THE NEW FEDERALIST

January 26, 1988

How Lincoln's Economic Adviser Explained the U.S. National Mission

Viewpoint

Henry Carey !resident A"raham Lincoln's economic policy adviser.

To the Editor ! The re"ent i##u$inatin% arti"#e in Ne& Federa#i t 'y Lyndon LaRou"he, He#%a (e))*LaRou"he, +riton (oa,o and $any other on "reation, "reati-ity, and agape 'rin% to $ind the "on"#udin% "ha)ter o. Henry +arey/ 1801 'oo,, The Harmony of Interests, &hi"h I ha-e en"#o ed in the ho)e you $i%ht )u'#i h it1

+#ear#y, +arey a& a di-ine $i ion .or the )eo)#e o. the e 2nited State 3 a $i ion &ho e )ur)o e &a to #i.t all the )eo)#e o. the earth hea-en&ard1 4i##y Da-i , 5r1 LaRou"he/ runnin% $ate in the 1986 )re identia# "a$* )ai%n, "a##ed thi tart#in% "ha)ter to our attention durin% a -i it to At#anta #a t year1 7our tru#y, Ja$e 81 9# on La&ren"e-i##e, :a1

We reprint here the slightly edited conclusion of the cited book by Carey, the little known economic adviser of President Abraham incoln! Concl#sion 5u"h i aid o. ;the $i ion; o. the )eo)#e o. the e 2nited State , and $o t o. it i aid 'y )er on &ho a))ear to #i$it the$ e#-e to the "on ideration o. the powers o. the nation, and rare#y to thin, o. it duties! 4y u"h $en the %randeur o. the nationa# )o ition i he#d to 'e %reat#y in"rea ed 'y ha-in% e<)ended i<ty or ei%hty $i##ion u)on a &ar &ith a &ea, nei%h'our, and ha-in% thu a"=uired the )o&er to )ur"ha e, at a hi%h )ri"e, a -a t 'ody o. &i#d #and that &ou#d, in the natura# "our e o. e-ent , ha-e 'een 'rou%ht &ithin the 2nion, in rea ona'#e ti$e, &ithout the "o t o. a do##ar or a #i.e1 4y u"h $en, the .ittin% out o. e<)edition .or the )ur)o e o. )rodu"in% "i-i# &ar a$on% our nei%h'our o. +u'a, i he#d to 'e another e-iden"e o. %rand* eur1 9ther &ou#d ha-e u to $i< our e#-e u) &ith a## the re-o#utioni t o. Euro)e> &hi#e a .ourth and #a t et i%h at the re.#e"tion that our .#eet and ar$ie are too $a## .or the $a%ni.i"en"e o. our )o ition1 4y o$e it i u))o ed that our ;$i ion; i that o. $ono)o#i?in% "o$$er"e o. the &or#d, and the ti$e i an<iou #y #oo,ed .or &hen &e ha## ha-e ;di)* #o$ati" re#ation ; &ith ;-a t re%ion o. the Ea t,; @er ia, +orea, +o"hin* +hina, 4ur$ah and Ja)an, &ith &ho$ ;nothin% 'ut the tea$* hi) "an u""e .u##y introdu"e our "o$$er"e1; 4y ;)er e-erin% and u""e .u# e..ort ,; it i thou%ht &e $ay e"ure the ;"o$$er"e o. Ja)an1; The "o t o. a $i ion to Ja)an &ou#d 'ui#d ha#. a do?en .urna"e that &ou#d add $ore to the &ea#th o. the nation in .i-e year than the "o$$er"e o. that

