224 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



farmer and the planter ; and they supply to the great 

 agricultural mass of population articles of necessity 

 and convenience, at a cheaper rate and of better 

 quality than the farmer could fabricate them for 

 himself. The manufacturers of our country consume 

 more of the surplus provisions of our soil than all Eu- 

 rope, Asia, and Africa put together. I know it is said 

 that we can gel our wearing apparel from Europe, 

 had we no protecting duties, cheaper than we can 

 manufacture it ourselves. And this is undoubtedly 

 true as regards many articles that we use. But 

 what would be the consequence ? What was the 

 consequence in 1836, when we were flooded with 

 foreign goods without the means of paying for 

 them * Our manufacturers became embarrassed ; 

 many of the mills were stopped; and a general 

 stagnation of all business ensued. Had the causes 

 which produced that state of things continued to 

 operate, a complete prostration of our manufacturing 

 energies must have ensued, and the manufacturer 

 been obliged to seek his employment and his bread 

 among the agricultural class : the home market for 

 the surplus products of our soil would have been 

 thus cut off, and the stimuli to industry and enter- 

 prise everywhere paralyzed. Europe does not want, 

 and will not buy, our agricultural products. She 

 sells to us even breadstuff's. Ours must find a home 

 market, or no market at all. 



But there is another consideration which claims 

 from us an interest in ou manufactures. Why are 

 manufactured goods cheaper in Europe than they 

 are in America] Not because our workmen are 

 less expert or our machinery less perfect. The 

 difference lies in the social condition of the work- 

 men of the two countries in the price of labour. 

 So depressed is the condition of the operatives in 

 Europe, that they are compelled to labour for a bare 

 subsistence. They enjoy but few political rights. 

 There the many toil to support the few in luxury 



