THE JOURNAL.
gOIRRECT pruscirLEs-SGIPORTEn UT TUUTII.
HUNTINGDON, PA.
- 11tes — diy Morning, Dec. 81, IMSO.
• TtIRMS- OF PUBLICATION:
TYa "HUNTINGDON Jo u RNAL" is published at
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- if paid during the year, 2,00
V paid after the expiration of the year,• •2,50
To Clubs of five or more, in advance,• • • 1,50
Tat* above Terms will be adhered to Mall cases.
No subscription will be taken for a less period than
six months, and no paper will be discontinued un
til all arrearoges are paid, unless at the option of
th• publisher.
A Change.
eir Hereafter the " Journal" will he published I
on T hursday morning in place of Tuesday as I•.erc
tofore. We make this change for tho 'oenefit of
our readers. The present arr":egement of the
mails will enable us, by this change, to give later
news, as we almost iuvftriably receive the impor
tant news in the early part of the week. The
Trough Creek packages will be mailed on Wed
nesday evening, and will convey to our numerous
subscribers in that region the very latest intelli
gence.
fir We aro indebted to our friend, Mr. B.
FULLERTOX MI.LS, fur the copy of a Lecture by
CHARLES D. Mum, M. D., delivered before the
Jefferson Medical Class, in Jefferson Medical Col
lege, Philadelphia. We have read this Lecture
with great pleasure. It is replete with wit and
wisdom.
ea - Major ItAystosm, of the Whig, has our
thanks for a copy of Judge TATLOlefi sentence of
nutchison.
gir The length of Secretary CORWIN'S Report
bas excluded our usual variety, but we feel sure
that none of our patrons who read it, will feel dis
satisfied on this account. It is an able production,
and should be in the hands of every voter in the
land. We hope arrangements will be made to
give it an extensive circulation. That truth is
stronger than fiction, is verified by this able state
paper.
sr The Old Year is about to breathe its last.
Before the issue of another number of our paper
1831 will have commenced its course. We have
neither time nor room for any reflections on the
demise of 1850, or the advent of 1851, but must
content ourself with simply wishing all a "Happy
New Year."
66- Ottr CARRIER requests us to so that he
will have the pleasure of waiting on the PATRONS
of the Journal to-morrow morning, and hopes to
be kindly received.
eNT - Our Representatives at Washington are row
enjoying the holidays, and consequently doing
very Ihtio fl ate gotta of "the deer people."
Harrisburg Papers,
PENNOTLVANIA TELECRATIL-Thin old and
ably condneted Whig paper continues to be pub•
lished at $3 per annum. For si4 months, inelnd•
ing the session of the Legislature, during which ii
is issued semi-weekly, $2. The proprietors aloe
'propose to iPSIIC a Lady Telegraph during the ses•
lion at $1 for a single copy ; two copies for $5
fire copies for $lO, if sent to one post office.
DAILY AMERICAN.—This is the title of an ex- I
ceedingly neat little daily paper, just published at
Harrisburg, by Geo. BERGNER & CO. The
American is Whig in politics, and the first num
ber gives evidence that it will be conducted with
ability. The Pennsylvania Intelligeneer has been
'discontinued, and its place is to be supplied by the
Weekly American. Wo wish this new enterprise
success. Terms of the Daily American, $4 per
STATE JOVITNAL.—This is the title of a new
weekly Iriig parcels be started at Harrisburg, on
or about the first of January. The prospectus
says it will support the State and National admin
istrations, and will be thoroughly and radically
Whig. For our own part we have no reason to
doubt the sincerity of these professions, and hence
cannot but deprecate the harsh premature attacks
which have been made on this enterprize. We
know the gentleman who is to conduct this new
paper, and we know that no man of his years in
the State has performed more disinterested Whig
labor. Ills name. has net yet appeared, but we !
suppose will on the appearance of the paper. The
mass of the Whig party of Pennsylvania are firm
ly attached to Gov. jOIINEITON, and will rally
around his standard a second time with greater.
enthusiasm than they did the first, and hence it is
folly to think that any set of men in their senses
would dream of starting a Whig press to oppose
him. We ask, therefore, for a suspension of pub
lic opinion in regard to the " STATS JOURNAL,"
IlUtil it has an opportunity to speak for itself.
Oz EN TO DEATII.—WiI.LIA MCGLANCIITIN
aged 60 years, t,:s found on the 18th inst., in IVlif
flin township, Cumbet;:tnd country, frozen to death.
lie was of intemperate han.!,
METHODI6T MlfiSlollB.-The a..mestic minions
of the Methodist Church, according 0 Bishop
JAN ES, comprise 320 stations, and employ 33: mis
sionaries. Connected with these are about 30,00
church members. '
air A PAINFUL RUDIOR was afloat in Washing
and Baltimore Cities on Thursday, that the boat
in which Jenny Lind and suite stinted from Wil
mington, N. C. for Charleston, was lost during the
storm on lionday night. Later accounts, howev
er, announce the safe arrival of the strainer at her
destined port. The boat had been blown out to
sea, but fortunately weathered the dtorm. The in
telligence of the Nightingale's safety was received
with great satisfaction.
sr Our State legislature will meet on next
Thursday. We trust the Members will hurry
throug% with the business.
