Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-07-27

That singie-minded and eloquent champion 4
ff-cedom, in It's broadcast sense, DR.. Chan c
w. in his recent address at Philadelphia. d
I've utterance to this striking passage. He S
-. illustrating that tendency 10 unversalifv
w. he regards the chief characteristics ~ 4
W. science' and the literature Of the gov- 5
.soments, aud the social movements Of the
age; ,.,,, ,,o.A - a..
3 our country on another subject. The time
= come, when they are particularly called to
,,ko vet more generous views Of their voca-
ron, and to give commerce universally yet
rnknown. / refer to the juster principles
which are gaining ground onthe subject Of
free trade, aud to 10 the growing disposition
nCnation 10 promote it. Free-trade;-this is
,he nIain duty and plain interest of the hu-
ian race. TO level all barriers tOfree ex-
rhanee; to cut up the system Of restriction, |
soot and branch; to open every port on earth
% every product this is the Office of enlipht- !
,o1 humanity. To this Tree nation should
ssOecialy pledge ITSELF Freedom of the seas
E.sedom ofharbors,an intercourse ofnations free
80 the winds; this is not dream Of phaan-
tbropists. We are tending towards il and let
90 hasten to IL. Under wiser and more
CHRISTIAN civilization, we shall look back on
onr present restrictions, as we do on the
swaddlng bands, by which, in darker times,
tho human body was compressed"
We agree with the distinguished author,
that the question Of opening the commerce Of
the world, to the largest freedom, is one of
tho greatest political questions that now adj.
dresses itself TO the reason OF man. The time
las come when it must be broadly discussed.
In the older ages the misery that has ihvaria-
blg marked the tracks Of restriction, has
forced the attention Of statesmen into an in
nnirv, how can it be removed. AS in all other
Contests the friends of universal Justice and
,heup. holders of abuse, the preponderance o
arVument has remained with the former. M
man can have the discussions 1.-THE British
p,rIament, the Essays Of the English Re
v,ews, or the wrangling of the newspapers
without deriving conviction of the mmeas
urable superiority both in facts and reasonin.
orthose who have supported the more liberia
views. The question has been narrowe
down, to one Of mere selhshness; to disput
between the monopolists with their Deepen
dan,s, and the great mass OF the people.
In this country, too the restrictions hav
virtually surrendered the field of argument
They have nothing to oppose the impregnab
assaults of their opponents; save a sheer e'
cnse for slefshness. They admit the abstra
truth of the free trade principle; they cor
fess it would be better for all nations, If ccr
merce we're conducted on the basis Of unIu
tied freedom; but they stick at single poin
that oil nations are willing to adopt the llbei
policy.
This is paltry pretence. 1t gives up {
question of right, and resorts to the questi
ofexpediency; it abandons the ground OF j.
tee to assume the ground Of profit it refus
TODD whas the enlightened reason ofthe wo
regards as proper, humane and universe
beneficial because there are others, less
formed or less generous who prefer narrow
notions. We might answer to such cavali
as it Is timid and weak Legislation, which tai
its cur from abroad, which can only act or
fuse 10 act, as the legislation Of foreign cp'
tres gives the impulse, or which is nj
weathercock to be twisted this way and u
as British or French ministers NAV direct.
the principle offree trade is a good one, v
not let It be carried into practice without
p-ence to the overtures of distant peoplel
lit be not good, then let il be condemned
Independent grounds. This constant waite
The movements OF Europe. proceeds fro
scoyile, and degrading disposition, to j
ate.
But the true answer is that they have n
crration TO free trade. Compelled to Civ
the attempt at argument; they seek to SUI
themselves by a subterluge. They are
wiling to disgorge their Ill gotten gain;
loo sensitive to character to confess the
ness Of their own motives, and they cnde
lopreserve the one and shield the other,
niece Of destestable hypocrisy. If they
sincere in their attachment TO fresdOm I
dustry, why are they always ready TO on
restrictions,