The Appendix" makes nearly fifty pages of facts, and figures opinions and arguments, divided into chapters as follows: 1,goneral population table as taken at the several censusses; 2, tabular views of the foreign commerce of United States from 1791 to 1826; 3, progress of population; 4, details of the imports and exports of the United States to and from all nations for 1826; 5, the same to and from Great Britain, with comparative views, 6, revenue of the United States, as derived from the customs, and contrasted statements of goods imported; 7, general essay on production and consumption, interspersed with facts, propositions, and arguments, with frequent references to authorities, and a large collection of curious collateral iteras, foreign and domestic; 8, on scientific power and manual labor and effects of protection, with comparisons of production and subsistence, and statements of the cost of articles in Europe and the United States, and of the progress of navigation; 9, the internal trade, or com. For this exertion which has materially injured the merce between the several states-this chapter makes, private business of the writer and not a little exhausted his of itself, 12 or 13 pages, and is a laborious collection of strength, he neither has, nor expects to receive, one cent things, shewing the rapidly increasing importance of this as a pecuniary compensation, nor has he personally one incalculably valuable business of the nation, intermixed dollar at stake in the success of any other establishment with arguments and explanatory remarks; 10, a general than his own little affair in the REGISTER. In addition, view of the operation and effect of the auction system, ex- he has subjected himself to a persona! persecution-the hibiting its reduction of the public revenue and injury to fervency and indiscrimination of new party politics having our merchants and others; 11, exposition and examination been strangely brought to bear upon old questions of of the British prohibitory and restrictive laws, with tabu-principle-and rude and injurious denunciations are sular statements, official facts, comparative views, and nuperadded to the former prejudices or honest mistakes, merous references to authority; 12, some particular no- with which this work had to contend. It is hard to comtices of the operation of protection on the prosperity of bat and resist all these, often involving differences with the United States, especially in its happy effects upon old friends impressed with new and special notions commerce and navigation, the growing of grain and wool, suited to a changed state of the times-but how much and the planting of cotton and sugar-the generally in-harder is it to bear with the cold indifference and withercreased value of property, and greatly enlarged consump-ing apathy of those more immediately interested in the tion of American cotton, with statements concerning the prevalence of our opinions-the growers of grain and cost of articles before and since the tariff of 1824; 13, nu- wool, and the manufacturers generally! But the writer merous items relative to sheep and wool and woollens; 14, has held these opinions for thirty years and more-while the same as to cotton and its manufactures; 15, the same yet an apprentice lad, he supported them in several juven in respect to iron; 16, the same concerning hides andile essays published in the Philadelphia newspapers, and skins and manufactures of leather; 17, the same as to the he cannot give them up to temporary purposes-TO PERproduct of tobacco and sugar; 18, the same of lead and its SECUTION NEVER. But, when he recollects that for mamanufactures; 19, an essay on the linen manufacture; 20, ny years, this work stood alone as the steady and zealous a collection of opinions and proceedings on the propriety, advocate of what has been since called the "American necessity and constitutionality of protecting the domestic system," and that now more than one hundred and fifty industry, as engaged in agriculture, manufactures and newspapers in the north, cast or west, give a general supcommerce; and an extensive miscellaneous department, port to it-that even in the states south of the Potomac, or general gathering of desultory items and facts, relating where only one voice was heard a little while ago, we to other subjects, or tending to support the various mat- have as much talent and nearly as many of the respectable ters urged upon the consideration of the reader. journals on our side, as those opposed to us-there is enFrom this summary notice some idea may be entertain-couragement to hope for better dispositions and better of the amount of patience bestowed on this work, and par- times. He really believes that no classes of persons are ticularly when it is recollected that nearly all the matter more benefitted by the protection of domestic industry, as was collected specially for it; there being no official state-contended for in this work, than the cotton and sugar ments as to the chief things of interest desired to be shewn planters. He feels confident that our own factories of for the public instruction. The writer and compiler is the former cause the consumption