Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-03-27
sn.o.b nj. Mr. I,ickfu.ou.

NJ Fan -ShAN N'S I-.-
into this House, the subjects to when IL ie.at.' "H,o
been so fully md so frequently discussed, lhat ! sear
much Of the interest il has awakened, mas auoHine"'
and much that | should have des,reu q ~ e"u-
nectinn with il. has been already better SAID by
orhcrs who have preceded me: and l npprchcnd the
Er.sLncss of tle views which | entertain has so inr
nasscd AWAY. bv having been already presented to
Tie Honsc, that | should hardly venture now to OBJ
tr,,te them upon your attention, If did not feel that
the uuanimity OF sentiment which prevails umouE
nv OWN constituents, upon one branch OF the subject
under discussion renders it incumbent on me, III my
representative capacity, to give expression here %
the opinions which the people OF Prince Edward,
without distinction OF party, have recently PROCLAIM
cd in general meeting.
listened, Mr.. Speaker, with profound attention
and interest to the argument which the gentleman
from Culpeper (Mr. Barbour addressed /" the House
he introduced this bill. | heard. WAN e9ua,
satisfaction, the reply Of my friend ir"!l Si"h'ra
iMr. Seldom | had not the pleasure and advantage
OF hearing, what | learn from all quarters was ST
well said, on the same side, by the gentleman rom
GooclI!and (Mr. Rutherford Necessary aose'Ss
iron, my seat at that hour deprived me Of the ~"llor-
tunity of ~profting by the well considered views,
l~ichtencd this assembly. The gentleman from :Al-
p~onattox who has just takcI his seat, Mr.. .!p;icSl h:!S
also taken pretty much the same view 81 t'''H oi!
that | entertain.
!, therefore, feel deeply sensible Of the disadvnn-
tasc under wlic; ! labor in having 10 follow gentle
men between whose opinions and my own there Is :"
much coincidence. For. whilst | may 10! improve
upon their rguncn | fear | may. to some extent,
impair. if do not citacc the impressions winch they
must have made. Mich Of the ground wheel! | de-
signed 10 OCCUPY. has been already Travelled over.
and | may not now bc able to leave The impress "l
my own footprints.
1t the gentleman from Culpcpcr had uo. Indicated
this bill, Is in some sort 4 coinpetin. proposition Tor
the proposed conference .. the Southern States, !
should have been conicU. TO give Il silent vote npon
e., ,,,,l ,,-n,, ,,Cvr ~ ~ rnnll la. rlk,.n IN GOlncNlOl
with that measure. and ~ auxiliary thereto, or he
subsequent to the vote .Lat Is to Inc tAkci.
Oh the report OF the joint committee raised To cons!d-
or and report Il suitablec response /" SOUTH Ciir"Ii'ia,
| should make no Imposition TO the OH b"I !aAeh
us = s~cr,arstc, Independent. proposition, Scrkln. Il
,,tnlncrcial independence OF Tie Northern States by
virginia alone, without . cooperation of the other
Southern States, similarly situated and Interested, /
cannot perceive that the llrasurc Will accomplish any
thing but evil TO ali parties.
Regarded us Il fixed policy .! the State, i II Tia:
Of u system al war with every princI-
pie Ut political economy which | have necn accn>:"iII-
cd 70 regard - wei! >tab!iSlrl-and equal
IL at war with the line VI policy which The Demo
cratic party, particularly ut the South, have long
taught as Il cardinal principle Of their faith.
Ii has been Indicated rs one OF the Objects oil ms
ill. 10 Law prohililory duties on Sn!Ic al the articles
Of consumption which We have hccn accustomed 10
buy Of our Northern nciglibars and compel the South
rrl consumer 10 import ar manufacture the >.nIc
himself, or buy them ut Il price enhanced hy the duty
thus imposed. And fnr what: For the amiablc and
bro;herlr purpose OF putting Ne% Easland under
the most dreadful anxiety they ever fell" and dr.
wing from their midst or into rauPcrIsm their whole
laburing population"
We hive been told thai the non-importation net OF
1907 produced The most extraordinary civil colnlnd-
that is recorded in British history. Aud this
historical illustration is introduced TO show that II
similar non-impor,.tlon act Oh the part at ' irSlnla,
(di.cc;cd arai,nst thoSu To whom we are told We mist
cling in the bonds of Federal Union, with all the
trntci;y OF ~tratcriml love, must and vii! produce 4
similar commo:ion and distress.
