The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-04-06 00:00:00

I am, Gentlemen,
Yours faithfully and obediently,
JOSEPH C. EWART

Liverpol, April 3d, 1852.

TO THE BURGESSES AND PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTORS OF LIVERPOOL.

GENTLEMEN,
IHave received a Requisition, most numerously
and most respectably signed, inviting me again to be
Candidate for the honour of Representing you in Parliament.
I can truly say that, on every public question, with careful
reflection, to the best of my ability, I have given an independent
vote, according to the dictates of my conscience. The labour
which attaches to the representation of so great a community
I have cheerfully discharged ; and confidently believe that none
of your local interests have suffered in my hands.
You will now be called upon to answer a short, and cl
and most important question : viz., Will you have Free Trad
or will you not

Consider, therefore, what it is, and what you will surrend
if you lose it. Before 1842, Taxes were levied upon ma
articles in such a manner as to lay a heavy burden upon the
public, and to produce a small return to the Exchequer. Sir
R. Peel thought the more.heavily we were taxed, the less we
could afford to buy; anti that, if he made toe taxes' ignter, the
Treasury might not ke.the loser, just as an honest tradesman
finds that small profits and quick returns pay better than high
prices and slow trade. Let me enumerate some of the articles
upon which the duty has thus been removed or greatly dimi-
nished, viz., Corn, Meat, Cattle, Sugar, Coffee. Currants,
Brandy and Rum, Butter and Cheese, Cotton, Timber, Tallow,
Silk, Glass. In this list you will recognise the principal articles
of our subsistence, and the materials upon which our industry
is employed. _

See-hoiv his hopes were realised. The taxes taken off were a
burden to the public of more than Ten Millions a year, and yet,
in 1842 the Customs and Excise produced ... £35,480,000
In 1851, after the Taxes were removed £35,026,000
You perceive how very large the saving has been to us, and
how very small a part of it the Treasury has lost.
In 1852 you are invited, voluntarily, to reimpose this system
of taxation upon yourselves. But those who would persuade
us to like dear prices better than cheap, use a plausible pre-
tence. They say the amount of his wages is more important
to the workman than the prices he pays, and that Protection
will encourage British industry at the expense of Foreign.
Now, look at the following figures :
In 1842 the value of the Goods we sent abroad was £47,381,000
In 1851 9, t, 10 0 ~ about e 74,250,000
Or more than half as much again. The reason is obvious. We
had consumed so much more of the comforts that came from
abroad, that it was necessary to 'Mild out a corresponding
increase of our Manufactures ; and, in order to produce them,
Labour was employed at home, and Wages were paid.
Thus it is that tree I rade gives Wages, as well as Food, to
the Englishman, and makes the Foreigner pay. This increase
of Imports and Exports necessarily involved an increased
demand for Shipping. The Tonnage of British Shipping
entered inwards and cleared outwards are as follows :
In 1842, 5,415,000 tons (exclusive of ships in Ballast);
In 1851, 8,535,000 tons.
While the general effect of Free Trade has thus increased the
demand for shipping, it has not been possible to maintain
untouched that part of the Protective system which bore an
especial regard to the interest of the Shipowner. It might,
perhaps, have been possible to obtain for British interests a
more complete reciprocity. It was no fault of mine that this
endeavour was not made. It was in opposition to my advice
that the question was suffered to turn upon the total rejection
of the Bill proposed to Parliament. That measure has now
by her Majesty's present advisers, been declared to be irre-
,
vocable ; and it is well worthy the Shipowners' serious consi-
deration, whether, if he cannot regain the restrictions formerly
imposed on Foreign Shipping, it will be wise to resort to a
system of Protection, which must limit the Imports and
Exports, and consequently diminish the demand for Ships.
Perhaps there is no other town to which Free-trade has been
so great an advantage as to Liverpool. Manchester profits by
it, and Leeds, and other places; but the trade of all these
changes These
foundation
dgbletsionhawiel effected,l
towns, both inwards and outwards, passes through Liverpool.
Hence it is that the Doeks have increased and the Shipping
multiplied, until Liverpool has become the greatest Port that
has ever been known in history.
of the community a loss which we must all deplore. The
went is
penalties which transition thus involves are no small ag.ra-
n be
et withouti
ilbiede been
for
onrfii effected,ctitiien g llnpoorn
recurrencescoe some
e anyo
f members greatalike
aav
tna t(nir
first
theaony:4,e ,
03
smt
iepiii
8,,1, sit
tri?,4Llr.:7rs
But,ii otherwise
e suffering: belongingtohy
at ansowbnei
ec
been
enduredrl ri
no n er vo ,t?
17;p ovra;,,
otti
etef
ssiMttislaarkync, :II
,uoi
principles,
known
j:
eaussdp thatg t
judgment.
e haven
t. alwaysll ,it
hth beenat
champion
hfia rmmpl
sieeins,Etiand reverse the wiser system.
ii f 1 cti ot , if,
bw el
eienn
satllden trial is passing away, we shall enter
infliction,
......
ect in others whaturehe.
Awiths amparnuy,
oa again at iini e uponcle
i.Clergy
retrograde
and
ma ncyttooiuontrft
the Laity of Liverpool. To them
iyu
n attacheduftl,the Protestant
tportuht
eesPturhot-
sn
It' Established
assertis Ii e d
oCr h m y
self—the right
Faith, my friend, the late Dr. Chalmers, I rely far more upon
" The Bible, and the Evidences, anti the blessing of God upon
the Protestant Churches," than upon any enactments of the
Statute Book. As a Churchman, I have a right to resist, and
do n'sist, the growth within our pale of sentiments and prac-
s Calculated to undermine the Protestant Faith,
and to
As a Member of the Este-
is well as my duty, by a conciliatory

subvert the Queen's
blishment, it is my d(

Supremacy

t towards those who dissent &jn her communion, t
sh the number of her enemies and to Increase tb

'e I close this address I must again advert to that para.
subject which I began. Unfettered trade gives to tlic
e greatest attainable share of the r

es and c

K
ee for steady and increasing business, and I:nit;Celiichuoatrriner.
nd to the Crown the hearts of all men by a lively sense of
ommon interest and of eque "---- -
If I should again represent
hall firmly adhere to so (

n the lit

of Commons I

ree-trac