of 100,000 or 150,000 somewhat familiar with statistical subjects, and as prompt and industrious, perhaps, as any other person in the pur- *In that excellent gazette, the "Winchester Republisuit of facts-yet the whole may be said to have cost him can". The ability and firmness with which its highly rean average of eight or nine hours daily employment at the spectable editor has supported our principles, deserves desk for the space of two months-and yet many particulars far more than this small tribute to his merit. which cost him hours of zealous search or anxious reflection, will be esteemed like the exploit of Columbus with his egg, which any body might cause to stand firmly upon VOL. IX-No. 7. +Not more by our own manufacture, than because that the British are compelled to use more of our cotton to enter into competition with us in the markets of Mexico and bales MORE of our cotton, than would otherwise have a as a mark for any one to shoot at, that pleases-not only market, except at prices closely approximated to the with profitable and manly argument, but with satire, recheap product of the East Indies; and is certain that the proof and scurrility, and foul and filthy impeachments of reduction of public revenue caused by the cultivation of motives. Errors, if any there are, will be magnified, and sugar in Louisiana would not, could not, be borne, if the the most trifling inadvertencies be raised up into mounpeople of the states consuming perhaps, three-fourths of tains, because of the public excitement on the great subit, had not established manufactures to make a market at jects considered. Hence the extraordinary care and inhome, in lieu of the foreign one which has been denied tense application that have been exerted, as to the expothem, by the prohibitions and restrictions of Europe.sitions and arguments brought forward into the appendix, He has oftentimes said, and says so still, with renewed compared with several chapters of which, the address assurance of the truth of what he says-that his southern itself is like the work of an evening, for labor expended. fellow citizens will yet be the most decided and resolute We have, perhaps, already said too much-yet there friends of a protecting tariff. On the day of the date of are several other things which we have a strong desire the address, (October 10), he was fifty years old. If it to mention. We shall refrain. A candid perusal is ask shall please the AUTHOR OF ALL THINGS to permit him ed, and we say to our opponents-"strike, but hear." to attain the age of three score years, he will not then be called "the great enemy of the south," or abused as one that desires to "plunder" any of his fellow men. ELECTIONS AND ELECTIONEERING. The result of the Maryland elections of members of the house of dele-" gates stands thusJackson. The following comes very opportunely to support what is said of changes of opinion in the south. About $50 of the people of Opelousas, Louisiana, lately assembled for the purpose of expressing their opinions on the polities of the day. William Garrard a distinguished citizen and a soldier of the revolution, was called to the chair, and a committee of twenty four gentlemen appointed to draft an address to the people-the concluding paragraph of which is annexed; but we disclaim all partici- Frederick, pation in the purely political part of it: Annapolis ctry, Prince Georges, Washington, "The people of this state will maturely reflect on these Alleghany, things. They will ask themselves whether it is politic Charles, or prudent to abandon an administration which ensures St. Mary's, us the assistance of the general government, in connect- Calvert, ing our numerous water-courses by means of canals, thus reclaiming our inundated grounds, and adding, beyond the compass of calculation, to the prosperity, health, and happiness of the whole community! Whe- Talbot, ther it is wise or just, to withdraw their support from Queen Ann's, faithful and long tried public servants, who foster and Caroline, protect a system which creates a home demand for two Dorchester, hundred thousand bales of our cotton, and which directly Somerset, gives to the sugar planters, annually, a protection equal Worcester, to nearly one million and a half of dollars? Whether we will, in fact, repulse the hand that sustains us? And all this to gratify a romantic feeling of gratitude, elicited by mere military success, for the purpose of raising to power a set of men, whose fundamental principles are, "let every thing alone;" let the states dig their own canals, for the constitution forbids the interference of the general government. Let commerce alone, buy where you can buy the cheapest. Let the West India planter bring his sugar into the country free of duty, by which the consumer will be supplied at four cents a pound, or less; and let the sugar planter of Louisiana, who, relying on the implied faith of the nation-has incurred heavy responsibilities-unable to contend against the price of the West India labor and the superiority of that climate, sink into bankruptcy and ruin." We shall leave the subject for this time. We do not fear the accusations heaped upon us, and many are of