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DAGUERREOTYPE

PORTRAITS AND FAMILY CROUPS.

EIGHT FIRST PREMIUMS-SILVER MEDALS

Awarded at the Great Fairs in Boston, New-York, and Philadelphia,

CAN BE SEEN AT

M. A. & S. ROOT'S GALLERIES,

363 Broadway, cor. Franklin st., N. Y., & 140 Chestnut st., Phila.

ADMISSION FREE TO ALL.

THE MESSRS. ROor having yielded to the many urgent solicitations of their numerous friends to establish a branch of their

CELEBRATED DAGUERREOTYPE GALLERY

in this city, have been engaged for some time past in fitting up an

ELEGANT SUITE OF ROOMS

AT

363 BROADWAY, COR. FRANKLIN ST.,

where they shall be most happy to see all their numerous friends, as also strangers and citizens generally. The acknowledged high character this celebrated establishment has acquired for its pictures, and the progressive improvements made in the art, we trust, will be fully sustained, as each department at this branch is conducted by some of the same experienced and skilful artists that have been connected with it from the commencement.

The pictures taken at this establishment are pronounced by artists and scientific men unrivalled for depth of tone and softness of light and shade, while they display all the artistic arrangement of the highest effort of the Painter.

Citizens and strangers visiting the Gallery can have their miniatures or portraits taken in this unique style, and neatly set in Morocco Cases, Gold Lockets or Breastpins, Rings, &c., in a few minutes.

Heretofore an almost insurmountable obstacle has presented itself to the production of family likenesses, in regard to children. The Messrs. Root are happy to state that through an entirely new discovery of theirs, this difficulty has been overcome, as the time of sitting will not exceed two or three seconds in fair, or ten to fifteen seconds in cloudy weather.

N.B.-LADIES are recommended to dress in figured or dark materials, avoiding whites or light blues. A shawl or scarf gives a pleasing effect to the picture.

FOR GENTLEMEN.-A black or figured vest; also figured scarf or cravat, so that the bosom be not too much exposed.

FOR CHILDREN.-Plaid, striped or figured dresses, lace work. Ringlets add much to the beauty of the picture.

The best hour for Children is from 11 A. M. to 2 P. M. All others from 8 A. M. to 6 P. M.

Jan., 51, 12t.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

THE

AMERICAN REVIEW.

No. LXXXII.

FOR OCTOBER, 1851.

THE INFLUENCE OF MANUFACTURES, AND THE PROTECTIVE

SYSTEM.

THE most important branch of public | It was then made a party measure, being policy advocated by the Whig party, is supported by the Whigs generally in both doubtless that of the Protective System, or the encouragement of American Industry by the enactment of well-arranged revenue laws. Without protection, we hold that it is impossible for a full development of the resources of the country to be made. The real wealth of a nation consists in its industry; in its availing itself of its capital, skill, and labor, to the full development of all its natural endowments, and its general moral and physical advantages, resulting as well from the genius of its people, as from its peculiar position and institutions.

Houses of Congress, and opposed by the Democrats as a party, with few exceptions, principally from Pennsylvania. The wants of the Treasury, and perhaps other reasons, obtained for the bill the signature of John Tyler, then President of the United States, who had previously returned with his veto, to the same Congress, two tariff bills which recognized the principle of protection. Under the tariff of 1842, all the varied interests of agriculture, manufactures and commerce were wisely protected; and it is believed that no period in the annals of this country exhibits greater evidences and proofs of prosperity than the four years while that great Whig measure was in full

The tariff of 1828, notwithstanding its defects, introduced for political effect, was eminently protective in its character, and under its auspices the country enjoyed seve-force and effect. ral years of prosperity; which were however During the term of the first Congress uninterrupted, and many industrial interests der Mr. Polk's administration, the evil genius finally prostrated, by the operation of the of the country prevailed, and after a severe compromise tariff of 1833. But it was re- party struggle the tariff of 1846, at present served for the Whig majority in the Con-in operation, and the emanation of the mind gress of 1842 to devise and enact what may of Robert J. Walker, then Secretary of the be considered, beyond all question, the best Treasury, was enacted. Party triumphed tariff law we have ever had. That tariff was over the real interests of the country, and comprised in a bill brought into the House the effects which were predicted by the of Representatives by the present President friends of protection have been already exof the United States, who was then Chair-perienced. The war with Mexico, the disman of the Committee of Ways and Means. [covery and product of gold in California,

VOL. VIII. NO. IV. NEW SERIES.