"ountry &ou#d do in ha#. a "entury1 The a$ount &e ha-e e<)ended on the $i ion to Au tria, in ear"h o. a $ar,et .or to'a""o, &ou#d 'rin% here a $any :er$an a &ou#d "on u$e a#$o t a $u"h o. our to'a""o a i no& "on u$ed in the e$)ire, and tho e to'a""o, "on u$er &ou#d do $ore .or the %ro&th o. Ne& 7or, than either Ja)an or Au tria1 The En%#i h do"trine o. ; hi) , "o#onie , and "o$$er"e; i thu re)rodu"ed on thi ide o. the At#anti", and it ado)tion 'y the nation &ou#d 'e .o##o&ed 'y e..e"t i$i#ar to tho e &hi"h ha-e 'een a#ready de "ri'ed a e<i tin% in En%#and1 There, .or a ti$e, it %a-e the )o&er to ta< the &or#d .or the $ain* tenan"e o. .#eet and ar$ie , a had 'e.ore 'een done 'y Athen and 'y Ro$e, and there it i no& )rodu"in% the a$e re u#t that ha-e e# e&here re u#ted .ro$ the a$e y te$, )o-erty, de)o)u#ation, e<hau tion, and &ea,* ne 1 4ut #itt#e tudy o. our hi tory i re=uired to ati .y the in=uirer that the )o&er o. the 2nion, and it $a%ni.i"ent )o ition a$on% the nation o. the earth, are due to the .a"t that &e ha-e to o %reat an e<tent a' tained .ro$ $ea ure re=uirin% the $aintenan"e o. .#eet and ar$ie 1 The "on e=uen"e ha 'een that ta<e ha-e 'een #i%ht, "a)ita# ha a""u$u#ated ra)id#y, #a'our ha 'een )rodu"ti-e, and the #a'ourer ha re"ei-ed &a%e that ha-e ena'#ed hi$ to .eed, "#othe, and edu"ate hi "hi#dren, and the nation ha thu )er* .or$ed it true ;$i ion; in e#e-atin% the "ondition o. $an1 I. &e de ire to .ind e<"e)tion to thi , &e $u t #oo, to tho e )eriod in &hi"h the )o#i"y o. Wa hin%ton, Je..er on, 5adi on, 5onroe, and Ja", on, &a de)arted .ro$, and &hen the %o-ern$ent ado)ted $ea ure tendin% to the $aintenan"e o. the En%#i h $ono)o#y o. $a"hinery, and there &e ha## .ind ta<e $ore hea-y, "a)ita# a""u$u#atin% $ore #o&#y, #a'our $ore un)rodu"ti-e, and the &a%e o. #a'our o $u"h de)re ed that the #a'ourer .ind it di..i"u#t to .eed or "#othe hi "hi#dren, and ti## $ore di..i"u#t to edu"ate the$1 T&o y te$ are 'e.ore the &or#d> the one #oo, to in"rea in% the )ro)or* tion o. )er on and o. "a)ita# en%a%ed in trade and tran )ortation, and there.ore to di$ini hin% the )ro)ortion en%a%ed in )rodu"in% "o$$oditie &ith &hi"h to trade, &ith necessarily di$ini hed return to the #a'our o. a##> &hi#e the other #oo, to in"rea in% the )ro)ortion en%a%ed in the &or, o. )rodu"tion, and di$ini hin% that en%a%ed in trade and tran )ortation, &ith in"rea ed return to a##, %i-in% to the #a'ourer %ood &a%e , and to the o&ner o. "a)ita# %ood )ro.it 1 9ne #oo, to in"rea in% the =uantity o. ra& $ateria# to 'e e<)orted, and di$ini hin% the indu"e$ent to the i$)ort o. $en, thu i$)o-eri hin% 'oth .ar$er and )#anter 'y thro&in% on the$ the 'urden o.

.rei%ht> &hi#e the other #oo, to in"rea in% the i$)ort o. $en, and di$ini hin% the e<)ort o. ra& $ateria# , there'y enri"hin% 'oth )#anter and .ar$er 'y re#ie-in% the$ .ro$ the )ay$ent o. .rei%ht1 9ne #oo, to %i-in% the products o. $i##ion o. a"re o. #and and o. the #a'our o. $i##ion o. $en .or the services o. hundred o. thou and o. di tant $en> the other to 'rin%* in% the di tant $en to "on u$e on the #and the )rodu"t o. the #and, e<* "han%in% day/ #a'our .or day/ #a'our1 9ne #oo, to "o$)e##in% the .ar$er and )#anter o. the 2nion to "ontinue their "ontri'ution .or the u))ort o. the .#eet and the ar$ie , the )au)er , the no'#e , and the o-erei%n o. Euro)e> the other to ena'#in% our e#-e to a))#y the a$e $ean to the $ora# and inte##e"tua# i$)ro-e$ent o. the o-erei%n o. A$eri"a1 9ne #oo, to the "ontinuan"e o. that bastard .reedo$ o. trade &hi"h denie the )rin"i)#e o. )rote"tion, yet do#e it out a re-enue dutie > the other to e<tendin% the area o. legitimate .ree trade 'y the e ta'#i h$ent o. )er.e"t )rote"tion, .o##o&ed 'y the anne<ation o. indi-idua# and "o$$unitie , and u#ti$ate#y 'y the a'o#ition o. "u to$*hou e 1 9ne #oo, to e<)ortin% $en to o""u)y de ert tra"t , the o-erei%nty o. &hi"h i o'tained 'y aid o. di)#o$a* "y or &ar> the other to in"rea in% the -a#ue o. an i$$en e e<tent o. -a"ant #and 'y i$)ortin% $en 'y $i##ion .or their o""u)ation1 9ne #oo, to the centrali"ation o. &ea#th and )o&er in a %reat "o$$er"ia# "ity that ha## ri-a# the %reat "itie o. $odern ti$e , &hi"h ha-e 'een and are 'ein% u))orted 'y aid o. "ontri'ution &hi"h ha-e e<hau ted e-ery nation u'Ae"ted to the$> the other to concentration, 'y aid o. &hi"h a $ar,et ha## 'e $ade u)on the #and .or the )rodu"t o. the #and, and the .ar$er and )#anter 'e enri"hed1 9ne #oo, to in"rea in% the ne"e ity .or "o$$er"e> the other to in"rea in% the )o&er to $aintain it1 9ne #oo, to under&or,in% the Hindoo, and in,in% the re t o. the &or#d to hi #e-e#> the other to rai in% the tand* ard o. $an throu%hout the &or#d to our #e-e#1 9ne #oo, to )au)eri $, i%noran"e, de)o)u#ation, and 'ar'ari $> the other to in"rea in% &ea#th, "o$.ort, inte##i%en"e, "o$'ination o. a"tion, and "i-i#i?ation1 9ne #oo, to&ard uni-er a# &ar> the other to&ard uni-er a# )ea"e1 9ne i the En%* #i h y te$> the other &e $ay 'e )roud to "a## the A$eri"an y te$, .or it i the on#y one e-er de-i ed the tenden"y o. &hi"h &a that o. elevating &hi#e e#uali"ing the "ondition o. $an throu%hout the &or#d1 Su"h i the true mission o. the )eo)#e o. the e 2nited State 1 To the$ ha 'een %ranted a )ri-i#e%e ne-er 'e.ore %ranted to $an, that o. the e<er"i e o. the ri%ht o. )er.e"t e#.*%o-ern$ent> 'ut, a ri%ht and dutie are in e)ar* a'#e, &ith the %rant o. the .or$er "a$e the o'#i%ation to )er.or$ the #atter1 Ha))i#y their )er.or$an"e i )#ea ant and )ro.ita'#e, and in-o#-e no a"*

