Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-10
From the Ne'c York imcricaR A.;nocdis
PHILADELPHIA FREE TRADE" CONyEN

1t is really iudicr0 Is to observe the solemnity
winch TINS body assumes, in making their appoint
'non's OF committees; by selecting one or two per-
sons IRON each State; rs though the feelings and
views of the several States were rcrrcsrnrd l,, The,
delegates now assembled in Philadelphia. From
what We know of several Of the meetings ut which
these gentlemen were appointed, we have made an
estimate OF the probable number Of persons who APP
pointed them. and we fully satisfied they do not
amount to eleven Thousand. With the exception
OF Virginia. North and South Carolina and pcriaps
Georgia, the STATES have had nothing whatever
to do with their appointment. We annex this tablo
III which we have made liberal allowances Cor the
numbers OF those who were probably present; the
reader will there see the source from whence this
august body took it's rise.
From the Southern States above named thcr,
may be some scmblnnco of power, but it is really
iarslcai 10 see men of sense and responsibility as
seinbicd IN many cases scli-noIninaed, appointing
/ committees in the names Of the Staics OF Maine
Massachusetts,. Connecticut, New York Pcnnsyl-
vania, and \. Jersey, 10 join in recommendations
to Congress for reduction of the Tariff. when n,
not more than one or two seaport towns in cach
State, meetings % ten to ono hundred and iiiv a
mounting IN all to NOS more than five or six hum
drcd persons, assembled and appointed thcm-in
rhiiaHclpha sixteen men appointed sixteen dele
gates.
Wekrow that political dcmagocues have wrought
up many people to believe that their interests srr
fer by the protective system but we solcmnv enter
our protest against any Impression being given by
this scratched up Convention, that any of The
nortlcs in favor of lcSscning the protection iven
10 orr industry. In the country every there thro'-
cut what called the free States The whole no.
pulation are friendly to American industry and its
protection by the General Governments and any at-
tempt to procure their assent TO the abandonment
OF this principle, would be looked upon with abot,
as much favor as proposition to repeal the Con
stituton, and go back to the articles of conf.dcra
ton; indeed, the Nufyers ofthe South are belcv
ed to favor doctrine which would result virtually
in such measure, call their plan 'frce trade" or
by any other name which may be devised TO deceive
the unwary.
We consider it highly important to record these
truths, as orr friends i'll the country should know
that the Philadelphia Convention is a convention
OF names, and not of the reople. Nor is it by any
means less necessary that they should be informed
how fh"ir names are used, and are to BE- uSad II
VIII stand on their records that Pennsylvania voted
Tor certain measure, when the Scif-noInnated 81
teen from Philadelphia vote for it. New York will
be Implicated, when majority of her thirty shall
decree 1t: and so with all the other States whose
names alone attach to the contemttihlc number
from W hch the ''Frcc Trade" Convention issueJ
1t would be we'll we think, for our friends thro,
ont the country to disclam their KNOWLEDGE or con
ncctlon IN any way, to with this unauthorisod
nsssociatnH; that ut future day. when TIM, mode NJ
IFS formation may he forgotten IT may not be he
lic;ad that any OF the Middle. Eastern or Western
States could by possibility have lent their aid
IN iuthcrancc Of so suicidal n policy.
Estimate OF the number of persons who onna;,t
ed Delegates o the ''I'rcc Trade" Convention:
T1