19

It would be easy for us to show, as indeed has been frequently done by others, that the agricultural interests of the country are more benefited by the operations of the protective system than those of any other class. An inquiry into the average profits of the large cotton manufacturing establishments, for instance, for the last twenty years, satisfies us that not more than six or seven per cent. per annum, or equal to simple interest, has been derived from the investments therein, even including those most skilfully managed. The same remark, we believe, will apply to manufactories of wool and iron; and it is well known that the business of these three staple manufactures is now very generally attended with loss to the proprietors. And many establishments are now carried on with the hope that an improvement may soon take place in prices, in consequence of a future diminution of importations of foreign merchandise.

and the famine in Ireland which created an portion of the industrial interests of the extraordinary demand for our breadstuffs, country. have checked the progress of the evil effects inevitably resulting from the partial withdrawal of protection by the tariff of 1846; but it cannot be denied that a paralysis has taken place in many branches of industry. But slow progress has been made in cotton manufactures and other branches of industry, which were flourishing under the tariff of 1842; indeed, many of them have been since conducted, as is well known, with loss to the proprietors, and those infantile manufactures which, under the Whig tariff laws, were springing into existence, have been suppressed. The withdrawal of adequate protection from railroad iron has caused the general suspension of the domestic manufacture of that important article, and millions of dollars have been and are still being paid to Great Britain, for the iron for the extensive lines of railroads in this country, many of which pass in the immediate vicinity of iron mines, awaiting the hand of labor to be worked, for the benefit of various branches of industry.

The question of anti-protection or free trade appears to us to involve that of the reducThe immense importations of foreign mer- tion of wages of the laboring classes in our chandise into this country, in consequence of manufactories to the standard of Europe, the encouragement held out by the present which is fifty per cent. lower than the prestariff, are now beginning to be severely felt ent prices paid in this country; or the deby the commercial and trading interests, struction of a large portion of the manufacwhich cannot fail to result in the most ruin- turing establishments in the United States. ous consequences to the country at large; The amount of capital employed in those and the low prices to which the staple arti- manufactures in this country, with which cles of agriculture have fallen, must convince come directly in competition the importaour farmers and planters that increased im- tions from Europe, considerably exceeds one portations are not counterbalanced by expor- hundred and fifty millions of dollars, and tations of produce, notwithstanding the pre- the annual product of the same as much dictions of the late Secretary of the Treasury, more; and it is a matter of serious considMr. Walker. What, then, is to be the rem-eration whether a market can be found for edy for this downward state of things? We confess that we see none, except in a return to the protective system under which the nation has always prospered, while every approach towards free trade has invariably been disastrous to the best interests of the country. Notwithstanding the forbidding aspect of the next Congress, in which there will be a decided Democratic majority, it may be hoped that the great agricultural interest of the West will join with the friends of protection in the Atlantic and Middle States, and adopt at least such revisions of the tariff as may have a tendency to restore the waning prosperity of a great

produce sufficient to pay for an augmented importation of one hundred and fifty millions of dollars, besides the present heavy amount of our imports.

The opponents of manufactures, and the friends of free trade, when compelled to admit the pecuniary benefits sometimes resulting to agriculture and other interests, from the introduction of manufactures, continue to revive the oft-refuted objection to the establishment of a class among us for the purpose of working up our own staples, that a manufacturing population is necessarily a vicious and degraded one, and therefore that the true interests of this

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