The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-11-29


lhr nsrv s;,s ,i,r. benefit orfhc f.S- grossly.
fhtsIls ur~tSr. And aFnp,fliir. since I,>is snh \
s~r.ss rf tho hssmmy ofrt,e Uan, which
~ in vmla,i.a of,h- r',ac,jl.s .ffre- govern
m~a,. and utterly ~ y,rsanrr with The .c,si,
sf Justice and mutual conr~ss,na in which IN.
Constitution was rpnrr'ved and ad"p'rd-.
,seh a sys,e,n, n prrsev-r-d IN. ,nu., al,an,,r
,as s6rctiens from each either. engend-r d,s
contents and snimosi'Ies, and lead ,navi,a ably.
and with force " hich NJ human poxsr can
resist. Ia th. most awful of oil caiamitirs
We cntsest those who diff. .r from us, serious
IN 10 ponder this Wow of the suhiert. We
eNfeeat Them mt IN mirunderssana us. Wa
cannot ba deferred frum the discharge Of onr
Suucs 10 ourselves. and onr Common country,
by the men,ce of Consequences. and we are
equally incapable Of hs,ng its language to
others. i,isa az mrn aud bsoih in the snir
Il of an af.ction which ~ stili warm and un.
diminished, that we would call their attention
"a those inevitAble vesults, which nciiher they
nor We will have III" power 10 avert.
Examine thr subject fcr a moment. in its
eoanexion with the principles of nm enlight
enrd polhica, economy. and see ifthe consid
r,stions which are urged 10 sustain this svs
tsm. are MT fsllsrious and delusive. The
,lew mus, be necessarily bricf-cnnsisiing of
Ain,s and suggestions rather than of IN en-
tended argument. or of minute de,ail-but
our ob,~c, will be attained. if'hese msy serve
to awsken q spirit az dispassiona'e inquiry.
We are the adv"ra'cs of Foe Trade.
The argument which sus'ains il frsts upon =
proposition. which may MT be denied. II IL
che anques'ionahi~ right of every individual Ia
apply his isbur and capital in tho mode which
he NAV conceive beat calrul,trd 10 prn,note
his own interest. II IL the interest OF the
public that he should 80 amply il. He under
stands better than il can br understood BY The
q, Ciovrvnmcut. what will condnce tn his own
beneh' and since the 'nejor'ty of individuals
will. ifproperly protected. be disD0sed to fnl.
low their interests, such an application Of
their industry and cspi'al must produce. in
the result, the greatest amount Of public
good. Lei il be r"msmber"d- thai the qnss
iinn relste. exclusively to The application Of
CAPITAL. II cannot b. Eensrdfed Nv an net Of
,egislssion. Tue power of the Cover nmcnt
ishm,tsd 10 'i,strrnsfer from onc emrloy,nrnt
a. another. II iskes from sons l"ss fsv"ured
tSs.ses,, what IL bes,dws on the Ooe Which il
pruf-sses to protect Il is equally untrue
that such . system gives greater rmpl,'ynent
20 labor. Its oN~rat,on is conhned to tho
simple change of ns application. Lave
which prn,rct by bounty and peculiar spec los
Of labor. cannot bc said To encourage .3me,i
ern indUs'ry Ethan IL, directed to yrrious ob
jecn These laws favor only q SINGLE class
and, since III" bounty is mo- supplied by the
G,vernment, BAT taken froui The pockrt oftiie
sadividusi, the proteciinn whirh ~ given t'
one species Of labor. is 81 given AT the expensc
Of every other. That course pf Legislation
which Leaves American capital and labor To
thc unfettercd discretion of'hose who possess
the one and apply the Other. can alone be de.
noHinssed the "Amer,cnn system"
Ths interference Of Government With the
right OF the individual to apply his labor md
essxsi in snch mode az he may think most
conducive 10 his own interest. thus necessari.
y operates 90 diminish the aggregate amount
sfpvodYrtion; ,a other words. the sm"un' of
asresssries aud cOnven,ences of lif". which
ere enj ,yed Ihy the community, IL necessarily
Diminished. lfsli ns,i"ns. thea. were w,ll,ng
Va adapt the system ~ Fee Trade. for whirh
we eon'snd. which IL sccovdani io the spirit
Of Christianity. sud calculated To nni,e nations
In harmpnv and pesc~. u cannot be doubted
. that the ,ntrsest of each wonld b. promoted.
, Tn. only erection wh ch can be- raised on this
psu of tho subject. is. whether the aiop'inn
Of . restrictive policy. by me "r more nations.
makes 4 the interest ~ others 10 reripr0rata
shosr rrs'rciun The answer seems 10 he
sufh .iently obvim,s sod saiis'ac'0ry The
proposi,ion - hich osser's the SUPERIOR advan-
tsgcs Of Free Trade smoog all n.tmns.
rests upon the following arinrip'e: Tn" 0ni
verwsl freedom of action which u allows.
tends. most thoronghv ~ dew 'lopc ,bc mora
ssd physical energies ~ esrh nsiou. and IN
spply thpn IN thnsr objects tn which they are
best adapted. The pyoN,s,t,on must he "qai
~ true IN rels'i0a Ia each naii"H. Whatever
may he the policy sdopled BY others Tn.
ns,so0 which fesoSfs ~ Q restrictive policy
}egisistss IN her own disadvantage. bv inter
tsrinR with the natural and most proh'ab'e
employment of capital. To the exieui ~
wh'cb she ih"s excludes another nation fs"'n
On erewsfor,ed, or ffoas a desirable market.
abe accasioas. Il is true. IN that natinn also
displacement ~ capi,ai frnm its natura. /
ehsnnels BIT can the remedy rors,st in =
sets'istory svstem ftps isiation (? IN a sysie,n .
~ further restrictions av ,ssd hy fbc latter
Wssions? Tit be tru~. that q resisirsiye sys /,
sem IL 'njrnous 20 the asiian i,Bpos,nv H..
d"es u cease tn be as in regard "a the inttss
nation. because " the wong done BY the
tr,her. and because il " nlso ,n1arious 10 sach
naf"nS When We amply these viess so the
Corn Laws cfGsest Bris,in. considered with
reserente 10 their Effect upon ne. 10 il not. then.
"ovions, 'bst system of pretended retalis
',os which enfs,,ers the productive energies
oi our own psople, whatever may be lie effec,
sp"s shnt nss,an. n'sss nrcessSri,y increase
shs ev'ls we ouss"ives ,se destined 10 sustain?
= u ~ strongly urged. % . mo,iv~ To the
eosstssusUc~ "f the exis,ing Tariff. that ns
operssion has been 10 eiTsct 70 luction of
prizes These have. in fact. fallen since
tol6 and our opponents contend that this
~ hac h. suts ..C |