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mercial and navigating interest, and in a third, the agricultural interest greatly predominates; as is the case with all the western states. It is difficult to conceive what real interest the last can have in the system. They manufacture but little and must consequently draw their supplies principally from abroad or from the manufacturing states, and, in either case, must pay the increased price in consequence of the duties, while at the same time the tariff must necessarily diminish, if not destroy, their trade with us. From the nature of our commercial connexion with them our loss must precede theirs, but theirs will with certainty follow, unless compensation for the loss of our trade can be found somewhere in the system. Its authors have informed us that it consists of two parts, of which prohibition is the essence of one, and appropriation of the other. In both capacities, it impoverishes us, and in both, enriches the manufacturing states. The agricultural states of the west are differently affected. As a protective system, they lose in common with us; and it will remain for them to determine, whether an adequate compensation can be found in appropriation, for the steady and rich return which a free exchange of the produce of their fertile soil with the staple states must give, provided the latter be left in full possession of their natural advantages.
It remains to be considered, in tracing the effects of the system, whether the gains of one section of the country will be equal to the loss of the other. If such were the fact—if all we lose be gained by the citizens of the other section, we would at least have the satisfaction of thinking, that however unjust and oppressive, it was but a transfer of proper⟨t⟩y, without diminishing the wealth of the community. Such, however, is not the fact, and to its other mischievous consequences, we must add, that it destroys mach more than it transfers. Industry cannot be forced out of its natural channel, without loss. The exact amount of loss, from such intermeddling, may be difficult to ascertain, but it is not therefore the less certain. The committee will not undertake to estimate the millions which are annually lost to our country under the existing system; but some idea may be formed of its magnitude, by stating that it is at least equal to the difference between the profits of our manufactures and the duty imposed for their protection, when it is not prohibitory.—The lower the profit the higher the duty, if not prohibitory, the greater the loss. If, with these certain data, the evidence reported by the committee on manufactures at the last session of congress, be examined, a correct opinion may be formed of the extent of the loss of the country, provided the manufacturers have fairly stated the case. With a duty of almost fifty per cent. on the leading articles of consumption (if we are to credit the testimo-
