Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-06-25

Charleston mercury, on the subject oil pro- |
tecting home industry, and invite for it,
that careful consideration of all It is
true that the article refers to the policy as
restricted to cities and neighborhoods but
the Intelligent reader can not fail to arrive
at the conclusion, that, if it is the true
policy Of Charleston to encourage its own
mechanics and manufacturers, it is equally
the true policy of the State of South
Carolina to do tho Same thing-of the
whole South to do the same thing--of the
whole Union to do the same thing. The
difference between the policy, as confined
to Charleston, and as extended to the whole
Union, consists solely in the extent Of its
application--the broad principle remain
ing the same in both cases. If Charleston
impoverishes itself, and checks its growth
in wealth and population, by getting its
work done in New York, the United States
suffers in like manner, by getting its work
done in Europe. To contend otherwise,
is to ignore great principle, when applied
on large scale, and to endorse it when
reduced to the narrowest circle within
which it can operate. The Inconsistency
ofsuch action and reasoningi is too palpable
to escape detection.
The occasion which called forth the
article We copy, is controversy among
the citizens Of Charleston, whether the
city bill shall be cast at home or in New
York. The fayorers Of New York are, Of
course, guided by the free trade theory, of
which Charleston is the centre, and claim
that it is the true policy to buy where we
can buy cheapest. The other party think
it the true policy to protect home industry,
as the surest means Of building up and
enriching their city. The former policy
has long prevailed all over the South, and
the effect has been to crush mechanic and
manufacturing enterprise in the slave
States, and to subject them to degree of
dependence upon the North which enables
that section to assume an arrogant and
overbearing tone, and an aggressive attitude
that threatens the security Of the institu-
ton of slavery. And SO long as the South
acts upon this free trade policy, it will
continue to be dependent upon the North,
with its cheap labor and heavy capital for
las in case of the Charleston bell-people
will buy where they can buy the cheapest,
until they are taught, by experience, that
cheap bargains may be the dearest in the
end.
If, then, the cheap labor of the North,
and its abundant capital hold out induce
ments to the South to get its work done
there; and the result is-as none can sue
cessfully deny, the prostration of enterprise,
and the impoverishment of the South by
the passing of its capital into foreign hands,
by what Legitimate process of reasoning
can it be shown that the United States is
not impoverished by getting its work done
by the pauper labor and abundant capital
of Europc2 In both cases, the motive of
action is the same--to buy where we can
buy cheapcst--and, in both, the effect must
be the same, or the axiom, that like causes
produce like effects, is an egregious falacy
If, then, these positions be correct, what
must be the effect of free trade and direct
taxation2 The former will enrich Europe
aud impoverish the United States,-as is
clearly demonstrated by every monetary
revulson induced by excessive importation
and the latter will swell the enormous
patronage of the President by giving him
the appointment of thousands of revenue
officers, to visit the novels of the poor and
demand a tax which they do not now pay.
The wealthy and the thriving now support
the government, through the revenue tax,
(and it is right that they should bear the
burden OF their own extravaganza whilst
the pittance paid by the poor, under the
tariff, is 100 triaing to be felt--they don t
even know that they pay it. But turn
loose an army of revenue officers to exact
pro rata tax from ALL for the support of
the General Government, in addition to
the State tax, and the hard handed laborer
will soon have cause to curse the free trade
policy which makes him pay direct fed
cral tax, that his rich neighbor may wal
low in cheap Injuries produced by foreign
tabor, and at the cost of reduction of his
own wages And not only must the poor
hborcr pay his proportion of this fed
cral tax, but he must Pay, in addition, his
proportion towards making up the salaries
of the thousands of revenue officers turned
loose upon the country to harrass the poor
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