Justin S. Morrill and the meaning of protection

Abstract

ABSTRACT Historians state that the protectionism that arose in the nineteenth century resulted from the new Republican party embracing its Whig roots while acquiescing to lobbyists and “greedy manufacturers.” Justin S. Morrill, Republican Congressman then Senator from Vermont, was the person most responsible for both the tariff and internal revenue measures enacted during the American Civil War. I argue that by studying Morrill, we find that there were many reasons for the extraordinary increase in tariff rates during the war. This is significant because the rise in tariff rates during the war has been associated with the pressure exerted by manufacturers through lobbying during the war to increase tariff rates, subsequently leading to the “new industrial order” of the late nineteenth century. Morrill’s attempt to balance internal revenue and tariff legislation played a significant role in this development. Morrill’s goal was to elevate farmers and “the interests of laborers” – he was never a shill for manufacturers. Protecting agricultural products and laborers remained at the heart of Morrill’s agenda. This can be seen in both the tariff and internal revenue legislation enacted during the Civil War.