Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-09-24
THE TARlFF-No. Q.

Experience has satisfied all legislators that
| no laws can be devised but what are more
or less defective. To remedy these defects,
we must have recourse to the same teacher
From thence, we are daily admoni'hed 10 i'm
prove and profit by the past the wise attend
TO tins instruction, and AVOID tue rock on winch
others have been wrecked.
For the benefit of the reader. we shall con-
trast the policy now pursued towards us by
Eng! land with that which she adopted in her
commercial relations with Portugal. near the
close of the 9Th century, by a few desultory
remarks, in come ton with some extracts
from . the BriiiSh Merchant" work written
hy society OF eminent CommerCiaI men Of
England, in relation 10 the political intercourse
OF these two nations For some time the Bri-
iiSh had been in the habit of supplyin ing Portu-
gal with considerable part of her woOllens,
under Cuty OF % per cent dd uG0rem. while
they were exacting heavy duty on the wines
of Portugal In 1851, the Portuguese. IN order
10 supply themselves. established cloth manu-
tacIures aud succeeded SO well, that, III 1854,
through the interposItion Of that eminent
Statesman (the Condo d Erecera,) excuses were
| restrained importatons were lessened, aud I'M
portatIons increased insomuch, thatthey sup
plycd Brazil also with her woollens, and near
~ all from their own staples. Their next step
was 10 prohibit all the woollen manufactures
Of England which was continued about ~
years, during which time, they Increased IN
wealth beyond any other period OF their east
rnce. " In consequence of this, they enjoyed
a high degree of prosperity for more than ~
years and had the balance OF trade every
where in their favor - (See British Merchant,
Sd vol page ~ Atthe death of ID Eriecera
in 1903, the British Minister (nehuen) indu-
ced them 10 enter into treaty, which shpnla-
ted that they should never prohibit the British
woolen manufactures, provided the wines OF
Portugal were admitle into England at one
third less duly than those of France. The ag-
riculrufa lists of Portugal were duped into
belief that they would derive double benefit
from this regulation first. that they would
secure a market for their wines; and IDLY,
that they would buy cloths Al lower price
than those Of their own manufacture. lhis rs
Adam Smiths system. But they were soon ap'
pr sed of their mistake. Their manufactures
were put down . great part of their wealth
consisted in their mills aud imp dement's OF man
ufacure, which became useless, and the own
ers bankruptS thousands of their tpeople were
thrown out of business aud many were redu-
ced 10 pauperIsm. and became burden upo"
agriculture. . Our gam by the treaty was ~
our large expectations, which have produced ~
annuaIbalance OF 81 AL, 900 in favor OF England
mediate ruin of all the domestic manufactures
in Portugal (oee British Merchant, page 7o.}
The balance annually due from that country,
has srbslsted great numbers OF our people EN-
played in manufactures TO the amount OF That
balanee-our landed interest also has received
large benefits therefrom, as considerable part
of every manufacture is the product OF our
lands, and consequently all that part OF the
Poriug al balance IS paid for in that produce
Yet this isnor the only profit the landed m'efes,
receives-the people who have been snOSis'en
by the G eat ovrrhalance derived from our man
ufactu,tS. nigh many ofthem come upon the
parish. and il is a considerable gam To mo IAN
drd interest of every country TO he exempted
from this charge" (See B. NJ. page 254.)
" From that treaty taking place, the balance OF
trade began TO take place; III the year I|ob'
we began 10 bring away the silver OF that ma
ton, and then their gold" Before the treaty,
not such a thing IS Portugal piece was seen /"
En- land or, OF II was, II was TegaThru 10 oe 40
great a curiosity as one of osr medals Inc
rsvmeni of our armies in Portugal, the COINAGE
in our minis, and the quantities OF Portugal mo
nev still current IN the country, are so many
demonstrations OF The vast quantities oil our eh'
ports to that Kingdom (See b. NJ. page
81 aud 50 " Before the treaty, attn" WE P"io
no arnies in Portugal, We had balance III
our favor, nor did we bring away any OF lh"h
spece-bur after the death of the Conde
Ereicera, and the prohibition taken off by the
treaty, but 8 or 4 years had elapsed before the
whole OF their fabrics were Frustrated : (b' M
page 257.) Ia this state Of things, Great
Br,tein, under the % per cent. duty, contrivtd
Nv false invoices, TO get hrr merchandise into
Portugal for about half the stipulated sum : %.
NJ. page 37.)
This case presents very strong similarity
10 the PIE cent state of things in Anerica, "h,ch
is now as much the devoted victim oil Great
Britain as Portugal then was.
PLAIN SENSE