Trial and Cool irlion of Alexander
Hutchison, .
In the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Nair Conn ,
ty, if the murder of NATHANIEL hU3II.NEONL,
The defendant was arraigned on the itith - hest.
' Alilo couasel appeared on both sides. 1). It.
IlomAs, Esq., District Attorney, and S. STLIA,
Esq., for the Conimonwealth ; and T. P.
CA B
lIPUELL, JOIIN ROTTIEBLINE, A. P.
and T. C. MeDowEm.; Esqs., for the defend,,ni.
The speeches of these gentlemen, on both rid.,
are spoken - of in the highest terms. The tbilow
ing gentlemen scare selected and sworn as jurors,
viz :—Joshua Burley, Wm. Louden, Geo. • Potts,
Thomas Criasmun, Edward RKiernan, Peter
Pool, Samuel F. Cooper, Samuel Shellenberger,
Abraham Storr, Joseph Stiffler, Joshua Hooper
and Thomas Hunter.
The counsel for the defendant instructed h,',u t to
plead not guilty, and put in the plea , :;i•
The examination of witnesses bud argument of
counsel occupied the Court up to Monday evening
of last week, when th.b ease.was submitted to the
Jury by His 1.1 , :n0r, Judge Taylor, in an able and
lucid cha''',,e. On Tuesday morning the Joey re
tinted a verdict of Guilty of Murder in the first
degree.
The prisoner was brought into Court on Thurs
day morning, the 26th instant. After motions in
arrest of judgment, and for a new trial, were ar
gued, and over-ruled, he was ordered to stand up,
and was asked if he Lail anything to say why sen
tence of death should not be pronounced against
him. To this inquiry he replied, through his
counsel, that he had nothing to say. JuDa ETo
Lou, then proceeded to address, and pronounce
sentence upon him, as follows:
SENTENCE OF TUE COURT.
ALEXANDER lii :—After a patient
hearing of your case, which wits continued at your
request an entire term, and compulsory process at
the expense of the county given-you, to bring any
witness you might name, affording you every fa
cility to meet the awful charge against you; after
availing yourself of the humane and cautions pro
vision of the law extending to every prisoner a
right of challenge which may almost be said to
render the jurors that try hhn of his own choice ;
after a patient and careful examination of all the
evidence you could adduce; after havingtlie bene
fit of the labors of learned and able coun,el, whose
zealous efforts in your behalf' demand your grati
tude, and elicit the praise of all,—who brought to
your aid every thing which zeal, ingenuity, and
argument could furnish, and whose eloquence,
melting roar jury to tears, threw into the scale in
your behalf the commiseration of every feeling
heart,—you stand before us convicted of the wil
ful, deliberate, and premeditated MURDER OF NA
THANIEL EDMUNSON j-uf the high crime of mur
der of the jire degree; and you are here to receive
the awful sentence of the law
....., ........ --- -
Your youth, and your present unhappy situa
tion,—apparent as it is that you enjoyed not those
early advantages calculated to preserve from er
rors' path,—appeal strongly to our sympathy; hut
you stand before us convicted of the highest crime
known to the low, and public justice sternly re
quires that you slamld stiffer the penalty. It is an
awful penalty; but it is the penalty which the law
affixes to an awful, an appalling crime : The law
of Nature and of Revelation, alike denounce it
against the wilful and deliberate shedding of hu
man blood. Its infliction upon you cannot, indeed,
restore to the bosom of his Ihmily your victim:
' but it will toll all others, iu tones of dreadful
warning, that the life of a fellow being, of what
ever race or cast, or whatever may be his com
plexion, can only be taken at the peril of the
mara5.r.?........
The killing of the deceased you have not deni
ed; nor hare you denied any of the attendant
facts which show it to be murder of the highest
grade. The testimony shows that it was , done
coolly ataideliberately ; in the execution of threats
frequently before made us the fruit of a quarrel
and a cherished grudge,—maile again shortly he
-10113 loading the gun, and twice repeated immedi
ately before you discharged it, with steady and
fatal ann. It tins been urged that you were not
capable of understanding the nature of the act.—
But you had sufficient understanding and intelli
gence to do your duty on the boat, so as to merit
the character of. "a good hand," and to be entrust
ed by Capt. McCue, who knew you well, with the
command of his boat that very trip. Those who
Iwere with you constantly on the canal the last
season, and who had an opportunity of observing,
saw nothing unusual in your conduct. The sin
gular acts ascribed to you by several witnesses, at
different times, observed but a few minutes, or at
most not over half an hour, and while those by and
with. wkon,you were employed at time time saw nothing
.• ~ ..
