Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-04-30
VIRGINIA AND THE TARIFF,

war should be for free ira de. AbsO-
lutely owning the labor and the la.
bOrers, under a system which neces-
sarly kept these, for the most part,
in the lowest and simpl est employ
ments, the masters naturally desir-
ed to get all their supplies at the
lowest rates, from no matter what
quarter of the world, without re-
gard to any home or American in
terests except their own. 1t re-
Quired some degree of education
and skill to diversity labor, and
this meant an elevation of the slave
wholly incompatible with the con
tinuance of his servile condition.
How free trade or protection would
iDjure or benefit the poor whites
around them were matters of no
moment to the masters.
We need not, IN considering this
question, 20 back to the ante steam
period and the colonial days, when
the Atlantic ocean itself interposed
a natural protection which was only
partially destroyed by the British
restrictive legislation against Amer
lean self.provisiOn. Despite this
legislation and the importations
by the comparatively few sailing
vessels of tb9ez. times, even the
master class were forced to en-
courage native enterprise to some
extent; and, when the revolutiOna-
ry war came, selfdefense and self
preservation made "a further devel-
epment of colonial capacities and
resources an urgent necessity. Yes
tiges of the mines, furnaces fOun-
dries, &c, that were established and
actively worked at that date are
discovered all over Virginia. But
peace and open ports, with a tariff
which afforded but little prOtec-
ton, as it was controlled by slave
holders, soon began their repres-
sive and reactiOnary work, so that,
when steam vessels lent their aid
to a wonderfully multiplied mer-
chant sailing marine, Virginia in
dustry was again cast down, and
Virginia resources became sealed
treasures, yet to be fully revealed
and enjoyed.
The war between the states from
1861 to 1865 was a hard experience
for the Old Dominion in many
ways, but it taught her people many
valuable lessons that were well
bought, even if dearly bought. IN
the piping times Of peace nations
and individuals can cOntrive to get
along very well somehow, and, if
an era Of difficulty and stringency
occur in ordinary course, they do
not know what causes the evil. War,
however, brings Its teachings and
revelations, and one of the first OF
these brought to Virginia and the
whole south 10y the war of secession
was a keen realization Of their in
ternal insuiliciencie and Of the mis-
takes which had prevented self
development. The old BourbOns
and masters, indeed, learned little
or nothing through all the public
and private trials and misfortunes
of the four years strife, chiefly re-
gardiug the war (as they still do)
as the balefull means by which
they were deprived temporarily of
the great boon of free trade which
the confederacy promised, and by
which they were deprived forever
Of the inestimabic blessings OF slav-
cry ! Nevertheless, to the masses
of the people of Virginia, includ-
ing all intelligent men not welded
by interest, tradition, and pref
udice to the old slave.labOr policies
the war only made evident the
blunders that had been obscured or
hidden in the days of peace. At
once, in the face Of the declarations
of the imperative free tradecOnfed-
crate constitution, there was an
acute sense that any state or popu-
latiOn which cannot rely securely
on its own resources for all neces-
sary supplies in war is as essential
| ly insecure and dependent I'm peace
War, it was seen, is but supreme
test, under the law OF natural selec
ton of that fitness which alone can
assure progress, or even survival Ia
either nations, or peoples, or lndI
viduals ; a test which exposes weak
nesses and their sources, that may
easily be overlooked in peace, al
though they are even then none
the less important deficiencies IN
the ceaseless struggle for existence
With the close Of the war and
the restoration of the reconstruct
ed southern states to the Union
Virginia found herself in changed
circumstances, that vehemently pro
tested against the old-master poll
cies. The masters were depOsed
They were no longer the Lawful
or actual rulers Of public or private
affairs. Labor was all free even
the white labor found itself eman
cipated from the thralldom which
an Overshadowing system OF color
ed servituGe had in many ways i'm
posed on it, as the introduction OF
Chinese cOOlielabOrhas since threat
ened, in measure, to lnthrall and
degrade all free labor and the Vot
ing masses had been SO REINFORCED
by manhood suffrage that nothing
but fraud or force could in any de
gree restore or continue the ancient
Bourbon dynasty. The Republic
can party controlled federal con
Germs anc it had instituted tarill
policy which sufficiently protected
all American products, insomucl
that stupendous and unparalleled
development of all our capabilities
had ensued. All the industry, ma
terials, and appliances Of genera
progress and prosperity were called
into active production under the
most favorable auspices. Our capl
tai and labor alike found themselves
for tilted in a base Of operations
which secured them from foreign
aggression at home and enabled
them to prepare for successful ven
lures abroad. At once money and
enterprise flowed into Virginia &c
help her to take advantage OF the
opportunity offered her, and To
share in the rich results awaiting
the vigorous uncOvering OF bel
buried wealth. Notwithstanding
the lingering Bourbons and thelI
repelhng and obstructive Bourbon