The Tariff as it is, compared with N. B. Power Loom Sheetings of American manu- I facture were first introduced into the New-York market, from Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1817 or 1818. Brown Sheetings (yard wide) from the Waltham Manufactory, then sold at from 28 to 30 cents per yard. The same Factory now sells better goods m this market for eight cents per yard/ Their Waltham fine Bleached Shirtings, made of Sea Island Cotton, sold in 1819 at 37^ .cents. The same Factory now sell goods of equal or better quality, at nine cents per y ard. TABLE IL ’ Comparative prices of colored Cotton Domestic Goods in the New- York Market for a series of Printed Calicoes. The above tables, year^: Year. Striped and 4-4 Checks, Plaid Ginghams. April 1818... ........26 cts.... 1819... .-.30 ......... 25 1820... — .24 ......... 16 1821... — .22 .........17 1822... .^..20 .........17 1823... ....20 ......... 164 .... 1824... — .15 ......... 12" .... 1825... — .18 ......... 151 1826... ....14 ......... 14" ... 1827... — .14 ......... 12 1828... — .14 ......... 11 1829... ....14 ......... 10 1830... — .12 ........... 9 1831... — 112 ......... 11 1832... ....11 ........... 9 1833... — .11 ......... 8 1834... — .11 ......... 71 ... 1835... ....11 ........... 9" 1836... — .11 ..........10 1837... — .11 ......... 10 1838... — .9 ........... 8 1839... .... 9 ........... 8 1840... .... 8 ........... 7 1841... ....8 ........... 7 1842... .... 8 ........... 7 1843...___ 7 ........... 7 1844... .... 8 ...... 8 compiled . .20 cts. ..17 - ..16 ..14 ..13 -.121 ..12 ..11 -.101 ..10J -W ..10i ..10 ..10 ..10 ..10 ..10 .. 8 .. 9 for this essay from the books of heavy wholesale merchants of this City, exhibit the actual cash prices of Cotton and of Cotton Goods at the several periods specified, and clearly illustrate the progress of the Cotton Manufacture in this Country, under the system of minimums, or high specific duties for all common fabrics, established in 1816/ were sold in this market as low as 3| cents, which was, however, at a loss to the manufacturer. • These tables tell their own story. Bear tn mind that the Protection on these goods has been virtually specific (by means of the minimum) and most effective, except for a'short time prior to August, 1842, under the tapering off of the Compromise Tariff. Now I by no means assert that there would have been no reduction in the absence of a Tariff, but I do consider it clearly demonstrable that 1. The reduction in price of Cotton Goods as compared with that of Cotton has been far greater and more rapid than it could have been in the absence of a Protective duty; 2. That our People are now supplied with Cotton Goods at far cheaper rates than any nation is or can be which does not mainly fabricate them for itself. If this is questioned, the evidence can be procured without difficulty. 3. That it cannot, in the nature of things, be advantageous to send our Cotton to Europe to be fabricated into Shirtings and Sheetings for our own consumption. The mercantile charges upon the complicated operations necessary to its double transportation and redistribution over our Country would inevitably overbalance any possi. ble saving from the superior cheapness of Labor n Europe. XIII. Why Cotton Manufactures still need Protection. The question is a fair one, and shall be fa Fy answered. I do not consider a duty above twenty- five per cent, essential to the stability of our manufactures of plain and common fabrics.— These can now take dare of themselves under a low duty. Like Nails, and several other articles, which first attained vigor under a high specific duty, they are now too strong to be easily overthrown. But a large proportion of our Cottons take the form of Calicoes, figured, printed and fancy godds of all descriptions, and of these the American Manufacture is far less vigorous and invincible. They are hut recently and many of them hardly naturalized ipon our soil, and their processes, especially of designing and coloring, are not yet brdught to perfection. 1 Why can’t we make calicoes as cheap as the British or French V inquires a Free Trader. Sir, we can, we do ; but a great many of our People prefer the Foreign article and will pay a higher price for it. A retail merchant of Rahway assures me that he sells American Calicoes cheaper than he can buy British of equal value, and yet he must keep British, because some of his customers will have them. An experienced merchant assures me that the average value of British and French Calicoes in this market is four cents a yard above that of their American rival. Something’ of this is due to a false and pernicious taste in a portion of our People ; something, doubtless, to a want of the highest excellence in finish and coloring in our goods; and something to a permanent cause. To prepare the plates or blocks, &c. &c. for printing a pattern of Calicoes is a costly undertaking ; it cannot be afforded at the present prices of Calicoes unless a large sale thence can be realized. A British manufacturer prepares a new pattern and prints 100,000 pieces, which are half ’ disposed of in Great Britain and her dependenAmerican Printed Calicoes were not much known in this market before the year 1826. Previous to that period the market was supplied with British Calicoes, which sold at prices varying from 25 to 60 cents per yard. Both British and French Calicoes are now pretty much driven out by the American Prints, which supply the demand at about one-fourth of the old prices paid for imported goods. Bed-Ticking.—This article, of both Domestic and Foreign manufacture, formerly sold for a few years after the peace from 60 to 100 cents per yard, if from 7-8 to a yard wide, and of good quality. The Dorchester Massachusetts Manufactory introduced their power-loom Tickings into this market about the year 1820. They were a superior article, and sold at first for more than 40 aents per yard, and for a long time at 37| cents per yard by the bale. They have gradually declined in price, until the present time,’when they sell for 15 cents for the finer and 12J cents per yard for the coarser qualities. The Butternuts Manufacturing Company, of Otsego County, one of the oldest establishments in the State of New-York, as we are informed by their Agent, A. G. Washbon, Esq. sold their 3-4 Brown Cottons, (made by hand looms,) in 1815, at 28 cents per yard, and they are now doing a fair business by selling similar goods made by power looms, at 6 cents per yard; at one time last year these goods
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