unusual in' your actions or conversation, are more
satisfactorily accounted for OTUERWISE, than upon
the supposition that you were insane. But your
conduct at the time of the fatal occurrence show
ed none of these alleged symptoms of derange
ment—nothing but the following out to execution
of a grudge and an oft expressed determination of
revenge, ' like a staunch murderer, steady to his
purpose' You were not then exhibiting one of
the strange freaks mentioned by the Witnesses.—
You were quietly sitting on the boat, when Ed
mitten, excited by the violent assault you had
made upon him a few minutes before, spoke to
you. In that position, you made the threat—
" Than, don't sus tar, or I'll shoot you." And to
Bilmunson's reply, still sitting, you repeated it:
Nigger, don't sas me, or I'll shoot you I" . And it
was not until after he had said something else, that
you rose up, and went for the en, and 'put your
threat in execution. There is no disixiverahle
evidence of mental delusion impelling you blindly
to the act. There was too much calculation, mem
ory, 4 TIETIIOD, in this madness.". It was the toad
ness of malice—of "a heart regardless of social
duty, Lind fatally bent on mischief:"
If it were not nn irresistable conclusion from
all these ducts, that you were capable of under-
standing the nature of your offence, and of know
ing that it was WRONG, your reply and assent to I
Capt. MeCue's rebuke when you lust threatened,
in his hearing, to shoot Edmonton, and when he
said that "he would not like to have the negro's
blood on him," and the dissatisfaction and disgust
whirl,' you properly expressed in prison, at the
visit to you, in the solemn citzumstunces in which
you wore placed, of a near relative intoxicated,
show that you are not destitute of moral percep
tion.
These remarks are not made to wound your
feelings, but to show you that this court approves
the verdict of the jury which fixes your guilt ;
and to impress upon you our solemn conviction
that you have no reason to hope that anythiug
will stove you from suffering the penalty of the
law. Do not deceive yourself a moment with a
thought of being pardoned ; but enter at once,
and M earnest, upon the work of prepar for the
selemu ;;onr of death. Unlike poor Edlllllll,ll,
WI.. y o u joirricil into eternity without Si h our ',
warning, you %val. be allowed time fin. reflection
mod repentance, and to nadirs your peace with
God. Let these golden days and months, lie
wisely employnd
You wee' capable of knowing that the deed was
wrong. lids it tufficient to render you justly
punishable fur it. Happily uo grunter amount of
capacity is needed to enable you to seek and find
forgiveness from God. Look unto nisi for par
don. Look unto Jesus Christ, the sinner's friind,
who came into this world and died for sinners,
"even the CIIIEF." To (10 this, does not reqn:re
the capacity of a strong or highly cultivated mind.
It is hut, with true penitence, and a firm reliance
upon MU 143 s Saviour, to seek,—to ash ; with 11
burdened heart, and an eye of faith, to look and
LIVE! And Mina encouragement have you to
listen to the instructions of Ills ministers who
will. visit you and inst r uct you in the great work
of
.preparation for the trying end solemn hour of
death, by that melting display of tenderness and
eompassion which Ile exhibited when lie opened
the portals of paradise to the dying, THIEF who
was suffering the, penalty of crime by His side
upon the cross ; and whose prayer, then, for His
uttn murdeors, ware, "YATllfin, POnOIVE Tian'!"
,It only remains 'to pronounce the sentence of
the law. That sentence is—
That you, Alcrander Hutchison, be taken hence to
the place from whence you come, with'..a..the nadh, of
the jail of the ronny 'of Blair, and thence to the
e lace qf o,..egthm within te walls yrad iyr the
jail ty thestiid coontu Moir, and that you be there
hanged by the !Wl ' , ?Twit you are dead.
And ma!' Uod, in File infinite compaision, have
your soul!
A Fugitive Slave Case.
A ease occurred in Philadelphia, on Saturday
the 21st inst., which shows how the Fugitive Slave
Law can be used by such men as the Commis
sioner foi that city, to aid kidnappers in stealing
free men and selling them into slavery.
The person taken called himself Adam Gibson,
hut it Was alleged that his real same was Emery
Rice, .and , that he was an absconding slave, the
Property of Wm. Knight, of Cecil county, Mary
land. Ile had resided in New Jersey, and attend
ed the New Market, South Second street, with
produce. lie is apparently about twenty-four
years of ago. On Saturday afternoon, about one
o'clock, whilst standing at the corner of Second
and Lombard streets, he was arrested by Geo. F.
Alberti, Wm. McKinly, and Robert Smith, who
told him that he was charged with stealing chick:
ens. Ile resisted the attempt, when a pistol was
placed at his head, and he was put in a carriage
and hurried to the office of the United States'
Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Shortly afterwards, the Commissioner, E. 1). In
gralnny Esq., appeared, and without much delay,
at once proceeded in the case. Proof was made
that Mr. Knight had a slave named Emery Rice,
but not a particle of evidence was produced to
show that the person arrested was Rice, except
the say-so of a fellow named James F. Price, who
admitted in his cross-examination that he had
once Seen arrested for kidnapping. On the other
hand, two colored men swore positively that they
had known the man arrested from childhood, and
that his name was Adam Gibson. This statement
could nu doubt have been substantiated by other
witnesses, but the Commissioner, with indecent
haste and a want of humanity, as disgraceful to
himself as it was inconsistent with the ends of
justice, refused to give the prisoner any time to
produce witnesses, and at once handed hitn over
to the claimants. And now for`the sequel. The
alleged slave was taken to Maryland late on Sat
urday night, in the custody of several officers, and
was introduced to Mr. Knight, his reported mas
ter, out the following day. The moment that Mr.
