man from Massachusettes, (Mr. DAVIS,) asked, conceal the true nature of this contest. It is no with great earnestness, what interest could pos- affair of speculative theory, but a plain business sibly maintain itself with a protection of only concern. And I will now tell the gentleman 25 per cent. This is certainly a most extraordi- from Massachusetts, if he will pardon the liber nary question. What interest can exist without ty, what is the natural price of the manufactur a protection of 25 per cent.! I will tell the gen- ing labor of the northern States, estimated in tleman: The whole planting interest of the money It is precisely the same as the manusouthern States not only exists without a pro- facturing labor of England, and not a cent more. tection of 25 per cent. but without any protec-Let us examine the elements of the comparition at all; it not only exists without protection, son. The English and the northern manufacbut it goes abroad upon the face of the deep, turers are employed in making the same articles. to encounter the competition of the whole Does the English machinery, the great agent of world, under restrictive duties averaging nearly production, cost any more than the American the double of 25 per cent. Yes, Sir, while Not near so much, Sir. Iron, the principal mathere is not a single branch of northern industry terial used in its construction, does not cost that can command even the home market, with half so much. Is the interest of money highall the advantages of proximity, without a pro- er in England than in the United States? tecting bounty of 50 per cent., the whole of the But little more than half as high. Is the productions of southern industry have to go raw material of manufactures higher in Engabroad under the oppressive burthen of the land than in the United States? Cotton, same rate of duty, and not only to encounter to be sure, is a little higher, but all other foreign competition, but foreign duties also, raw materials, particularly iron and wool, The ingenuity and the wickedness of man could are a great deal lower. The aggregate, therenot possibly devise a scheme more perfectly fore, of all the other elements of price, exadapted to impoverish and desolate the south- cept the wages of labor, is decidedly less in ern States, and enrich the northern States by England than in the United States. Does it their spoils. not follow, with demonstrative clearness, that It is a system, Sir, which regards the plant- in a free competition for the market of the ers of the southern States as aliens, and their United States, the wages of manufacturing laindustry as foreign industry. bor in the northen States, must be reduced at The gentleman from Massachusetts, referring least as low as the wages of the same labor in to the cheap rate of slave labor in the planting England? The cost of importation is fully States, asks, with a very significant emphasis, counterbalanced by the superior advantages of do you expect the free labor of the north to England in capital and machinery. I will now contend upon equal terms withmere machines?" examine this subject in another aspect. The Sir, is this the language for one free English manufacturer says to the southern man of the same common country to hold to planter, my poor operatives have to labor for another? How dare the gentleman to ask me about ten cents a day, and I can, therefore, afIf I expect that his labor will contend on equal ford to give you the product of four days of terms with mine? and by what authority does their labor for the product of a single day's la be propound an interrogatory so arrogant and bor of your slaves." insulting? It is the very languag, Sir, of a

Now, is not this the most beneficial of all exmaster, and cannot but cause the blood to boil changes for the cotton planters? Is it not betin the veins of every southern man who has the ter that they should receive the product of four spirit of a freeman. In the better days of the day's foreign labor in exchange for one, than republic, before the spirit of the revolution had be compelled to receive only the product of departed, this single question would have roused one day's domestic labor, and that less efficient up millions of freemen to vindicate their rights. and productive in the proportion that twelve Let me tell the gentleman, once for all, that I hours are less than sixteen? utterly disclaim his right to make any inqui- Nothing can be more absurd and nonsensical ry or question as to the description of labor em- than the doctrine of Mr. Niles, and the Harrisployed in the southern States, and to assure burgh Convention, which maintains, that a nahim, that, if God gives the people of the south tion whose labor is dear cannot, without ruin, The spirit of his ancestors and mine, he will be carry on a commerce with one whose labor is obliged to compete with just such labor as they cheap. The very reverse is most obviously the choose to employ, and upon terms, too, of per- fact. The cheaper the labor of the nations with fect equality which we carry on commerce, the more pro But, Sir, I can, at the same time, assure the fitable must that commerce be, not only to the gentleman that look with no envy on the prospersons immediately engaged in producing the perity of the northern people, God forbid. exchanges, but of consequence, to the country at On the contrary, I would rejoice if they could large. It is true, Sir, that if the interest of the rece e ten times as much for their labor as they domestic manufacturers is to be considered the do. But I never will consent that the price of great master interest, to which the planting and their labor shall be enhanced to an amnatural exporting interests of the Union are to be offerprice, by the disguised appropriation of one-ed up as a sacrifice, the cheapness of foreign third of the proceeds of southern labor, for their labor may be regarded as an evil, and the maIse and benefit. nufacturers may properly say to their lege subis in vain, Sir, to disguise this matter, or to jects, the planters, "you are hereby prohibited