84 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



more thorough and intimate knowledge of our national resources, 

 agricultural, commercial and manufacturing." The address is a 

 well-considered article in favor of a protective tariiF, and assumes 

 that national wealth and prosperity are sure to flow from the 

 reciprocal action of these three great branches of national indus- 

 try, whenever a proper legislative protection is given to the pro- 

 ducts of the manufactures of the country. 



No plan of action was decided upon by the Institute for some 

 months after its organization, A resolution of thanks " was 

 voted to Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, in the Senate of the 

 United States," and others, " for their exertions to pass such 

 acts as would encourage agriculture and manufactures, and for 

 their persevering efforts to prevent the passage of laws which 

 were calculated to impair the commercial and shipping interests 

 of their fellow citizens." A publication committee was appointed 

 " to give publicity to such facts, expositions and documents as 

 are calculated to disseminate correct and useful information to 

 the protecting an American system." 



A committee was appointed to select such articles as had re- 

 ceived the least protection from the tariff of duties, and to " as- 

 certain their present as compared Avith former prices, in order to 

 show that high duties on the foreign rival articles had uniformly 

 reduced prices." The articles of hats, glass, leather, shoes, 

 boots, cabinet wares, &c., were particularly recommended to the 

 attention of the committee. 



A committee of three persons from each ward of the city was 

 appointed to extend the subscriptions of such newspapers pub- 

 lished in the city, as advocate the American system. 



A proposition to establish a weekly paper or periodical, devo- 

 ted to the advocacy of a strongly protective tariff, was enter- 

 tained and discussed. 



It thus appears that at this time the main object contemplated 

 by the founders of the Institute, was to aid in perfecting such a 

 tariff of duties on imports as would give protection and encour- 

 agement to the industry of the country ; and the means by which 

 they proposed carrying out their views, were chiefly confined to 

 the diffusion of statistical and other information. 



On the 5th day of June, 1828, Joseph Blunt, Esq., from the 

 executive committee, made a report on the subject of a Fair and 

 Premiums, which resulted in an exhibition of articles of Ameri- 

 can production, in the city of New York, under the auspices of 



