The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-12-23
NEw-YonK CITY, 3Oth Nov. 1912.

GCHtlemen:--ln reply 10 your polite invitation,
for TIE to deliver lecture before the Free Trade
Association at the city of New York, would OBJ
serve that it W i'll be gratifying to oblige you ut
some period mutually convenient. But it would
not be practicable ol me to do it at this time, and
probably not till March, alrer the adjournment of
| Congress.
have been struck with SURPRISE at the appar-
rent apathy which has hitherto prevailed in some
places, intimately connected with commerce and
navigation, towards the injurious influence on
their great interests, by some of the provisions Of
the late Tariff. Your association in Il city, so con-
nGctcd with those interests, as is this commercial
enpOrnn, seems but natural appurtenant 10
them; and in II crisis like this, is necessary to
watch over their safety no less than their prosper
ity.
am anxious that my own attitude on this sub
Icct should not be misunderstood. II is, believe,
that Of the great mass Of the Republican party
However, some individuals may have differed, and
on the other hand, wOuId impose no tax whatever
on foreign imports, even for revenue, and on The
o,hcr, would impose very high taxes on them for
protection alone, all administrations Of the Gen
era Government under Republican auspices, have
been willing TO ay Il tax on imports, suitable for
the purposes Of revenue. I his they have shown
by deeds us well as professions, during n whole
half century; since in all that lime we never have
been without some tax on foreign merchardise.-
But, at the same momcnl, the great mass Of those
protesting democratic principles, and !, in COM
mon with them, feel bound by a sense Of dn'y to
the Constitution, ms well us Just principles Of equal
legislation, to resist a dspropolonale Tax of this
kind, even for revenue. Much more do we op.
pose one so unequal as is the present arlfi,in some
of the incidental protection it yields 10 diieren,
branches Of industry, and so unwarrantcd as it is
in other respects, by being formed for high and
exclusive protection 10 other branches even to the
diminulion of that revenue, which is its protested
object, and only vindica,on under The Constitution
Indeed, why should we NOT oppose such nen-
sure on the grounds of cxpcdcucy as well us prn-
cipe, when practically the country must ere long
see that The revenue, thus lost or sacrificed, will
have TO be supplied by other enormous taxes on
the people, direct or internal or further runons
resort be had TO long loans in peace unless the ex
penccs of the Government are reduced instead of
being increased? Why not! when the very design
of such prohbilory is to diminish imports aud thus
indirectly it must lessen both lieights and COM
mercc. Or if not doing that it leads 10 the worse
alternative of the decentralization and frauds usual
~ attendant on extensive smuggling, and usually
destructive to both protection and revenue There
is no escape from such consequences but rcnoy-
el Of their cause
Again. it deserves consideration, that all navsa-
ton i. thus not only curtailcd in employment, but
by increased taxes on foreign articles, which are
used in making and repairing vessels such as iron,
hemp, duck and cordagc. ours is less able to COM
pete successfully with ships from abroad, not so
highly taxed, and 10 carry at so low n rate as
would otherwise be done, to their customary mar
keis, the surplus products, whether of the loom,
the soil OF the ocean.
1t is a general truth, also disclosed by official
returns that under low and falling duties, both our
navigation and commerce have at different periods
increased most rapidly.
The hope is therefore arden,ly cherished, that
cxer,ions like yours will triumph in dlnsng the
principles of free trade widely. These principles
do moi imply the eyemplon of trade Giom an equal
md nronnrtiountr liability with other business TO
contribute toward, the support, in a frugal man