10 twelve
dollars per week compensation to the'Yanker
girl forlabor in tho Cotton factory We well re
member whent these same cotton fact Dries we're
stigmatized by Southern democrats as lagar.
houses Of oppression and prostltutlon-thes'
well paid Yankee girls branded as being
whose daily bread was earned by other mean
than honest industry-and the tariff bcrated Al
an invention whose operation was for The sol,
behoof of TIE luxurious and hear,less ''lord
of the loom' Mr. Clay has passed from tn,
scene of his life time struggles: the hosts tina
followed his white plume, through the smok
and dust Of many conflict, are dispossesse,
ofall place and power; bu, they have the con
ISOLATION of seeing the principles for which HI
and they battled 80 long and manfolly vind
Gated by the confessions and adoption of lhos
who opposed them with zeal but lutte les
than frantic. "Truth crushed to earth will .is
again"-and so the ever living principles @
right, advocated by the Wing par,y,cannot b
suppressed or resisted, but, in some form ant