Knight saw the negro, lie said that he was no stare
of his—that Emery Rice was a much older man,
and of a lighter color. Ile remembered Adam
Gibson, who was a slave in his neighborhood, but
he neither knew nor eared how ho obtained his
liberty. If, said he to the officer, yon see Emery
Rice, tell him that Its hail better go to Canada ;
for if I get hold of him, I will keep him as 1,4
r
unman was at once permitted to re
am, and was placed on the ears, but by some
means got off on the road, and walked to Phila
delphia, where his arrival was greeted by a large
crowd. Gibson has brought snit against his cap
tors, gad also indicted them for conspiracy to de
prii•c bite of liberty.
Notwithstainding there was a burst of indigna-
tine in Philadelphia against Commissioner Ingra
ham, for his outrageous conduct, the Pennsgleani ,
an, the paid organ in the North of the Slim
Aristocracy, compliments him for his great
promptness; and even when it turned - out that
flibson wns a free man, persists in saying that
Ingraham acted properly. A few more such cases
of promptness on the part of these negro-catching
Commissioners, will raise such a storm at the
North that no threatened consequences can pre
vent the Fugitive Slave Law from being repealed.
Later from California.
The Steamer Cherokee arrived at New York on
Friday, with dates from San Francisco to the 15th
ult., gold dust of the value of over $2,000,000, and
four hundred passengers.
The Cholera was abating at San Francisco and
Sacramento.
Trade was generally dull; the markets well sup
plies! at moderate prices.
Mining is partaking of a more scientific charac
ter; and the mines will yield a better return.
An extra session of the legislature was talked of.
The number of passengers that arrived at San
Francisco, from Oct. 1. 1849, to Oct. 31. 1850,
was 43,615—0 f which 30,123 were Americans.
Three men, with twelve others employed to aid
them, $lO,OO per day, per man, in twenty-five dap
obtained $75,000 worth of gold on the Yuba river.
This N called "a streak of luck"
A gentleman in Santa Cruz during the present
season realized the nice little smn of $5,000 from
six acres Oland, planted With potatoes alone.
There was a destructive fire at Sacramento city
on the oth of November, which occasioned a k
of about $45,000.
Gr A man was shot, and dangerously injured,
on Saturday night last, at Parkesharg, Chester
county; by whom is unknown. Suspicion, how
ever, rests on a colored man, who had been aceu
' and of being a slave and threatened to be informed
on by the man that was shot. It has caused mach
excitement in that vicinity.
AN OLD 110(..-The Pittsburg American no
tices an arrival in that city of a runaway couple,
from Lancaster Pa., the groom being an old far
mer of 75, worth $30,000, and tho bride a bloom
ing girl of 18.. The old gentleman is a fool, of
whirls he will soon be convinced. As to the young
lady we any nothing.
er The Locofoco State Committee urn now
engaged in a beantifid quarrel among themselves,
and gradually extending to their party in general
throughout the State, on the subject of holding a
separate Convention fur the nomination of candi
dates for Supreme Judges. A portion of 'the
Committee have called a mcctiog of its members
ass their own hook and against thii wish of their
Chairman, to nullify the call for a 'separate Con
vention. Both factions are deserviag of the fate
of thd caul.
Secretary of the Treasury's Report
Below we give the most important portions of
Mr. Cox:lris's annual report, as Seeretary . of the
Treasury, which was submitted. to Congress a
short time since. We give a synopsis of the sta
tistical and other portions of the reports the details
of whirls arc not of immediate interest to our
readers. Thnt portion of it which relates to Home
Industry we have given in full, and it will he found
particularly clear, able, and interesting.
RECEIPTS AND EXPITSIDITURES.
The gross receipts front nil sources during the
fiscal ycatending..June 30, 1850, inclusive of the
balance in the Treasury on the Ist of July 1849,
wore $49;606,713. •
The expenditures fur the same fiscal year amoun
ted in all to $48,002,165.
lalaucti in the Trensury, July 1, 1850, $6,604,•
THE ESTI!HATFM FOR IRSI
The receipts tbr the fiscal year ending June 80,
1851, urn e9tininted in all, nt $47,258,996.. The
expenditures ut $48,124,668.
Tim Wont: Down. .
The ColleCtoros of Customs and Surveyors of
interior ports have beets made depositaries and have
gives bonds as such. A statement has been ob
tained, showing the amount of money expended in
each Custom I louse, and the number and salaries
of the persons employed. The arrangements con
nected with the collection of duties on the Pacific
have been fully attended to. The Secretary has
submitted estimates for the Revenue Service, on
basis of twenty revenue ve,s,ls.
