Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-07

deratlons In Il broad view Of the question, i,
never can be cxpedicnt to Introduce into a coun-
Try the manufacture Of any article that cannot
De produced as chcaply at home as il ca n be oh |
tained from abroad There are some such nc W
made III tins country, and their ability to sustain
themselves, without protection, is uroues,iona-
ole. The only exception would admit to the |
rule have laid down, relates To articles strictly
necessary To national defiance. DO not alude |
to the habimcnts Of : soldier, or to articles |
strictly necessary To his consumption, but to
ARMS and MENTIONS CT WAR. Ii Ia the true
policy OF all nations 10 "buy where they can buy
cheapest This is the very instinct of our ma |
tnre; and when We depart from Il in national con
Germs, we violate the sounGest principles of po- |
'itlcnl economy, n science which is IN fact but |
the lessons OF wisdom and an enl,nh,cned cXpe- |
renee applied To the aflrs of nations. Sir, The |
restrictive policy is founded the triumph Ul
me selfish principle. II assumes thnt the ua,u-
raj position of nations towards c. ch other is one
OF cnmi'y and rivaship, founded on supposed
opposition Of interests. The doctrine Of The old
school oas, that, wha, was glincd by one nation
was necessarily lost hy another
Inc pam and seemingly Obvious truth, tina
IN a ialr and equal exchange OF conlmOai ic,,
all parties gained, is a noble discovery of modern
times. The contrary principle naturally led to
commercial riValries, wars. and abuses Of all
snr'' Inc benefits Of commerce being regard
CD as s axe TO be won, or an advantage to be
wrestcd from Others bv fraud or by force, go
v:rnm'nts naturally strovp to secure them to
Their own subjects; and when they once set on;
IN this wrong direction it was quit" natural tina;
they should not stop short till they erdcd in
ond.ng, IN the bonds Of restriction, not only the
whole country. bin, all of its parts rhrs We
are tod that Englans first protected Nv her re- .
trlcive policy her whole empire against all tn,
wotih, then Great Britain ogains. the colonie.
then the British isles against each other
and ended by vainlv attempting to prolec
all the great interests and empoyments of
tn" State by balancing them against each other
o'7' such system carried fully out, ls not cor
hhcd TO rival nations but protects enc town
against her. considers villages, and even IA
miles as rivals and cannot stop short Of 'sRo-
oihsoh Crrsoe IN his goat skins" II takes but
one step further to make every man his own
lawyer, decor. farmer and shocnakcr-and if
may De allowed an lriShism, his own scsm5tress
ana washe7-woman. The doctrine OF free trade
On The contrary, Is founded on the true social
system. 1t looks all mankind as children o.
aco'nmon parent-and The great family of ma
tioss rs linked together by mutual interests Sir
rs there is religion, so believe there is POLL
TICS OF NATURE. Cast your eyes over this va
rlons enrtb-see it's surface diversified with hills
md values, rocks, and fertile fields. Notice its
different produc'ions-its infinite varieties of soil
and climate. See the mighty rivers WINDING
'her way tn the very mountains base ard
thence guiding man to the vast ocean, dyi-
Ding, yet consisting nations. Can any mar
who considers these things with the eve of
Phiosopher' not read the design Of the great
Greater (~ritten legihly in his works. that his
chlldrea should be drawn together In a free com
merclal intercourse. and mutual cxcharnes of
the VARIOUS gifts with which a bouniifll Provi-
dcncc has bl"ssed them? Commerce, sir. restrict
ed even as she has been, has been the grea,
source OF civilization and refinement all over the
world. Next 10 the Christian Religion, con-
lo-.
greatest bl'sslng that can he conferred upon any
people. Hear, sir, what Patrick Henry, the
great orator OF Virginia, whose soul was the
very temple Of freedom says on this subject
"Wh should we felter commerce? If man
is IN CHAINS, he droops and bows TO the earth
because his spirits ore broken, but let him TWIST
TIKI FEITERs FROM HIS LEGS. and re will stand
erect. Fcttcr not commenced Let her be MS
tree as the ar. She will range the whole crea-
ton, and return On the four winds of Heaven
to bless the land with plentv.'
but, 1t has bean said, that free trade would do
very WELL 1t all nations would adopt it, but as it is
every nation must protect itself from the effect of
restrictions by countervailing measures | am
persuaded sir, that this is great, most fatal error
Ii retaliation be resored to for the honest purpose
OF producing redress of the grievance, and be adj .
hered to no longer than the is a hope of success
1T may like war itself, be sometimes lust and ne
cessary. But II 1t have such object sit is the
improbable contest of seeing which can do the
he
conceived IN which permanent RESTRICT IONS as a
measure of retaliation, could, be profitable In
every possible situation, a trade, whether moro or
loss restricted is profitable, or it is not This can
only be decided by experience, and if the trade
be lett to regulate itself, water would not more
naturally seek its level, than the intercourse
ADJUST Itself to tho true interests of the parties
or as TO this idea OF he regulation by government
OF the pursuit of men, | consider it as a remnant
oil barbarIsm dsgracetul to an enlightened age and
vii hn fro -.
liberty hold government TO be u terIy incapable
from ITS position, Of exercising such power wise
ly prudentiy, justly. Are the rulers of the world
the repositories of its collected wisdom? Sir. con
we forget the advice of n great statesman 10 his
son--'Go see the orld, my son. that ,hou NAV
learn with how little wisdom mankind is povord :,
And is our government an execution TO this rule
or do We not find here as every where else.
that '
"Man, proud man,
Dressed in little brief authority,
Plays such fantastic tricks before hieh Neay,n
AS makes the angels weep"
inc gentleman has appealed to the example of
other nations. Sir, they all against him. They
nave had restrictions enough, to be sure; but thew
are getting heartily sick of them ind in Enol,nJ
particularly, would willingly get rid of them, if
they could. We have been assured by the declara
tion OF a Minister of the Crown from his pla ce
IN Parliament, "that there is a growing conviction
among all men of sense and reflection i'm that
country, that the true policy of all nations is TO be
round IN unrestricted industry" Sir, IN England
thcy are now retracing their steps, and endcavor
ing to relieve themselves of the system as fast nc
thcy can. Within few years past, upwards of
three hunsred statutes, imposing restrictions in
That country, have been repea led; and n case hos
recently occurred there, which seems to leave no
doubt, 1t Great Britain has grown great it is ms
MI Huskisson has declared, mot in consequence
OF, but in spite of, her restriction" The silk
mranufacturc, protected by enormous bounties, was
tn ha l..