Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-01-21

ent portions Of the country, had way s
struck him as one of the strongest pos
sbIe cements of our national Union
What furnished more certain founda.
ton for the interests Of commerce than
such dIversityY Or what had proved
surer basis for peace and amity among
different nations of the word2 Were
there one dead uniformity in natural
productions and IN social pursuits, there
could exist no mutual exchanges be-
tween different portions of the earth,
and the natural tendency would be to
rivalry and dscord; whereas a natural
diversity Of products and Of social habits
among different sections Of the same
country, or among different countries,
naturally tended, If passion were absent,
10 unity and peace and mutual prosperi
ty and happiness. Could it evor be the
interest Of the North TO crush slave la
Dor? To destroy species Of industry
different from iIs own, and capable Of
being made fruitful source Of its pros,
Perity? Or, on the other hand, could
ing South have any interest in proStrat'
the industry and destroying the capital
of their Northern breth-en2 Never,
surely, never. But, so soon as any mea
sure was proposed in that Hall which
looked, or even glanced, at fostering in
terests in which one portion Of the coun.
try was peculiarly concerned, instantly
the walls reSounded with outcries Of
Tariff! tarif!-Taxation! taxation!
In theory the doctrine of free trade
was, he confessed, very imposing. And
if theory and philosophy had the re.
modelling Of all the States and Govern.
ments Of the world; il political econo.
mist were set up by common consent as
Judge over all the earth; if all national
riVaIres, and national antipathies and
enmiIies and prejudices could be soften
ed down by the mere force Of reason,
then indeed it might do to adopt the
maxim that industry and capital must
be lei slone-that capital would find out
such investment as was most profitable,
and industry would discover that appIi
cation Of ils powers which was most
productive, and legislation might look
on with folded hands and admire the
free working of the system. Yes, it
would be beautiful spectacle; we
should have perfect Utopia Of a world.
True, one nation would still be richer
than another, from mere natural adVan'
tRges Of position, Of extent, Of climate,
and Of soil. But, alas! political econo-
mists were unable thus 10 arrange
things. No mere theorist was set up as
umoire 10 settle all questions among the
nations. Nations, ever since their ex.
iPtenco, had been contending, struggling
for pre- eminence, and they we're at it
still. If we went to the English au,
thors, they would ncuIcate upon us the
fair and beautiful doctrines of free trade,
and to hear them one would suppose
that no other policy had ever been
thought of in Britain. But, when we
looked at the actual policy of England,
did we fnd free trade? Did England
leave capital and industry to seek their
own channels and find their own invest
ment? How had that empire attained
to her present vast height of prosperity
and powerH By giving every practica.
bic protection and encouragement to the
industry Of the people; by attracting
and demonstrating to her utmost ability
the manufactures Of the whole world
No sooner did new branch Of manufac
ture rise up in any part Of Europe, than
England tempted those who pracIsed
it, by protective duties, by bountes, by
personal rewards, by every seductive
means within her reach, to settle in
EOg land. And no sooner was the ex.
otc planted on her shores than it was
sure to receive the fostering parental
care Of the Government, till it had
struck its roots firmly into'the soil, and
attained firm luxuriant growth; and
by this policy, steadily pursued, she had
risen to her present national strength
and greatness.
But ,re were exhorted 10 throw open
our ports 10 all the world; we were 10
welcome the products of every foreign
nation, TO receive all they chose to send,
while at the same time they excluded,
with waIchrul, unsleeping jealousy, eve
ry one Of our products whenever they
had similar ones OF their own to foster.
This was pretty system of FREE TRADE!
America has a staple, for example,
which she would exchange with Great
Britain for British manufactures; but
Britain hermeticaIy seals her ports a
gainst it, and we are still to 90 and buy
of her, and call il "free trade" The
theory of these political philosophers
might come nearer The truth had all ma.
tlons, in the race of commercial rivalry,
started at once; but when we entered on
the course, we found Great Britain, with
capital the growth Of centuries, guard.
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