Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-11-18
FROM de Baltimore Amerieaa.
FREE TRADE, &c.


The Richmond Enquirer, noticing the
recent Convention OF the American Insii.
tu,e at New York, and the establishment
Of the "Home League" tetrays some
symptoms oil alarm. Ii calls upon the
friends of /" free trade" to rally and be
viglant, saying breakers are ahead"
The Wing, which we are glad to see is ad.
vocating with its usual ability the grea,
cause Of home industry and domestic inse-
rests, dcvotes an article Of some length TO
this subject, and asks:
Are we never 10 be done with this ever
lasting nonsense about free trade and the
tariff Will the Enquirer, or Professor
Dew, or the Hon. Mr.. Hunter, be so kind
and obliging as to inform US what they
mean BY free trade Can any trade be.
tween nations be said 10 be free which is
not reciprocal Is that free trade which
shuts the United States out Of foreign ports,
and gives to foreigners free admission
into our own at low duties, thereby virtu.
ally surrendering to them the monopoly
of our markets and fatally paralyzing our
own domestic industry 4? We can tell the
advocates of that silly doctrine of free
trade that there is large majority OF the
American people who scorn and detesi it
as miserable humbug and when the
question is fully and fairly presented be-
fore them, whether American industry
shall fall PROSTATE and paralyzed before
British industry, they will, as with the
might and power Of a strong man, resolve
that the Union itself shall not hold together
at such an enormous and desolatlng sacri-
fee. There are breakers ahead, indeed /;
but we shall see who il is and what class
OF opinions are likely to be shipSrecked.
We venture to believe and express our
belief that it will not be long before Vir-
ginia will take her stand in favor Of that
practical policy which goes to sustain our
great national interests against the og-
gressivs policy Of foreign countries. Her
facilities for manufacturing are great ;
her internal resources vast her advan.
tages of position in respect to commerce,
both inland and external, are unsurpassed.
With all these circumstances in her favor,
the fact is evident that Virginia 10 falling
back in comparison with the progress
which other States are making daily.
The returns of The last census exhibit
some statistical items which speak forcibly.
They will make themselves understood.
The chief staple Of Virginia, tobacco,
is taxed enormously in France and Great
Britain. Her flour can with difficulty
find access to foreign market, except in
Brazil and some parts of the West Indies.
Let the advocates Of "free trade" as
they choose to style the one. sided traffic
which the nations of Europe for their own
advantage have established with us--let
the lovers OF abstract theories, upheld re-
gardless of facts, continue to deal in mega
tives, and heap discouragements upon do
mestic industry. The result, when il
shows itself in the further prostration Of
our home manufacturing interests, which
must anguish under the competition ofpau-
per labor abroad, and the commercial re.
s;rictions lcvelIed against US, will awaken
the people to right views, and teach them
that upon native resources and domestic
industry our true reliance must be placed.
Has Virginia profted in any way by her
distractions What does she gain by
denying to the General Government the
power of Fostering tho productive energies
of the country-ofprotect our interests
ngains, the attacks of foreigners, prosccut-
ed as they are insidiously through their
systems Of commercial restrictions? viii
her iron manufactufes-based upon inhe-
rent elements Of wealth which must yet
be vaueless without the aid Of the vigor-
Gus hand Of industry-will they be likely
to improve under the neglect of govern
ment? 1t will be poor answer for the
"free trade" theorist to make if he should
say " let our iron manufactures 90 down
we can get iron from Wales" No doubt
we can, If we have the wherewth to pay
for it. But State Bonds will not do now,
and our tobacco and -four will not be taken
in payment on fair terms. Besides, why
should we go to Wales for iron when our
teeming mountains are full Of it, with coal
in abundance TO be used in its manufac.
ture There was imported last year into
the United States, according to the annual
statement Of the Secretary of the Treasu.
ry, bar iron alone TO the amount of &c.
397,370, besides articles manufactured OF
iron, amounting TO $1,0l2,4l2-making
in the aggregate seven millions, four hun.
dred and nine thousand seven hundred
and eighty.two dollars. Why not keep
this money at home
A SLAVE QUESTION WITH GEoRGIA.-