The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-10-06
Free Trade. Tariff, &c.
From The Richmond Wig.

sSSS Ndtuc Doth 40 iteaioS 'hc fSStPNse
himself or the benefits conferred on socie- T
y in general, than that of laneIlul una
.malion; the w,ld speculalions of which
ne ever running from one phaniasy 10 an
Jlhcr, and never reduced To any practical
r useful purpose. The mere visionary
who occupies time, which might
be otherwise better employed, in erecting
his air built castles upon the superstructure
Of this OF that iayorlte theory, subjects
himself not only 10 the ridicule Of all sen.
sible men, but IS destined 10 witness soon
er or later the final demolition of all his
schemes, whether for The advancement OF
his own interest or that Of others. A true
eXemplar of the character Of visionary
is exhibited in the person Of MIR. John I.
Calhoun, gentleman whose brain has been
for years past filled with more chimeras
than ever existed even in the Imagination
of the redoubted knight OF La Mancha.-
Ills iayouie hobby at present, upon which
he has ridden over land aud sea, and been
sometimes carried even AS hlgh as the
moon, is free trade, which could II be es.
labIlshed upon Mr.. c. liberal principles,
would possess one merit at least, as !,
would be more justly entitled TO The name
of the American ~ stem, than the system
Of protection itself, since 81 appears that all
1 The hbcrality, If any there be 10 such n
chimerical and absurd notion, Is 10 proceed
/ from our side Of the water, and consists
IN still permitting Great Britain and
/ France to flood our markets with goods,
tree Of duty, Notwithstanding The heavy
restrictions imposed by them on our eX.
ports. THIS, in my mind, would be re.
+ turning good tor evil, on a much larger
scale than is even eJoined upon u by the
scriptures themselves. To prove the de.
eterluus effects Of this beautiful system
upon the interests Of the agrlcuIturlsl, as
we'll rs thai OF the manufacturer, We have
only TO refer to the Compromise Act, the
nearest approximation that has Yet been
made to II, under the operations Of which,
+ The price Of agricultural productions OF ey.
ery desc rIpiion have declined, and cotton,
the great staple of Mr.. Calhoun's State,
more than any other. This reduced price
OF the last article, Is mainly TO be attribu-
+ ted TO the suspension Of the operations Of
80 large a number of our manufactures ;
aud no one can doubt that counieryailing
duties would have sautary effect m en-.
BANGING the prices Of the others. But ex.
pericnce has not served to convince The
Senator Of the flllacy Of his doctrine, aud
free trade Is still the beau ideal Of national
policy, constituting IN his Imagination, not
only the elementary principle OF the sci.
cnce Of political economy, bat embodylng
70 rs ample provisions the whole and en-.
lire system accordingly We see him exert
IN all the powers OF his persuasion TO 10.
duce the belief that the prosperity Of this
nation can never reach Us acme, until the
bcurhis Of free trade t. extended to every
nation aud kindred and tongue under hcay.
en. But the opinions Of Mr.. G.. seem nos
10 possess but little weight with practical
men, aud arc estimated by them at inst
what they are worth, which Is greatly be.
low par value. Not so, however, With
some oil our junior statesmen, over whose
minds he wlcids vast Influence, which is
manifested by The identity Of their views
on his subject, and their consumption of
time on the lloor Of Congress, which ought
to BE- employed 10 concerning measures
Tor the mitigation Of the distress Of the
county, instead q prupounding questions.
which have been repeatedly and 80 fnlIy
answered, a. to be, enc would think, no
longer open to discussion. ST. Il as #
raising a duty on an article has the effect
0i reducing tue puce to The consumer, how
can i aiiurd protection to lhc mauufactur.
CT and It the effect be to reduce the price
Of hs fabricl 10 plair man, who has
not to look through mist Of distractions
tor an answer 10 PLAIN question, there ap.
pears to be ma difficulty 10 the solution Of
these problems.
Ia reply to the frs, query, vii say,
that Il has ever been The policy of great
statesmen to regard the consequent results,
rather Than the immediate a., cts ag any
system; aud that reduction Of prices is
produced by competition, Is an established
10 trade. Now, that protection
ts''' N''.f " " 'NN71ttabt' IiEtk Ri CUM .
pcnsatinn 10 any branch Of business Is The
readiesi way 10 The world 10 create com.
petition, supp SC will scarcely BE- denied.
ne second query Old wouan's reason
will solve, winch is, tina, EaIt a loaf Is
better than no bread or ~ other words.
hai some market IS better than no marker
J, all. II IS not, therefore, to be wonder.
70 az, that our manufacturers should wish
'uch protection as wall enable them 10
participate in benefits of our home market.
'seltded as They are, almost entirely, from ,
orei@n markets, by tho one. sided system ,
j Tree trade. for One, though d cotton
'ianier and grower Of grain, wish sincerely ,
0 see Il afforded, under the full cou,lctjon :
bat the interest Of the agriculiurlsl viii .
'e best sabsorvcd by 50 dong According /
. the statements made in CONGRESS nv =
ONE Of the South CaroIinn delegation. Nc /.
4ficniiuraI productions Of our country arc h
II that arc allowed for the consunp,lon of I,
10 manufacturer, every article Of foreign h
np1rtaiJn, aud especially the articles oC a,