Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-15

le.s labor Than wo could cultivate them
hero; therefore we gain by sending abroad
for them. The same is also true Of the
products OF manufacture which we are
not yet skilled in making. There is not
suflit lent magic in tariff law, to sud.
denly convert nation Of agriculturists
into skillful and cunning artizans.
We oppose Specific protection" be.
cause it is opposed to our extended CON-
merce. Commerce is the only agent that
brings distant and unknown nations into
an acquaintance with each other 1t is
fast becoming golden everlasting
chain OF peace that shall unite hitherto
belligcrent peoples, into csmmon bond
Of brotherhood. The impulse that steam
has given to commerce, on both land and
sea, is astonishing TO most minds. New
disc coveries and applications Of the
chemical and the mechanical powers
are continually being made, 50 as to fa'
cilitate to a still great,r extent, both II
interchange of commodities, anl ofideas.
Ericsson's invention may yet prove to
be the most valuable auxiliary that has
vet been made 10 commerce and naviga.
ton.
The men Of thought everywhere, re-
gard commerce and navigation as the
means, by which civil and religious free.
dom are to be spread over the face Of
the globe, gladdening in their progress
the "soiitary places" and converting
the "haJita'ions of cruelty" into places
of civilization and humanity.
We are sorry to see a paper like the
Tribune, foster the old national prejuli.
ces. "BritisA Free Trade" was wrung
rom the aristocracy of England by the
Democracy Of that country. The repeal
of the corn laws has brought bread to
thousands, who before Were furnishing.
We should hail with Joy movements
that tend to the good of the masses.
If the argument Of the protcctionists
proves anything, it proves that we, like
the Chinese, should build wall around
our country, and thus cut of communi.
cation with all other parts Of the world,
that We, like the Japanese, may not be
contaminated by intercourse with the
"outside barbarans."
We do not see how the mass Of people
can be benefited by protective tar.
iff," because the price Of labor is regu.
lated by the amount fwork to be done,
and the number Of men in the field to
labor, and the work to be performed
in other words it is regulated by the Law
Of supply and demand; as agriculture
forms the great demand Of American la
Dor, the prices paid by farmers vii. be
the general standard ofthe wages Of com
mon labor.
Every rise in the price Of commodities
operates to the injury of daily labor, be
cause wages are the last thing to ad
vance. Within the last eight months
there has been great advance in tn
price of manufactured articles, as vel
as in the price Of provisions, but labo
remains very nearly the same now tina
it was when Pig iron was S25 per ton
pork So so per hundred, ana flour SO 81
|. per barrel, while there has, or an aver
age been an advance Of over So per cen
in the price Of commodities, wrought b
the hands Of labor, wages have not ad
| vanced more than from to 10 per CEN
/ leaving balance of from 20 to 25 pc
D cent against wages.
4 Under any state Of the case wealth
e a strong hold; capital can take care {
;, itself, can clothe and feed its posscssol
i. on the daintiest, and fare sumptuous eve
e ry day, but labor cannot keep itself;
e must sell itselfo starve, necessity stror
r ger than law compels the sale Of it, an
# regulates its price. Law therefore, car
" not in the way of "tariff," protect labo
;. and it has never been protected; it onI
C needs to be let alone. Let us have o,
/. rights in the soil which our God, an
/. your God made for one as well as f
d another of his children, and then let
/. alone, is the true motto Of labor. WI
n doubts that if labor in England and lr
II land was left to itself, if it was free fro
ir the Lords spiritual, and the Lords ter
lie poral, and their rent rolls, and excise
'e and the armies Of tax gatherers was a
T" nihilatel, and swept from existence |
K. the potent breath Of the people, tn
they would be better fed, and bett
er clothed and educated than they now al
Of or can be while their system Of oppre
en- sive taxation exists.
ms Are the protcctionists so smitten wi
no blindness, that they cannot discern t
.c Al %:..o,0