Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-29

into fabrics for us. It is the source o
their national greatness; the great OBJ
ject to which all their efforts are direct
ed--iheir policy is most unyielding ant
unbending. II has existed for ages, ann
been completed by steady and uniform
series of legislation; they have not let
things to regulate themselves'''-thi'
has not been, it will not be, their maxim
but they wish to see it adopted by thost
who are to be the dupes OF their policy
What is sound political economy there
Is, it seems, here the raving of madness
abe result of empiricism; yet it woult
excite some sensation in this house, i
the ministers of England should formally
present us with plan for cur adoption
we should, at least, inquire whether il
was the result of their friendship to us,
and whether it would not be as safe to
trust to the opinion and advice of our own
statesmen. To import only our raw
materials and provisions, to be our ex-
elusive merchants and carriers, was their
colonial policy before the revolution.
The great men whose wisdom carried us
through that struggle, did not then think
that the system of internal policy, which
was best calculated to secure our indie
pendence and to coerce England to re-
spect our rights, was 10 afford employ
ment to her citizens, encouragement to
her artihcers, to the impoverishment of
our own. The immortal congress of
IVA, entered into an agreement not to
export any produce to England, to i'm
port no goods from that country, to con-
sumo none made there-and denounced,
as enemies to American liberty, any per-
son who would violate this agreement.
1t has never been charged on Bonaparte
that he was deficient in foresight, or did
not understand the mode of attacking his
enemy. His continental system was not
aimed at the influence or political power
of England, but against her manufac-
lures. That he knew to be the source
of her power and there he attacked her.
To save them, England fought and sub
sidized all Europe. There has been a
strange revolution in the moral world, if
the connection between causes and eff
fects is now dissolved-if the measures
when, in IVA, were necessary to Sc
cure, would now be destructive of the
great interests of this nation. We have
been taught to look with veneration to
that congress-it is, indeed, change
when we forget their maxims-aad, in
contending with the same nation for the
same rights, reject and spurn their prin-
Ciples as wild and ruinous, anxious to
adopt those recommended by the minis
try and political economists of England.
This is, at all events, dangerous ex-
periment-before we trust too much on
it, we ought to be sure that the solid
interest Of this country, and not its de-
struction, is their governing principle.
1t will be said that more liberal ideas
are now adopted by other nations, that
the principles of political economy are
now better understood. France has
been mentioned; but when her tariff is
examined, it will be found to be more
rigid-to contain more prohibitions, than
that of England. As to US, it contains
some provisions which, l think, cannot
Aaii " oiol III VIZ as iAIuitui diloto--tuC
cotton planters of this country. 1t is
worthy the attention ofthe house to look
at their import duties on cotton wool:
From India 30frs per 1ookill.-3 dls.per cwt
other countries,
out Europe 40 "
Entrepots 50 per cwt.
Turkey Is i" l SO
French
colonies 10 /
This short item contains much infor-
nation and instruction. Their whole
tariff breathes against your agriculture
and commerce spirit of hostility as
unequivocal as any regulation of England
las to cotton, more SO; it is duty Of
four dollars per 100 pounds-equal to
90 per cent ad valorem, on the raw ma
terial, while England imposes only 6 -
that it is aimed at this country is evident
from its being So 50 per 100 Id. more
than on cotton from Turkey, and 81 90
more than from India. IF it is reason
1vhv the cotton of Turk ev ebnn1d he Dre