Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/39

 BEECHER

��sympathize with them ; but besides all these there is a material and an interested reason why you should sympathize with them. Pounds and pence join with conscience and with honor in this design.

Now, Great Britain's chief want is — what? They have said that your chief want is cotton. I deny it. Your chief want is consumers. [Ap- plause and hisses.] You have got skill, you have got capital, and you have got machinery enough to manufacture goods for the whole population of the globe. You could turn out fourfold as much as you do, if you only had the market to sell in. It is not therefore so much the want of fabric, tho there may be a temporary obstruc- tion of that; but the principal and increasing want — increasing from year to year — is, where shall we find men to buy what we can manufac- ture so fast? [Interruption over a voice, "The Murrill tariff." Applause.]

There is in this a great and sound principle of political economy. If the South should be ren- dered independent ^

Well, you have had your turn; now let me have mine again. [Loud applause and laughter.] It is a little inconvenient to talk against the wind; but, after all, if you will just keep good-

> At this point mingled cheering and hisses interrupted the speaker until "half the audience rose to their feet, waving hats and handkerchiefs, and in every part of the hall there was the greatest commotion and uproar." Mr. Beecher "quietly and smilingly waited until quiet was restored, and then proceeded."

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