a character that we cannot descend to notice. The new parties to this war against the protecting system, whatever may be their "combinations" concerning it, will not succeed and the principles supported in the first act passed under the present constitution in 1789, for raising a revenue, and "encouraging domestic manufactures," will be established-for "truth is mighty and will prevail." The pamphlet will be finished next week, and forwarded as ordered, to the full amount of the funds provided for paper and print. The writer has exerted himself to fulfil the expectations of his friends, but seriously fears that many will be disappointed. He has no pretensions to taste in composition, and moderate claims indeed, even to grammatical accuracy--and a degree of respon sibility has been thrown upon him such as he never before encountered. It has never entered into his mind, that success will depend on his production; but he be lieves that a want of discretion therein might materially injure the cause. And further he is about to be placed South-America, or lose the whole trade in coarse cotton goods. And still they use as much of the cheap cotton of India, as they suppose this competition can possibly bear. I Administration. It is impossible to present a statistical view of the votes given in the several counties, as sh, wing the strength of the different parties, because of the numerous candidates in some of them, over the number that might be elected; and in certain others, the question was not fairly tested for different reasons. Jackson-Bararn. The following are given as the correct returns of Delaware, for a member of congress in place of Mr. McLane, appointed a senator of the U. S. Administration-JOHNS New Castle county maj. Kent Sussex 409 355 764 369 595 369 369 Majority for Mr. Johns It will be recollected that there was a tie last October in that part of the city of Philadelphia which forms a congressional district, between Mr. Sergeant and Mr. Horn. A new election was held last Tuesday, Mr. Sergeant being opposed by Mr. Hemphill, the Jackson candidate.' The result was, for Mr. Sergeant 2702, for Mr. Hemphill 2546-majority for Mr. Sergeant 156. The opposing candidates were certainly two of the strongest and ablest men that could have been put up by the different parties both of honorable standing, and highly esteemed. "REGULATION OF THE PRESS."-The following are extracts from late London papers on the despotic and cowardly act of the French government in re-establishing the censorship of the press The London Morning Chronicle, says: "There can be but one opinion with respect to the inpolicy of the step taken by the French government. It amounts to a confession that its measures cannot bear the light, and by extinguishing opposition, it deprives itself of every means of justification; for while the public will lend a greedy ear even to calumny against public functionaries, they will refuse to give them credit for the good they may do." them, an hour of play is to be abridged. No person can be admitted into any of them without being introduced; and none of the entertainments they used to give in these houses will henceforth be allowed. The petitions, The same paper says—"The writers of most of the pri-bers, having been placed in an urn, were drawn out by with tenders were five. Papers, with corresponding numvate communications from France, are remarkably circumspect on the subject of politics, as if apprehensive of one of the members of the general council. The prefect interference from the police. It is a fact within our own then read the tenders, in succession, as the corresknowledge, that several persons who expressed their opi-ponding numbers were announced. They were as fol nions rather freely on the state of things in France, not suspecting that their letters would be opened, had received an intimation from authority, to desist from the use of such language under penalty of being sent to the coast under a guard of soldiers." The Courier mentions the same subject in the following terms: lows: M. Perrier (the younger) 6,037,300 francs. 6,051,500 6,025,500 6,055,100 6,026,000 The decision, was of course, in favour of M. Benazet, The principle of this measure goes completely to fet-whose tender was the highest. The present contractors, ter the expression of public opinion in France; what its who have yet five months of their term to run are paying practical operation may be, must depend upon the dis-6,526,500 francs. The reduction amounts to 471,400 cretion and temper of the persons appointed to superiniranes, or a sum of 6,055,100 francs. The city will pay tand its execution. Nor can we discover the precise mo-over to the treasury 5,500,000 francs. tive for such a decree at the present moment. We are Beyond all doubt nothing can be more deplorable than not very inattentive readers of the Paris journals, and we to record the official existence of these establishments, confess we never discover in them any of that imflamma- disavowed as they are by religion, morals and humanity; tory or seditious writing which would seem to call for so denounced every year in the senate, and yet every year vigilant a control over