National Republican., 1883-08-01
Thomns Jererson on Tho Tarln.


greatest quantity and iOhich at The same time tCs could
the soonest furnish 10 oursiUes, or obtain from other
countries; imposing on them duties, lighter at
first, bW hcdUiCr and heJvicr gtcI1Ulrds, as other
channels Of supply open. Such dute, having the
effect of indirect encouragement TO domestic manu-.
tdci,res of the same kind, may induce The manudc-
turer TO come himself into these states whore cheaper
subsistence equal laws and vent of his wares
free of duty, may insure him the highest profits
from his skill and industry.
Unquestionably very strong position in
favor of the protective policy by one who has
over been regarded as "strict construction
ist" of the constitution is as the founder, in
deed, the great champion of state rights.
Few, oven of those called protection ex-
tremists," has ever taken stronger grounds
than does Mr.. Jefferson in this report in favor
of the protection of American industry and
of our navigation interests. So, throughout
his own administration, he maintained Madi-
sons protective tariff of July 4, 1889, with its
several subsequent notifications, enlarging
its protective field and duties. In his second
inaugural he congratulates tho country, with
evident pride and satisfaction, on the abolish
ment of all internal revenue taxation. In his
eighth annual message of Nov. 8, 1908, he
says:
The suspension of our foreign commerce, pro.
duced by the injustice of the belligerent powers,
and the consequent losses and sacrifices of our
citizens are subjects of Just concern The situl.
tion into which we have been thus forced has i'm
PEELED us 10 apply portion of our industry and
capital to internal manufactures and improve.
ments. The extent of this conversion Is daily in
creasing, and little doubt remains that the estab-
lshments formed and forming will-under the
auspices of cheaper materials and subsistence, the
freedom of labor from internal taxation with us,
and of protecting duties aud pr0hibHi0ns- become
permanent"
Protective duties and prohibition !" Pro-
hibition now constitutes the great abomina-
tion of free traders, north and south, of all
schools, but Jefferson did not h estate to ad-
vocate and recommend it. title later, in a
letter dated Jan. 90 1909, to Col. Humphreys,
he declares:
Amidst the pressure of evils with which the
| belligerent edics have afflicted u.s. some perma-
nent good will arise; the spring given to manu-
factururcs will have durable effects, Knowing
most of my own state, can affirm with confidence
that were free intercourse opened again to-mor-
row, she would never again import one-half of
the coarse goods which she has done to the date
of the edicls, &c.
The injustice of the European belligerents
in closing their ports against us, and sweep
ing our commerce from the ocean-the
rapacity of the foreign traders-had made the
American people sensible of their own inter-
ests-sensible of necessity of an American
policy-had created among us n decided
advocacy of the protective poliGy-of the
exclusion or prohibition ofall foreign product;
which entered into competition with Ameri-
can products
In letter to Jean Baptiste Say, dated
March 9, 1915, Mr.. Jefferson, after referring
to the inherent difficulties of the situation in
maintaining peace with foreign powers ami
mated by a spirit of injustice toward us, tc
the necessity ofour supporting interchange:
across u wide ocean," with the "intercepton
of those exchanges" in case of war, to :" the
powerful weapons" thus placed in the hand:
of an enemy domineeriug the seas, aud the
consequent distress to our indus trial inter
ests," says:
This fact, therefore, solves the question by re
ducing ii to It's ultimate form, whether profit o.
preservation Is the first interest of state We are
consequently become manufacturers TO Il degree
incredible to those who do not see it, and vii,
only consider the short period of time during
which we have been driven to them by the suici
dial policy of England. The prohibiting duties lc
lay on all articles Of foreign manufacture, which pr,t-
dence requires as 10 establish at home pih hf pdrt
otto determination Of every gOod citizen TO use no for
eign article Which can be made Ghin ourselves, tU
out regard to dgerence Of price, secures us against
relapse into foreign dependency.
Jefferson was thus an advocate not merely
of political, but of industrial, independence
of all foreign powers. He would not only
employ protective duties and prohibitions o.
foreign articles in consummating that grand
end, but he would stimulate every good
citizen to a determination to use no foreign
and that without regard to difference o
price"
In letter to Benz. Austin, esq, dated Jan
20, 1876 Mr.. Jefferson says;
You tell me un QuOteu Dy lHOse VINO WISH "
continue our dependence on England for manu-
features. There was time when l might have
been so quoted with more candor, but within thu
thirty years which have since elapsed, hov
are circumstances changed
From Jeiierson's "Notes on Virginia" al
extract was frequently quoted about thi
time in proof that he favored free trade
These Notes" containing this extract, wor
printed originally in 1855, before the adop
tion of our present national constitution
Under the confederation in 1885 no powe
existed in the government to levy imposts 70
protection, and our industries, in consequence
were in a very depressed condition. MI
: Jefferson, in this letter to Austin, describe
the situation, its difficulties and doubts, an
states that the practical question then wa
Q "whether with such an immensity of uniu
d proved land counting the land of the hu
t bandman, the industry of agriculture or tina
Q of manufactures would add most to the nj
h tional wealth." He asks, "Who in, III
o could foresee the rapid depravity which was
! render the close of that century the disgra
IF of the history of man 2"-who the inquito
% violations BY England aud France Of all h