Tint DEBT.
On the 30th (;f Noveinber, lust, the Public Debt
rus $64,228,229,
Tim YEAH 1852.
The estimated expenditures for the year 1852 are
$48,124,998.
FRAUDS UPON THE REVENUE.
The Secretary says that the provisions of the
Act of rely, 1836, have heel, found insufficient for
the prevention of frauds and undervaluations.—
These frauds demand the immediate supervision of
Congress. They have been, and continue to be,
systematically perpetuated, and are confined nei
ther to one class of articles, one market, ur one
port of the United States. lie earnestly urges
upon Congress, to inquire into the practical oper
ation of stir present system of imposing duties upon
the foreign cost or values of merchandise, being
fully satisfied that the longer it is continued, the
stronger will be the inducements for the couunis
.
n of frauds.
THE IMPORTS AND THE PCBLIC DLDT,
The estimated receipts from customs, m presets.
ed for the remainder of the current - year, amid for
he year ending :30 June, 1832, are based upon a
xintinuance of the present large artiount ofimports.
Aside from our increased expenditures, and exeht
doe of estimated purchases of stock, w•e have to
irovide for $7,220,952,89 of the public debt which
matures within the next tw•o fiscal years.
The operation and effect of these laws of labor
d trade, it is believed, have been frequently and
Ipably exhibited in the history of our country.—
is from such experience that the general princi
n upon which our tariff laws are based, have be
me the common opinions of the people. Hence
e almost universal impression in our country
avails, that, in assessing duties on foreign mar
andise, such discrimination should be made as
II have the effect of fro:hieing all articles
_deli can be manufactured at home in such
quantity, if possible, as to raise up two mar
kets tiff the consumer, the home and the foreign—
each competing with the other, so that he may not
his left to the mercy of one, and that the foreign one
;tem only in, its operation upon revenue, it is I atone
IJOIIE INnusTßy.
The system of ad valorem duties ; however well
adapted to many articles of trade, when applied to
all, without diierimination, restriction, or safe
guard, has been proved by the experience of this
Department, to he subject to many and strong ob
jections. Its tendency is to cherish a spirit 01
)vertrading greatly injurious to the industry of
mm country in all its departments, and, in its final
'malts, thtal to the revenue. onsidering this
. .
believed that the experience of the most enlighten
ed commercial nations of Europe has proved it
to be impolitic and unsalb. Under the operation
of the British tariff, revised in 1840, the whole rev
enue derived from articles paying advaloreni du
ties has been only an average of about £BB,OOO
($182,000) per annum ; in a gross receipt, front
customs of £22,000,00t) ($105,000,000) being less
t h an „„,,,,c i t.t. uf This IIEC 111 •
...aue from inmosts, and the evident design of Par
liament was to make specific duties the source of
revenue from imposts, so Mr as it possibly could be
effected. A like policy Jim also always been per
sued by the other commercial nations of Europe.
The primary object to be kept in view in levy
ing duties upon imports is admitted to be revenue.
It is equally well established us the policy and du
ty of the Government so to discriminate in the levy
ing of duties, as, without falling below the acces
sary amount of revenue, to give the greatest en
couragement possible to all the industrial pursuits
of our own people. One filature of the law of 1848
ill the opinion of this Department, is opposed to
both the controlling principles just stated. 1 have
reference to an equal, or higher rate of duty on the
raw material, than upon the manufactured article
of which it is composed. Such provisions certainly
take from the manufacturer and artisan, that
eouragettient which the present law dotibtleis, to
some extent, was intended to atford, and also cheek
the itmor atiott of the raw material to a degree
detrimental to the revenue. The constant Iluctu-
:moos in prices, and consequently in the duties
under any unrestricted ad vadorom taritl; give t,
the act of 1846 that most objectionable feature, in
stability. These variation; giving a high duty
when least required, awl low duties when price:
arc rnitions, tend to An excess of importationzt, ant
subject all the products of labor in our own comp
try to the frequent end enormous fluctuations it
the' markets abroad, arising front the disturbed con•
• &that of those nations, with whom our foreign
commerce is chiefly carried on.
Under the uresCnt system, duties are highe
when the article iniporti,d is h'igliest, and wheritho
purchaser and consumer can least afford to pay the
duty; nod lowest when the pries of the article
wanted would allow a heavy additional duty to be
levied on it. Thus, if an article costs $lO, a duty
of thirty per cent. would compel an addition of sd;
if that article fulls in value to S 5, then is the duty
reduced one half.