their labors. Besides, there have consecrated by a legislative vote, as a fatal necessity-as been sufficient proofs of late that the ordinary tribunals a palliative of greater evils. This sad and unsatisfactory of the country possess an adequate power to punish any excuse is in like mauner, urged for other scandals which serious transgressions of the press. A government must are allowed to exist without grieving us, by seeing them either be very weak, or the people over whom it rules, ostensibly clothed with the sanction of authority. It is very prone to disaffection, when it is considered neces-in this point of view that we lament the publicity given sary to resort to a censorship. But it is a gross error to to this decision of the tenders for the gaming-houses. suppose that an expedient like this can meet either emer-That this publicity results from the delicacy of the chief gency. A government gains no accession of strength by magistrate and principal inhabitants of the capital, we betraying its fears; and a discontented people are not like-feel it our duty to acknowledge. But it is precisely be ly to grow satisfied under the pressure of fresh grievan-cause we respect their delicacy that we sincerely grieve ces." NAVAL. At the latest dates, the frigates Constitution and Java, and sloops Warren, Lexington, and Ontario, with the schooner Porpoise, the whole of our squadron in the Mediterranean, were in the Archipelago to protect our commerce and navigation; all well-pirates abounding. We have also heard of the Macedonian, at Rio Janeiro, and Boston, at Monte Video-and of the Brandywine and Vincennes at Callao, zealously employed to defend American property in the South Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The West India squadron is busily engaged for the same purpose. they should be obliged to afford their assistance and pre sence at a proceeding, the immorality of which cannot but offend their consciences. The improvements in the new regulations attest the care taken by the count de Chabrol to diminish the evil which it is not in his power wholly to extirpate; and we have a right to conclude that of all the sacrifices required from the administration of this office, there is none more painful, none from which he does not more earnestly wish to be delivered. [Journal des Debats. BRITISH EXCISE. An account has been printed, by order of the house of commons, of the quantities of articles on which duties of excise in Great Britain were GAMING! The bodies of four persons who had com-paid in the years 1790 and 1826. The first article in the mitted suicide, because of losses by gaming, were lying in the morgue, (or general bone house of Paris) at one time, to be taken away by their friends. It appears that each of these had very deliberately killed himself-having lost all, both money and honor. list is the amount of sales of estates (by auction) charged with duties in the two years. In 1790 it was £1,561,205 4s. 7d.; in 1826, it was £3,218,265 14s. Of furniture, in the first year, £1,046,501; in the last, £2,898,901 17s. 8d. The quantity of strong beer which has paid duty has We find in the London papers, says the New-York increased from 4,568,594 to 6,802,232 barrels. Table "Commercial Advertiser", appalling accounts of the numbeer has increased three-fold; but, on the other hand, her, extent, and rapid multiplication of gambling houses in London, and the king's ministers are loudly called upqu either to enforce the existing laws, or, if they are inadequate to the suppression of the evil, to enact new ones. The proprietor of the Pandemonium in James-street is now raising a grand edifice, the estimated expense of which is £72,000, and it is stated that, to the disgrace of twelve hundred individuals, comprising some of the first names among the nobility and gentry, so many have been found to subscribe each a sum of £60 towards erecting such a structure. small beer, at least beer which is small in the eyes of the excise, has become extinct. If we compare the table and small boor of 1790 with the table beer of 1826, there is a decrease from 19 to 18 hundred thousand barrels. Malt has increased from 24,721,784 to 30,062,352 bushels. Home spirits, from 4,423,876 to 7,398,549 gallons.-Printed calicoes, from 14,492,459 to 95,336,387 yards. Soap, from 42 to 96 millions lbs. The same comparison can only be made for Ireland on two articles spirits, which have doubled in quantity, increasing from 3,438,079 to 6,837,408 gallons; and malt, which has decreased almost to a half, from 4,697,200 to 2,400,066 The gaming-houses at Paris. On Monday, the ten-Irish bushels. The amount of sales of estates charged ders for farming the gaming-houses were decided at the with duties in Ireland in 1826, was only £73,510 3s. 40.; Hotel de Ville. At one o'clock the prefect of the Seine of furniture £186,673 16s. Except the article of spirits, entered the audience-room accompanied by the secreta- the amount of goods charged with duties of excise in Ire ry-general, and seated himself at the table with several land is extremely small. members of the general council of the department and of the prefecture. The secretary-general read the new regulations, by which the gaming-houses in the rue St. SQUIRRELS. The Lawrenceburg, Indiana paper, states Andre des Ares, as being situated in a quarter much in-that the country is over-run with black and grey squirrels, habited by youth, was suppressed. There will be, for the proceeding south and crossing the Ohio river in malti future, ten days in each year, during which the going-tudes-many were killed with clubs and stones thrown houses will be closed without exception. In several of among them. ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE AGRICULTURISTS AND MANUFACTURERS, AND OF THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED [PREFATORY REMARKS.] been committed, in a first general collection like that now offered to the public-which is also diffusive and desultory, and would have required much additional time to have been digested and prepared, in the manner best suited to exhibit the force of the numerous items which bear upon the great matter under consideration-to wit, the necessity and expediency of protecting the domestic industry; and more undisturbed reflection than it has been within the power of the chairman of the committee to bestow, perpetually called off to other and personal concerns, irresistibly demanding attention. exports and imports, there is little of an official or national character to appeal to, when one would speak of the resources or the wants of our country-Hence the dispersed condition of facts, and the liability to constant suggestion of new matter, the interlocking error-hence, the perpetually enlarging views and of things with things, supported by and supporting one another-altogether sufficient to intimidate almost any man, zealous to sustain principles approvIn the preceding journal it is stated that Messrs. ed, and resolute in searching after truth, which has Niles, of Maryland, Hopkins, of New York, Ewing, been aimed at, though it would be presumptuous to of Ohio, Chinn, of Kentucky, Sprague, of Massachu- suppose that, in making more than ten thousand refersetts, Patterson, of Pennsylvania, Edgington, of Vir-ences, mistakes as to facts, or clerical errors, have not ginia, Naudain, of Delaware, and Paine, of Vermont, were appointed a committee to draft an address to the people of the United States, in behalf of the general convention assembled at Harrisburg, on the recommendation of the Pennsylvania Society for the promotion of manufactures and the mechanic arts. When the committee was raised, it was expected that the address would be forthwith prepared, and laid before the convention for its approbation; but after free and frequent communications between the members of the committee, it became manifest that the duty assigned them could not be performed in a satisfactory manner during the probable period to One word upon the manner of preparing the work. which the sittings of the convention would be ex- It was thought expedient to throw into the address (protended; and besides, the various papers or docu-perly so called), only general arguments in favor of ments, reports of other committees, and a copy of the intended memorial to congress, were not acted upon until a very late hour, and, of course, not in possession to guide or instruct this committee. And, as these things were considered, and the subject in general examined, their views became more and more expanded, as to the plan of the address and the matters which ought to be set forth before the people-ard it was agreed that the important statistical facts and useful information which had been elicit ed in the various public discussions and proceedings, and friendly communications between the members, should be, as far as possible, preserved, and other like or corroborative facts be collected and published for general instruction, to shew the principle and practical operation of the protection afforded to the domestic industry of the country. With this conclusion, it was rendered certain that several weeks of calm consideration and earnest rescarch, would be necessary to give effect to the designs of the committee; and hence they offered the brief report inserted in the journal, and asked time to prepare the address, as is stated in the resolutions which accompanied that report. The committee then further considered the subject at large, and seemed generally agreed as to the manner of the address, and charged the chairman with the task of collecting, arranging and preparing the matter, though he himself would gladly have yielded up that honor to more than one of his distinguished colleagues, and with entire confidence in their better ability to accomplish the wishes of the convention, and follow the instruction of the committee. The chairman then found himself placed in a highly responsible situation, for, though the harmony of design in the address might be preserved, it was not practicable to obtain the advice and assistance of the other members, dispersed in eight different states. It was with no small degree of anxiety, approaching to fear, that the chairman proceeded to the performance of the duty assigned, and it is with much diffidence that he now presents the results of his labors to the people, in