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agriculture even to thrive in these states; when by means of



canals; railways; &c。 the produce of the much more fertile and



cheaper tracts of land in the west which require no manure; can be



carried to the east much more cheaply than it could be there



produced upon soil exhausted long ago? How under such circumstances



can civilisation thrive and population increase in the eastern



states; when it is clear that under free trade with England all



increase of population and of agricultural capital must flow to the



west? The present state of Virginia gives but a faint idea of the



condition into which the Atlantic states would be thrown by the



absence of manufactures in the east; for Virginia; like all the



southern states on the Atlantic coast; at present takes a



profitable share in providing the Atlantic states with agricultural



produce。



    All these things bear quite a different complexion; owing to



the existence of a flourishing manufacturing power in the Atlantic



states。 Now population; capital; technical skill and intellectual



power; flow into them from all European countries; now the demand



for the manufactured products of the Atlantic states increases



simultaneously with their consumption of the raw materials supplied



by the west。 Now the population of these states; their wealth; and



the number and extent of their towns increase in equal proportion



with the cultivation of the western virgin lands; now; on account



of the larger population; and the consequently increased demand for



meat; butter; cheese; milk; garden produce; oleaginous seeds;



fruit; &c。; their own agriculture is increasing; now the sea



fisheries are flourishing in consequence of the larger demand for



salted fish and train oil; now quantities of provisions; building



materials; coal; &c。 are being conveyed along the coast to furnish



the wants of the manufacturing population; now the manufacturing



population produce a large quantity of commodities for export to



all the nations of the earth; from whence result profitable return



freights; now the nation's naval power increases by means of the



coasting trade; the fisheries; and navigation to distant lands; and



with it the guarantee of national independence and influence over



other nations; particularly over those of South America; now



science and art; civilisation and literature; are improving in the



eastern states; whence they are being diffused amongst the western



states。



    These were the circumstances which induced the United States to



lay restrictions upon the importation of foreign manufactured



goods; and to protect their native manufactures。 With what amount



of success this has been done; we have shown in the preceding



pages。 That without such a policy a manufacturing power could never



have been maintained successfully in the Atlantic states; we may



learn from their own experience and from the industrial history of



other nations。



    The frequently recurring commercial crises in America have been



very often attributed to these restrictions on importation of



foreign goods; but without reasonable grounds。 The earlier as well



as the later experience of North America shows; on the contrary;



that such crises have never been more frequent and destructive than



when commercial intercourse with England was least subject to



restrictions。 Commercial crises amongst agricultural nations; who



procure their supplies of manufactured goods from foreign markets;



arise from the disproportion between imports and exports。



Manufacturing nations richer in capital than agricultural states;



and ever anxious to increase the quantity of their exports; deliver



their goods on credit and encourage consumption。 In fact; they make



advances upon the coming harvest。 But if the harvest turn out so



poor that its value falls greatly below that of the goods



previously consumed; or if the harvest prove so rich that the



supply of produce meets with no adequate demand and falls in price;



while at the same time the markets still continue to be overstocked



with foreign goods  then a commercial crisis will occur by reason



of the disproportion existing between the means of payment and the



quantity of goods previously consumed; as also by reason of the



disproportion between supply and demand in the markets for produce



and manufactured goods。 The operations of foreign and native banks



may increase and promote such a crisis; but they cannot create it。



In a future chapter we shall endeavour more closely to elucidatc



this subject。







NOTES:







1。 Statistical Table of Massachusetts for the Year ending April 1;



1837; by J。 P。 Bigelow; Secretary of the Commonwealth (Boston;



1838)。 No American state but Massachusetts possesses similar



statistical abstracts。 We owe those here referred to; to Governor



Everett; distinguished alike as a scholar; an author; and a



statesman。







2。 The American papers of July 1839 report that in the



manufacturing town of Lowell alone there are over a hundred



workwomen who have each over a thousand dollars deposited to their



credit in the savings bank。











Chapter 10







The Teachings of History







    Everywhere and at all times has the well…being of the nation



been in equal proportion to the intelligence; morality; and



industry of its citizens; according to these; wealth has accrued or



been diminished; but industry and thrift; invention and enterprise;



on the part of individuals; have never as yet accomplished aught of



importance where they were not sustained by municipal liberty; by



suitable public institutions and laws; by the State administration



and foreign policy; but above all by the unity and power; of the



nation。



    History everywhere shows us a powerful process of reciprocal



action between the social and the individual powers and conditions。



In the Italian and the Hanseatic cities; in Holland and England; in



France and America; we find the powers of production; and



consequently the wealth of individuals; growing in proportion to



the liberties enjoyed; to the degree of perfection of political and



social institutions; while these; on the other hand; derive



material and stimulus for their further improvement from the



increase of the material wealth and of the productive power of



individuals。



    The real rise of the industry and power of England dates only



from the days of the actual foundation of England's national



freedom; while the industry and power of Venice; of the Hanse



Towns; of the Spanish and Portuguese; decayed concurrently with



their loss of freedom。 However industrious; thrifty; inventive; and



intelligent; individual citizens might be; they could not make up



for the lack of free institutions。 History also teaches that



individuals derive the greater part of their productive powers from



the social institutions and conditions under which they are placed。



    The influence of liberty; intelligence; and enlightenment over



the power; and therefore over the productive capacity and wealth of



a nation; is exemplified in no respect so clearly as in navigation。



Of all industrial pursuits; navigation most demands energy;



personal courage; enterprise; and endurance; qualifications that



can only flourish in an atmosphere of freedom。 In no other calling



do ignorance; superstition; and prejudice; indolence; cowardice;



effeminacy; and weakness produce such disastrous consequences;



nowhere else is a sense of self…reliance so indispensable。 Hence



history cannot p

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