That cannot be as wholesome system of taxation
which fiallows the consumer in tile purchases, in
creasing his burden when prices are high, and ta
king it oaf as price: fall and his ability to hear it
increases. If applied to articles of subsistence, it
would operate as a lienxy tax 1111011 bread inn year
of famine, increasing with the intensity of the evil,
and gradually disappearing with the return of
abundance. •
The objection to the.present system, from coo•
mereial iluetuatiom in prices, is ma:tautly formi
upon the attention of the Department by instimeei
of extreme inequality and prejudicial operation.—
The European price of iron was, in 1846, gread:
above that which has prevailed for the last twi
yearn. If the duties upon bar iron have been lee.
led in strict anon' wiili foreign cost, they would
now be hut little more than one-half of what they
were in 1846. By this process, besides the im
mense injury inflicted upon domestic industry, our
revenue is made to fluctuate with the accidents and
revalstons ht foreign conuneree, nod these acci
dents and fluctuations, which originate abroad, are
imported with their attendant mischiefs.
Our revenue, as already stated, must be main
ly dependent on duties on imports. Those imports
front abroad can only be paid for by exports made
iup of the products of our labor in all its varieties,
or in tile precious metals. lfusr imports shall ex
ceed the value of our exports abroad in any. given
year, to the extent of such excess du we create it
foreign debt. BIM, operation be repeated for only
a few years, it is obvious that it will effect the with
drawal from us of a quantity of the precious met
als equal, or nearly so, to the amouut of the accu
mulated debt, bringing with it bankruptcy in all
departments of business, consequent inability to
purchase foreign goods, and thus, for the time, cau
sing a ruinous depression in the receipts into the
treasury. It then becomes equally the duty of
Congress and the interests of the people (if possi
ble) so to regulate imports as to confine the impor
tations into this country, to an amonnt about equal
to such exports of our own as can find a market
at remunerative prices abroad. The bare state
nadnt of the foregoing well established laws of trade
would seem to famish a safe guide in all legisla
tion on the subject.
Whilst importations should be secured in amount
sufficient at a practical rate of duties to supply the
wants of the treasury, suCh ditties should be adjus
ted in a manner to affeet . ffivoreltly all indusnial
pursuits at home. Halides on the neeestiary im
portations should have the effect to impair the abil
ity of the inites of the people to purchase anti pay
for foreign goods, then importations to that extent
must cease, 'and in consequence the revenue to an
equivalent amount would be diminished.
It is believed that our own experience has shown
that our exports cannot be greatly extended, as
some have supposed, by low duties upon foreign
goods in our ports. It is a fact, within the obser
vation of all, that merchants and ship-owners are
ever vigilant and alert, with all the knowledge
which interest eau impart, and all the skill which
experience can supply, to send abroad any and
every product of this country whirl, can any where
hind a profitable market. These agencies, which
are always active, extend our export tratlic at all
times to the utmost limit of advantage to the pro
ducer or carrier. If at any time a given article of
export should he carried beyond the foreign de
nim/id, reduced prices the invariable result of over
supply, brings loss upon all concerned. If a for
eign article is in like manlier Ibreed upon our own
market beyond the required supply, the elfeet of
reduced prices, while it inflicts often ruinous Firs
upon the importer front abroad, is felt by those en
gaged in producing the like article at home, in eon- .
sequences tenfold more injurious, as the reduction
of price in our own market extends to and Weds
the entire labor of the whole country, which may
be employed in such manufacture or productions.
Thus, while the injury is temporary mid limited in
its etlimt upon the importer,
it is often lusting and
widely extended upon the labor ofour own people.
We see and feel it in the sudden breaking up of
establishments not yet sustained by au amount of
capital which can afibrd to encounter temporary
suspension of sales mid reduced prices, or not yet
worked with that skill and economy which long ex
perience alone can impart. In such instances, la
bor is stablently withdrawn from a diversity ofpur
suits, and di iven to the production in a limited
sphere; this again brings an over-supply of what
ever may be produced by the common employ
ments, while in the end it leaves the market of the
article, whatever it may be, the production of which
hits been abandoned at home, at the mercy of the
foreign supply alone.
The result in the end, to the consumer is invari
ably a rise in the 'nice of such article, and there
being no competition with the foreign producer; he
has possession of the market, and, of course, sup
plies it at the highest price which the demand will
give him. His prices and profit, unchecked by
competition in such cases, continue to rise with the
increased demand and diminished home supply.
....
The happy indirect effect of such legislation
upon the labor, and, consequently, on the perma
nent prosperity of our own country, is not the
greakst, by any means, of the blessings it confers.
By giving diversity to the occupations and indus
trial pursuits of the people, labor is rewarded and
the ability to consume foreign products is attained
and the wants of the national treasury, dependent
entirely upon ditties collected upon foreign imports
are nmply supplied.
While the great end—that of it competent rev
enue—is thus surely reached by this policy, rt larger
amount of exports is at the same time obtained
towards paying for the required importations.
Our exports, as the commercial statistics will
show, are nettle up mainly of cotton, rice, tobacco,
breadstuffs and provisions. These are the products
of the soil, and are shipped to foreign ports with
out more labor, as an element of price, than is ne
cessary to fit them for market in their first and
simplest condition. Oar statistics disclose the fact,
also, that breadstuffs and provisions, of which we
can produce a larger surplus than any other people
form comparatively a small addition to our export•,
particularly in years of plenty abroad. These ar
' tides, in the production of which so large and in
teresting a portion of our people are engaged, can
not find a market abroad at such prices as the far
mer can laird to receive, except when famine or
war create a foreign and exceptional demand.