the name of the committee and on behalf of the convention. He has been beset with difficulties from the beginning, which no other than a writer on statistics can at all appreciate; for, except as to the boundaries of our country, the numberings of the people at the several censusses, and the amount of our tonnage with statements of the measures recommended by the convention, leav ing the facts, or practical statements which might support them, to be referred to in an appendix: by this proceeding, the first is divested of the tediousness of detail, and the last may be used for the simple support of propositions advanced-to the relief of the reader, and, perhaps, a better understanding of the subjects offered to the reason of the people. So far, by way of explanation, the writer in justice to the convention, his particular colleagues and himself, has thought it proper to go. Earnest investiga tion is invited, and there is no desire to avert liberal criticism, either on facts or opinions-feeling conscious that they are honestly presented, and being blessed with a disposition to acknowledge wrong when informed of error, with that frankness and courtesy which should exist among gentlemen, zealous for the good of their country, though radically dif fering as to the best means of promoting the general welfare. ADDRESS. THE ever-restless thirst for knowledge in man, leads him to measurements of the volumes of waters discharged by the rivers, to the weighing, as it were in a balance, the Alps and the Andes, to an establishment of the courses of the planets, and a determination of the eccentric ranges of comets through the immensity of space, as though he would guage space itself, and reduce it to human ideas of the extent of matter-and yet the study of himself, the ascertainment of those qualities given to render himself and his fellow men happy, are fatally neglected, and the capacities of the human race, to walk erect, the image of GoD, are chiefly given up to the warm visions of speculators, or cold calculations of tyrants and masters: to the former, to indulge some pretty theory, or beautiful notion, fitted to other conditions and circumstances of society-and to the last, that it may be counted how many must be slaughtered to win a battle in the field, or how great burthens man can bear and still exist to labor, and groan out "a weary life of servitude and shame." Practical effects are less regarded by those philosophers than the pleasantries of fancy; and tyrants measure men by a common standard like Procrustes, and with a simple view to ascertain the uses which can be made of them, to forward ambition, gratify lust, feed prodigality, or administer to the cravings of avarice. ting to the national legislature the wants and the wishes, as they believed, of a large majority of the American people. The convention offers no plea of justification for its assemblage--the members could not dishonor the character of citizens by supposing that any was required of them. The meeting was held for well-known and freely avowed purposes, and exhibited a splendid triumph of principle over men. And the moderation and temper of all will shew the belief of the members of that convention, in the verity of the saying, that "truth is a victor without violence." Now and then, an enlightened ruler appears, and exerts himself to ameliorate the condition of his people, to make his slaves more comfortable; but the imposition of new burthens always treads upon the heels of improvement, and it remains a matter of doubt, in numerous cases, whether good or evil predominates as, what is called, civilization proceeds. But man, in this republic, is placed under differ-party, and of a signal regard for measures, not ent circumstances. It is the genius of our institutions that he should stand erect, cast his eyes towards the sun, and acknowledge no sovereign but the DREAD SOVEREIGN of universal nature-the AUTHOR and PRESERVER of all things. Under HIM, and HIM only, he ordains and establishes rules for himself; and improvements of his condition are followed by unalloyed benefits. His accumulations of private wealth pass into the public treasury with his own consent, and he is not a simple pioneer for the happiness of others. It is true, that he often does, or suffers wrong to be done, that he is blinded by prejudice or whirled away by party, and led into acts by his feelings that reason would forbid-still his aim is private prosperity and public honor, an exaltation of his own character, and an advancement of the power and glory of his country. The manner best suited to accomplish these origiual and supreme purposes of all civil associations, is a fair and proper subject for discussion "at the bar of the public reason;" and, as the human mind is instructed, it follows that persons may differ in opinion and still be friends-and a disposition to ascertain truth is encouraged. Thus proceeding, the majority will respect the wishes of the minority, and possess a spirit of conciliation; and the latter more cheerfully accept the decisions of that which must be the governing principle under every republican system; and controversies on questions, when conducted