ri.i"e1 To rai e the -a#ue o. #a'our throu%hout the &or#d, &e need on#y to rai e the -a#ue o. our o&n1 To rai e the -a#ue o. #and throu%hout the &or#d, it i needed on#y that &e ado)t $ea ure that ha## rai e the -a#ue o. our o&n1 To di..u e inte##i%en"e and to )ro$ote the "au e o. $ora#ity throu%h* out the &or#d, &e are re=uired on#y to )ur ue the "our e that ha## di..u e edu"ation throu%hout our o&n #and, and ha## ena'#e e-ery $an $ore readi#y to a"=uire )ro)erty, and &ith it re )e"t .or the ri%ht o. )ro)erty1 To i$)ro-e the )o#iti"a# "ondition o. $an throu%hout the &or#d, it i needed that &e our e#-e hou#d re$ain at )ea"e, a-oid ta<ation .or the $aintenan"e o. .#eet and ar$ie , and 'e"o$e ri"h and )ro )erou 1 To rai e the "ondition o. &o$an throu%hout the &or#d, it i re=uired o. u on#y that &e )ur ue that "our e that ena'#e $en to re$ain at ho$e and $arry, that they $ay urround the$ e#-e &ith ha))y "hi#dren and %rand*"hi#dren1 To u' titute true +hri tianity .or the dete ta'#e y te$ ,no&n a the 5a#thu ian, it i needed that &e )ro-e to the &or#d that it i )o)u#ation that $a,e the .ood "o$e .ro$ the ri"h oi# , and that .ood tend to in"rea e $ore ra)id#y than )o)u#ation, thu -indi"atin% the )o#i"y o. :od to $an1 Doin% the e thin% , the addition to our )o)u#ation 'y i$$i%ration &i## )eedi#y ri e to $i##ion , and &ith ea"h and e-ery year the de ire .or that )er.e"t .reedo$ o. trade &hi"h re u#t .ro$ in"or)oration &ithin the 2nion, &i## 'e een to )read and to in"rea e in it inten ity, #eadin% %radua##y to the e ta'#i h$ent o. an e$)ire the $o t e<ten i-e and $a%ni.i"ent the &or#d ha yet een, 'a ed u)on the )rin"i)#e o. $aintainin% )ea"e it e#., and tron% enou%h to in i t u)on the $aintenan"e o. )ea"e 'y other , yet "arried on &ithout the aid o. .#eet , or ar$ie , or ta<e , the a#e o. )u'#i" #and a#one u..i"in% to )ay the e<)en e o. %o-ern$ent1 To e ta'#i h u"h an e$)ire3to )ro-e that a$on% the )eo)#e o. the &or#d, &hether a%ri"u#turi t , $anu.a"turer , or $er"hant , there i )er.e"t har$ony o. intere t , and that the ha))ine o. indi-idua# , a &e## a the %randeur o. nation , i to 'e )ro$oted 'y )er.e"t o'edien"e to that %reate t o. a## "o$* $and , ;Do unto other a ye &ou#d that other hou#d do unto you,;3i the o'Ae"t and &i## 'e the re u#t o. that $i ion1 Whether that re u#t ha## 'e )eedi#y attained, or &hether it ha## 'e )o t)oned to a di tant )eriod, &i## de)end %reat#y u)on the $en &ho are "har%ed &ith the )er.or$an"e o. the dutie o. %o-ern$ent1 I. their $o-e$ent 'e %o-erned 'y that en#i%htened e#.*intere t &hi"h indu"e $an to ee, hi ha))ine in the )ro$otion o. that o. hi .e##o&*$an, it &i## "o$e oon1 I., on the "ontrary, they 'e %o-* erned 'y that i%norant e#.i hne &hi"h #ead to the 'e#ie. that indi-idua# ,

)arty, or nationa# intere t , are to 'e )ro$oted 'y $ea ure tendin% to the deterioration o. the "ondition o. other , it &i## 'e #ate1