In 1847, a year of titmice in Europe, we expo,.
tad of bretelstutEs and provisions, without premon
ition of the calamity which created the demand,
$68,701,121. This extraordinary export, while
our own market Was fully supplied, put beyond
doubt our ability to supply of these articles a sur
plus lie exceeding the ability - of any other cottntry
provided a market was found which did not ex
haust the value in transportation. The extraor
dinary demand of 1847 was tiot due to any legisla
tion of own or tbreign nations. It was the re
sult alone of the famine in Europe. Since that
time the operation of the British revenue act of
18.16 has wholly removed the duties upon . such
foreign agricultural products as are used for food,
and ours enter into competition there with those of
other nations. This free passage through British
custom-houses has not, however, increased the
British demand, for We find our exports diminish
ing in proportion as the effect of the fitmine Vover
come by the subsequent abundance tints the ex
port of breadstufls and provisions in 1847 was
$68,792,101; in 1848 $37,472,751; in 1849 $3B,-
155 507 ; mid in 1850 $26,051,373. Our exports
in 1831 of these articles were $17,538,227 ; in 1841
517,14,102; and, at the ratio of deereai . e exhil
Red since 1847, will, in 18M but little exceed th
latter amount.
The exportA of rice' in 1827 itmounted to $2,343,
908; in 1837, to $2,809,279 ; and in 1848, (tlie
year after the tionine,) to $2,331,824 ; in 1850, to
.4; 2,631,557. These dates eiabrac'e a ',Cried of high
and low duties, of comparative free trade ut lama
and in the principal market abroad. These fact,
disclose the blhicy of the principle so frequentl,
'lilted, that, by in hwitnr heavy importations un•
der a system of low Intie:, we necessarily create
a large corresponding di:l,mA abroad fur our oar
prothwtions.
Whatever truth there nay be in this principle,
is applied to the mole between other nations of
the world, 11, COUEC(111011CU of the relative nature of
their productions and manufactures, it has not the
,illllll3 application to the I.7nited Stance, limn the
single fact that nearly all the supplies which the
latter furnish to foreign nations of articles of no
nasally, the consumption of which is limited to ac
tual wants and cannot he f o rced beyond that de
mand, by adventitious eircumAances. When a
high degree ofprospei ity exists in the the United
Suttee, we see a levee inerenSe in the consumption
of most foreign productions, whieh tnay be gener
ally classed under the head or luxuries, bat we
have no such close of articles to tempt foreign na
tions in like manner to extend their purchases
from us, in reciprocation for extended supplies
limn them.
No nation will purchase from us, no matter how
prospe,us may be her condition, a larger amount
of breadktu& than the deficiency in her own abili
ty to supply will require, even though we buy from
her double or treble the amount of her productions.
So, in like manner, when her crops WI, she not
only will, but must, take from other countries,
what the wants of her population require, even
though it be three or ten-fold what they take front
her. •
This iniueiple Wll3 fully exentplitled in the fem.
ine year of 1847, 101011,14 r immense supplies of
breadstuffs to Europe caused such a heavy bal- )
alma in taw favor, even though it did increase our
imports from the very cause already alluded to, of
creating such a degree of prosperity in the coun
try, as to extend our desire and ability for the con
snit-atoll of such articles of foreign luxuries as "we
could not supply ourselves, and the opposite result
is exhibited at the present time, when we am
making excessive haportations, not only without an
equivalent extra demand, but, on the contrary,
with a diminished one frrim Europe, thy below what
. .
she took from us, when our importations were so
much less than they now ore. •
The foregoing statements show that thefarming
population of the country, without any extra brdi
nary stimulus, can produce a supply equal to
$68,701,121 to meet any urgent demand of a for
eign market, an amount more than equal to the av
erage value 'of the export of cotton from this coin,
try.
But we find this sum of nearly FiNtymine mill
ions, which rewarded the toil of the faring: of the
country in 1847, dwarfed down in 1850 to the com
paratively insigniglicaot amount of $20;051,373
a falling off in the rewarda of labor of the,farmor
alone in two years- of $42,40,548.
„..
When it is rementhered that a very rarge pro
portion of the citizens of this country are engaged
in the business of farming, and how much: of tho
permanent wealth and true glory of the republic
depends on their well-being and prosperity, it
would seem to be the dietrto ofenlightened.seitish
ness, ns well as a duty of patriotism, so 'trintould,
if possible, the laws regulating trnde and •revcauo
no to fortush for them at tonic, a permanent mar
ket.with remunerating prices. As no such market
can be found abroad, it may well • mit:gest the
inquiry whether legislation in providing of neces
sity, for eeventte, shall not, by eneournging a di
versity of employment in one own country. sccuro
the only safe and sure market fur our farming pro
ductions which can be obtained. _ _ _
The policy here suggested is strengthened by a
comparison of the value and amount of the home
as compared with the foreign market. It has been
estimated that - our consumption of (bud, raiment,
furniture, &c., is about $lOO for each individual.
