The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-07-05

and even against the protected products
Of other nations to which they are ex-
ported, then, sir, may the free traders find
in this action Of France an example which
they may with propriety ask us to follow.
But, before quitting this topic, l would
further invite attention to the views ex-
pressed in this report relative to the du-
ties upon the article Of iron concerning
which the gtipulations constitute, in their
opinion, the most delicate OF their nego-
tiaticns. They state that the English am-
bassadors demanded reduction OF duties
on iron, to the rate Of fifteen per cent. ad
Ualoren but that the results of an in
quiry, most thorough and complete, insti-
tuted by the Emperor, into the condition
Of charcoal and coke furnaces, and conduc-
ted by the most respectable and scientific
men, demonstrated that the British prop
ostion, if accepted, would result in imme-
diate and serious evils to this important
interest; and in place of adopting it, a
maximum duty of thirty per cent. was i'm
posed on pigs, bars, and castings, till the
lst October, 1864, and twenty-f per
cent afterwards, to be changed to specifics.
And on other descriptions of larger size,
and on rails, then bearing duty Of S22 32
per ton, it was provided the duty should
be reduced TO thirteen dollars 1t is we'll
known, Mr.. Chairman, that one of the
chief obstacles to the progress of the iron
manufacture in France has arisen from
the gradual disappearance of wood in the
neighborhood of her numerous furnaces
They are steadily losing this fuel, as they
lost it in England but the English had
a decided advantage over the French, in
the proximity of the coal and ore mines
In France, they are widely separated, so
that there is difficulty in supplying the
loss Of charcoal with coal and coke The
French Government, sensible of this,
and that whatever of Inconvenience
the iron interest might experience in
competition with the English article, un-
der the reduced duties, would be more
than compensated by the construction of
railroads that would connect the coal and
the ore, has declared its purpose, as stated
by the report [ have been considering, to
restrain within its just limits the foreign
competition by the projection of such
railroads, with the determination to pros
ecute them to completion. And thus, as
'LS ) SOt'tSJ II ID IiiS pun pOSI VI INC Wv
ernment '1to come resolutely to the aid of
French metallurgy." / therefore, Mr.
Chairman, submit that it is unjust in
those who profess hostility to the princi-
pie of protection in this country, to claim
an exemplification of their theory in the
of France and England. The common
experience of the nations Of the world,
and more especially our own experience
under the various systems which have
from time to time prevailed with US, ad-
monishes us that protection is the only
policy that will lead us steadily and safely
to that state Of Industrial independence on
which commerce can rest with security
How long shall we close our ears to the
authoritive instructions of experience,
which teach US that just when we adopt
protection, the production of the country
increases, and labor finds its legitimate
employment, and commerce fourishes,
and when you abandon it, production di-
min!shes, labor is paralyzed, and COM
merce languishes !?
/ believe the day is not far distant when
every section of the Confederacy will feel
the power of truth, and, casting aside the
fallacies of theorists, will compel the Gov
ernment to ''come resolutcly to the aid'
of the national industry. In many parts
Of the Northern and Middle States, there
has long been a conviction in the public
mind of its necessity, and protection has
thus become cardinal doctrine of politi-
cal faith. In the Western States. a gen
eral and decided impression of the wisdom
of the policy has gained hold on the
sentiments of the people, who, the more
they come to value home market for
their cereals, and the development of the
exhaustless treasures of mineral wealth
that lie concealed beneath their soil, the
more zcalously will they unite in a
course which will enable them to realize
both.
The people of the South, too, though
now III opposition to the long cherished
sentiments of many of their wisest and
most eminent statesmen, will, sooner or
later, find, In return to their early prin-
ciples of public economy, that no part of
our country is more deeply and directly
interested in the creation and maintenance
! of manufacturers than they They will
learn that when laborers are fully employ
ed, they are able, not only to consume
more aud better food, but more and bet
ter clothing; and they will rejoice in the
advantages of sending their cotton to
mills at home, rather than those three
Thousand miles away. The bill before us
promises large share of these benefits.
not to a few, not to class, but to the
whole nation. We do not seek the mere