We are further told tina, We Of Virginia consume
auntinlly OF their fabrics and merchandise s39.oc0,u'"
worth. which iIus been taken, doubtless. in exchange
for IL corresponding amount Of the products Of our
lahor:i that they, being dcpenden. upon us FOR II
market for all their fabrics. "are III Il condition where
we can strike, and ought TO s,rikc:'' that they, whose
soil and climate forbid investments IN agriculture.
are necessarily dependent upOn the agricultural re-
piouS for supplies. Does it not follow, then, tina,
they furnish Il market for ar products and that
considerations Of individual Interests. aS We'll as
State wealth, rcenire that We should hc willing TO
keep that source OF consumption Tor our exports IN
a condition % furnish Us n market and give Us re-
muncraive returns } Drive from their midst or
into pauperisln their whole lahoring population
rs is desired by the gentleman from Cuipencr, and
is it not manifest that 10 that extent We cut oil one
source Of orr profits and imroverish ourselves
Whit, Mr.. Speaker. are 10 be the effects Of this
- VI siNt ''''fN - 80
great productive interests of the country with which
my constituents are more immediately connected :
Must il not press heavily, and hang like IN incubus
Oh the productive labor engaged III agriculture. and
which ~sustainS every other branch Of industry:
The gentleman from the city al Ricirmon Mr..
RobertSonl Oh Yesterday showed its ELECTS upon the
commercial interests OF the country. shall leave
that branch OF the Snbiec, principally with him. both
because of the tu!lucS> and c]learncsS with which he
has discussed il, and because il is one more iulinedi-
a.rly affecting his constituents than mine, though !
represent. in pnr., Il commercial a. well rs an ngricu!-
turul community. And il the effects ot this bill. ill.,
tended, rs il Is. to promote and encourage direct I'M
is felt to be burdensunc upon the only
in the State that may tr regarded Us II!
sense IN importing community, what must be its
upon the smaller dealers. who have neither
the means. the facilities, nor the location tor import
ing purposes! The large merchants, vii" have the
capital, may import and derive u profit from
uader the operations OF this act, provided they can
induce the retail merchants in this and the adjacent
States, who trade here, to remain and submit TO the
burdens which 1t imposes, instead OF seeking out
some other field for their operations, where they cab
exercise their trade to more profit and with less re-
str,int. But the smaller dealers, vino have nnt CAPT.
sufficient 10 import for themselves, Will have 10
submit 10 one ::ot three alternatives; i. C., purchase
Is heretofore, from Il northern market, and submit 10
The onerouS tax contained in this bill, or rErc!lnSc
Of the Virginia importer AT such price ~ he may
moose to demand, or rcrlnvctiicir operations 10 some
,ther State under the influence OF more friendly le-
.islution. Take, for example, the town OF Farinville,
which represent, whose trade III merchandise
,Inonnis to 800. 800 annually. None OF this j. Iil-
ported by the merchants oil that place, but bought
it can DC had cheapest. If sibiectcd tothc
burden of Il State tan. in addition to the tafitt i'm
posed by the General Government. must no; tic
rice be enhanced to the merchant, and b. him
aid on the goods when sod TO his customers.
md thus really fall on the consumer, ut the same
line that the price Of his products is diminished. by
mp,ovcrisliing 4 part Of the community on whom we
in part Tor u market for these productS-lhus
IMPOSING y double burden upon the agricultural re-
,inn>: There was manufactured IN The town OF
F~ar.nville. during the past year. !, 2+i,2+4 pounds oil
.ob.ccn and that branch OF business is greatly on
the increase there and III otncr interior towns All
Of this is shipped TO a Northern market. Stop coin
Intercourse with them, l,Il VIC close Il good
market TO one OF orr principal sources "t wealth.
the price of manufactured tobacco. aud II
reacts ~ once upon both the manufacturer and pro-
luccr Of tina, staple which i the speciality of my
region OF the State. The whole working Of the sy>-
tenn upon Stat. wcal;h and individual prosperity
must hc disastrous: and. II II does not PROSTATE, Will
rack the whole framework Of trade and
an no; aware Of any period .lurin.
which Il system oil protective duties l:as prevailed.
.la, the exports from the producing regions have
not diminished with the imports, showing 4 decrease
in their prosperity, whilst y corresponding increase
Of prosperity has marked the periods Of the wiser
reign OF free trade. if oar exports are to find 4 mar
at all III the Northern States. we must maintain
them something better than 4 onc->idcd trade.
will not be able 10 hnv our products il we
drive from their midst, or into ranrcri,'n, their
whole !aborins population" Our exports to them,
must keep pnce in some measure with nnr imports
from the same quarter. The one cannot long exceed
other. The consumption Of oar products by
hem, must depend on their ability to bnr. Destroy
tha, ability. and we cut oil Il large and important
for the products -four labor, and, "prn ta"fD,'
the entire region that We ire cnd"avoring
10 render strong AMI indepcnden NJ.
Instead Of cutting oil from our reach one large
market Tor our products, it should rather he an OBJ
OF desire with Us I" open up for them the mar
OF the whole world. The enlarged and rapidly
expanding productions of agricultural labor demand
md should he permitted to seek the markets oil III"
whole world.
Labor now engaged in agriculture. il forced t" en-
,:.ge in manufactures, navigation AMI commerce. may
Increase oar State independence, bnt not oar inii-
wealth. Merely multiplying the industrial
pursuits OF our people, Ly diyrrting capita! and labor
rom the objects 10 which They arc row directed,
not necessarily increase the prosperity OF the
country, unless the new channels TO which they "e
thus directed prove more reinuncrative.
II was we'll said bv ;hc gentleman from Richmond