with a rightful forbearance and mutual respect, are always calculated to improve the judgment and amend the heart. In the want of a home department, in which as in our own "plummet-found" Mississippi, rolling the congregated waters of millions of supplies to a common reservoir, might be found collected the multitudinous facts necessary to a correct understanding of the internal affairs of our country, and a wise legislation concerning them-in the general deficiency of knowledge in political economical subjects, and of the desire to obtain it from the absenco of professorships in our superior schools, to lead the mind of youth to contemplate and add up the sum of production and consumption, and investigate the wants of this nation and its means of supply-it is to be regretted the convention had not remained in session a considerable time, that the dispersed and important facts in the possession of as respectable a body of practical men as ever was assembled, might have been fully gathered and preserved for public instruction: but the sparse items mutually communicated, and in part retained, may act like "a little leaven" and "leaven the whole lump," if liberally received and rightfully used. It was the great united and allied interest of agriculture and manufactures, in their actual effect upon the state of society, that the convention was charged to consider-with more immediate regard, however, to the growth and manufacture of wool; and for the purpose of really obtaining that degree of protecTo collect facts, compare ideas, reconcile con- tion which is seemingly extended by existing laws, ficting opinions, and investigate the fitness of their but actually denied, or rendered only partially effecadaptation to existing circumstances-taking things tive, by the counteraction of foreigners, and in as they are and not as we would that they were, to the ingenuity and ability with which they violate the repeal laws found defective or injurious, and enact principle supposed to be established, for the protecothers rendered necessary by changes of condition, tion of American farmers, manufacturers and merwe clect or appoint congress and assemblymen, re- chants. It is believed that more than eighty milserving to ourselves a general right of instruction as lions of dollars are embarked in the wool business, to their proceedings, in such manner as we think most at the present time-and many millions more would expedient to give effect to our will-and this is an have been invested, but for the rapid and ruinous deunalienable power vested in every free people. To preciation of value in the capital so employed. We cause the more convenient and certain operation of think that there is no other country in which so great this power, we have specially reserved uncontrolled an interest as this would have been so much neglectauthority, in ourselves, to assemble together, in ed. But this neglect arises in part from an illlarge or small bodies, or through delegates charged founded spirit of jealousy, built upon sectional feelwith the execution of our will, and of conferring ings, and in part from peculiar opinions; some of and consulting with one another, without the fear of which are antiquated, some very new, and others reproach or apprehension of responsibility, further having more regard to things as they should be than than our own actions, when assembled, may incur, to things as they exist. Great mistakes have been through the force of public opinion-and this broad caused by the last, and they are defended, because principle, at once the origin and the fruit of republi- that European writers on political economy, like canism, is one that only tyrants will deny or the mad- other manufacturers, have sent forth their products ness of party reject. On this proud base it was, that for foreign use. Adam Smith, for example, presents delegates selected in a majority of the states assem- many sound propositions and matters of deep interbled at Harrisburg, in the central state of Pennsyl- est, though not, perhaps, always defensible; and vania, to deliberate upon such measures as should his countrymen, with the peculiar adroitness of appear most expedient to give a new impulse to the merchants, recommend his doctrines for our adopprosperity of the United States, and defend the in- tion, but will not permit them to influence their own dustry of the people against the restrictive and pro-actions. They restrict trade in every way that it hibitory acts of foreign governments, and the inju- will bear-their whole legislation is directed to rious and fraudulent proceedings of their subjects. their own peculiar advantage, and we do not blame Nothing was transacted in a corner-the whole acts them for that; but they desire others to open their of the convention are before the public-the results ports unreservedly, and practice the principle of 'free of the experience of practical men, chiefly agricul- trade,' alleging that commerce is best left to its own turists, are developed, and a respectful petition to regulation! and supplies of foreign bread are refuscongress was agreed upon, setting forth and submited to their own people, though often half-starved |