Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-23

that obtained from abroad, he or they have NJ y.
right to ask that the legislation Of the country
shonld be regulated and shaped for his or their
benefit against the interests Of the great bodv m
the whole. If they desire 10 go abroad 10 bur.
chase. let them go abroad, they have a right to
do it-but they have no right to require or 10
ask government to adopt system Of Legislation
that will bring the foreign article from abroad
for their benefit, when it is to operate iniuri.
ously to the general community at home And
hope this view of the subject viii be well con.
sidered.
L.; us see how this policy operates, partieu.
larIy upon the articles OF coal and iron, the chief
agents of the greatness, the wealth, and power
Of n state; and the same argument that appIie.
to them, viii apply to every other article tbat
can be manufactured IN the country.
In PENNSYLVANIA and Virginia, as well as in
other States, we have mountains Of iron, on oDs
side. and mountains Of coal on the other. with
hundreds and thousands Of unemployed hands
covering their sides and their base, ready to take
them from the bowels Of the earth. and mould
that iron into form for national defences, for
railroad, agricultural, manufacturing. and al
other industrial purposes; and yet, by the policy
of our government, we say, mol let the iron
remain imbedded in the earth, let the coal rest
where Nature has formed 1t, let the labor remain
in jdIenesS-there is iron, and coal, and labor
in Europe that we prefer to employ; it is better
for us to send our money abroad, and encourage
the industry of those who are foreign TO Us,
than keen that money at home and Law it out
in your labor, and our mineral resources. You
have no claims on the friendly legislation Of
This Government IL is better for US to paw
SIS a ton for iron in Europe, than to pay $50
10 YOU; and therefore, you may staTve, or steal,
or rot, but you can get no help from Us. AMI
there these poor labOrers, with families OF chill
dren furnishing for food, stand day alter day,
with their arms folded in idlencss and poverty,
in anguish and sorrow, to look upon the iron
horse rs it passes swiftly by their doors,
freighted with the iron from abroad, TO supply
the demands Of those who would lead willing
ear to their supplicatinns for work. but that this
Democratic Government has closed the furnaces
and the foundrieS, and the manufactures, and
left them no alternative but to purchase abroad
or go withOut-and this is regarded as strict
test OF Democracy; and these poor, deluded,
misguided men win go the next day TO the polls
and bless the hand that smiteS them, by hur-
raining for Democracy and voting for the very
men that have caused their ruin.
All men will admit that If a man possessing
an income of $4,000 year spends $4,000 no
must, sooner or later, come 70 the end OF has
estate, and, presume, mono will be hardy
enough to question that the same rule, and the
same result, will attend n nation that annually
spends millions more than its productions will
yield. Let us see what has been the practical
working of free trade and protection.
Under the protective tariff of ~, our imports
in five years from 1913 to lS4T, amounted tn
S4Gj, $50. 6I2, and our exports, during the same
time amounted to S527, oct, 344. showing an
excess of exports, or n balance of trade in our
favor of SG2, 3I5, G72, and under the operations
of that tariff, this balance of trade was going
on, steadily increasing, having in the last year
of its operation (lS41,) reached the sum of
S34, 3l7 ,24S. The country was rapidly recover
ing from the calamitOus results of low duties.
or the free trade policy growing out of the COM
81 r-hSnl,
vulsion of 1887 took place, and which was one
Of the prominent causes of Mr.. Van Buren's
defeat in 1910.
But this was mott Democratic measure. II
was part of Mr.. Clay's American system, and
to defeat him, it was necessary to denOunee and
condemn his policy, without regard to the con
sequences resulting to the country; and that
law of ~ was repealed, and the tariff Of '46.
or free trade tariff, it was called, was substi-
tuted in its stead.
Now let US see what was the operation of this
tariff, during the next succeeding eight years. for
have not brought my researches down below
the year 1855.
During these eight years, our imports amount
ed to the sum Of 81 .591, AIS. Cos whilst our ex-
ports amounted TO only 81 1928, l4l 800, showing
an excess, or balance Of trade against US, Of
$263 33l 90G, and that ton under the fTaudu-
lent invoices that the President, in his last an
nual message to Congress, is obliged, reluc-
family, to confess, have been made under the
Democratic all valOrem system If duties.
or our exports in 90, amounting To $685., $780,
O65, including the articles already mentioned, We
exported only about $50, OOO, OCD Of manufactured
goods, have lately seen, whilst the exports OF
England were, in round numbers, about $780,
900. 900. and nearly all Of manufactured goods
very large proportion Of which was from the raw
material obtained from us-Worked mp, and sent
back 70 us amongst the rest with the cost of En-
glish labor, which, with all other additional ex-
Pense, We had TO pay. This viii serve 20 show
the encouragement given by English statesmen,
and English Poliey-and may properly add, by
american stafesmeH and American policy, TO En-
glish labor, in preference to7our own.
France exported, during the same year, up
wards of $4,000, 900; it may be said almost,
drely exclusively of goods manufactured by the
labor of France; thus showing the wisdom Of the
French government, too, in giving employment to
the labor and industry of their people; while our
democratic rulers hold that il violates the duties
and obligations Of government to adopt n system
of legislation friendly to the labor and industry
Of its own citizens.
Can any government earth live and thrive
under such a system as this and will not the peo-
pie take the matter into their own hands, before
general state Of ruin and desolation stares US all
in the face?
But the President says. in his message, '.the
tariff Of 1857 had no agency in bringing about
this result" that is, Of the disaster of that year
Certainly mott IL was all done before; and nothing