EXHIBITION OF 1868. 
463 
In 1826 heavy cottons were sold in New England for 23| cents per yard, in 
1840 for 12 cents, in 1859for 9;|- cents. Cotton hosiery went down from 26 
cents in 1860, to 12^ cents a pair to-day. Lawns were imported from Eng¬ 
land in 1846, at 28 to 30 cents, then we undersold them. Delaines, of which 
we consume two yards to each of our population, we imported at 28 to 30 
cents ; a better home-made article now sells at 20 cents. Carpets have been 
reduced 25 per cent, by economies and processes introduced here. Our shoe 
industry excels the world in quality and beauty, and only needs a tariff to 
guard against fluctuations abroad. Ten years our cast steel was imported 
from England at a duty of but 12 per cent., and its average price was 18 cents 
per pound. In 1860 its manufacture commenced in Pittsburgh, and in 1861 
the duty was doubled, but the foreign article went down to 13 cents, and 
ours a trifle lower. Gold premium and war prices carried English steel up to 
45 cents, but ours was sold, of equal quality, at 32 cents, and our government 
and people thus saved millions in the war, and were saved from pitiful de¬ 
pendence on a foreign power not especially friendly to us in the days of our 
peril. 
These reduced prices, all under protection, are no great tax, surely. 
John Quincy Adams, in a report from the Committee on Manufactures to 
Congi'ess, in 1832, said: 
“ The first act of the first Congress was an act levying duties on importa¬ 
tions, and this act, by an exception to the general rule, was preceded by a 
preamble, as follows: 
^ Whereas, it is necessary, for the support of the Government, for the dis’ 
charge of the debt of the United States, and the encouragement and fro- 
iectlon of manufactures, that duties be levied on goods, ware and merchandise 
imported.’” 
And that able patriot argued that this was a part of their duty “to pro¬ 
vide for the common defence,” saying, “ This common defence must be pro¬ 
vided for as much against commercial rivalry as warlike invasion, for the 
spirit of traffic, armed with power, as the experience of mankind has proved 
it more insatiate and grasping than all the Alexanders and Cassars that am¬ 
bition has inflicted on men.” 
The sagacious Franklin, writing from London in IV'Il to Humphrey Mar¬ 
shall, said: 
“ Every manufacture encouraged in our country makes part of a market for 
provisions within ourselves, and saves so much money to the country as must 
otherwise be exported to pay for the manufactures he supplies. Here in Eng. 
1 • • ^ 
^and it is well known and understood that wherever a manufactory is estab¬ 
lished which employs a large number of hands it raises the value of land in 
the neighboring country all around it. It seems, therefore, the interest of 
our farmers and owners of land to encourage young manufacturers in prefer" 
ence to foreign ones.” 
Thomas Jefferson said to Benjamin Austin, in 1816: 