Of this sum from $6 to $7 arc of foreign produc
tions, which, say st $6 50 per head, wont,/ require
an importation of about $150,000,000. It will at
once appear how insignificant this atuountis when
compared with the amount of home products con
sumed. Upon the basisof $lOO per head, the
. .
tbreign production furnishes $6 50 per head, or,
in the aggregate, $150,000,000; the residue, or
493 50 each, requires annually the sum of about
$2,100,000,000 to be supplied by our own. indus
try. Our average consumption of imports per
head, for thirty years has been $5 94. Any ma
terial excess over that average, as in the years
1835—'6, and 1839, has been surely followed by
the most disastrous results. The imports of the
past year have been exceeded in amount only by
the year 1836; and, it the official figures could be
made to represent the true cost of theimports of
. .
the former year, even 1836 would, it is believed,
not .be an exception. imports of. the first
quarter of the present year shows au increase of
more than $18,000;000 over the corresponding
quarter of lust year, indicating am importation for
the current year, greater, by many millions, than
the imports of any previous one, and a consump
tion per head proportionably larger, whilst the
markets abroad indicate no prospect of an increas
eddyinund for our exports.
. .
These exports, as already stated, consist princi-
Illy of articles of necessity, and nearly all of
lem raw materials in their crudest state, and if
re therefore wish to occupy the place among corn
tercial nations that our advantages of position
ml our vast resources warrant, we must greatly
icrease the amount of those exports. 'Ms can
my be done by an increase of manufactures.
During the past year oar exports of
cotton have amounted to $71,984,616
While of domestic cotton manufac
tures we have exported ouly to
the extent 0f4,734,424
_ .
Awl dining the same period the im
portations of cotton manufactures
entered fur consumption, hare
amounted at the foreign raluatiim
to
The exports of cotton from the United States
exceed in importance those of any raw material
exported from any other country, and at the pre
sent time it is our only export that is essential to
any other nation, hut it is believed to be a 'nista
ken policy for any nation to send its materials to
distant countries, to be manufactured iutb titbries
for its own we.
Possessing this most useful staple in abundanse,
and of the best quality, we ought greatly to in
crease its mantillteture and secure to ourselves
portion of the profits which other countries enjoy
therefrom. In order to impress cur people with
the value of this production of the United States,
and the means that it atthrtbi of extending our in
ternal and foreign commerce, I subjoin several
tables exhibiting in some degree its importance.
We exported iu
Raw Cotton. Cotton Thinu,
$42,767,341 $3,545,481
53,415,848 4,082,523
61,958,294 5,718,205
66,356,967 4,933,129
71,984,616 4,734,424
IB4G
1847
1848
1849
1890
$296,263,066 $23,013,762
The countries which hike the largest quantity of
our raw cotton are Grout Britain aid France; and
our exports of cotton and cotton mantitintbures
daring those years to these countries were us fol
lows :
To GREAT BRITAIN. To FRANCE.
Cot. Wool. Cot. Man. rot. Wool. Cot. Alan.
1846 $27,707,717 $9,607 $10,080,465 nuue.
1847 35,841,265 6,765 10,381,318 $ 216
1848 41,925,258 28 11,428,850 2,374
1849 47,444,890 2,591 10,185,713 mine.
1850 48,884,453 50 14,395,449 • 539
$201,803.592 $10,041 $56,471,795 $3,129
The value of collon twitujitcturts ex-.
ported from the United States du-
ring the year '4B was
And that trout Great Britain the
value was
Which shows how largely Great Britain is de
pendent upon this manuilteture fur hoe cutunterCial
proeperity.
Of the above amount the U. States . .
received from Great Britain, per '
British vessels, fur 1848, to the
extent of $8,291,036
Our records Ow the fiseu/ year end
ing 30th JIMC, 1848, shows an im
portation of cotton manufactures •
from Great Britain amounting to • 14,477,978
The *United States should share in the protitaof
manufacturing her own great staple ; tut its
increasepro
portion us we the manufacture
. of.. thisund
other materials of which we have an abundant
supply, shall we be enabled to command the.pro
duce, manufmtnres, and coin of other nations..
Our entire export of bread-stutD. and provisions
Ito all, the 1:,;:t year, will scarcely anemia to the
value of the emuu gouda imported and the duties
thiliteon.
These statenwnts are intended to show how im
portant uu article iu the commerce of the world,
is the cotton of the United States, nod, if menu
thetnred by our own citizens, how widely our corn
tneree might be extended. Instead of an impor
tation of Deadly $90,000,000 in value of cotton
mantifiictures in a single year, our annual exports
of those mantifitetures should bg $100,000,000.
The warehouses of the United States will not he
filled with productS and Ifinnufactures of other nit
dons, so long as wo are content to export our cot
ton mid other materials in their crude state, and
import the most common articles of clothing,
Our policy should ho IS' 'every constitutional
means, to encourage the manufacture of Our on-it
$19,8:1030
$5,718,205
100,777,008