The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-03-26

'oiih ''h"'hS a. 'oiCeS tne precious
:als abroad. again repeat the asser-
on that, could you annihilate to NOR
row every bank in the country, the yer,
same description of embarrassment, if no,
IN the same degree, would still be found
which now pelvades our country.
What, then, is to be done TO check this
foreign dain2 We have tried free trat e
We have had the principles Of free trade
operating on more than half the total IA
mount Of our comforts for the greater
part OF nine years past. That will not do
il, we see. Do let ME recall 10 the re-
collection of the Senate the period when
the protective system was thought aboul
10 be permanently established. What was
The great argument then urged against ii>
establishment? 1t was this; that, if du-
lies were laid directly for protection, then
We must resort to direct taxation to meet
the wants of the Goyernment-evrry
body must make up their minds to a sys
ten of internal taxation. Look at the
debate III the House of Representa- YES
of 1924, and you will find that that was
the point on which the grca, stress was
laid Well, it turned out as The friends of
| protection told YOU it would We said that
such would not be The effect. True it would
diminish Importation, as it did; but the
augmented amount of taxes would more
than compensate for the reduced amount
of goods. This we told you, and we
! were right.
How has free trade operated ON other
great interests? well remember tia {.
ten years ago. one Of the m, 81 gif ed ofrhe
sons OF South Carolina, (Mr. IIayne,) af-
ter dlaWing a most vivid and frighlu pie
lure Of the condition of The Soulh-ol
fields observation-disclosures dilapidaled-
overseers becoming masters, and masters
overseers-genelal srognaion and ap-
preaching Iuir-a p clure which, con-
less, filled me with dismay-cried out to
us, abolish your larfl-reduce your rev.
enue tn The stan tard of an economical
Goyfrnnenl-- and once more the fields of
SoIIh Care lima will smile with beauty
her cn'i arr a>Sments will varish- COM
merce will return to her harbors, labour
I" her plantations, angmen ed prices her
staples, and ronenlment and prosperity
aud universal hapI mess to her oppressed
PEOPLE. Well, we did reduce the tariff.
and, after nine years of protection, we
have had nine years OF a descending Tariff
and Of free made. Nine years (lrom 1924
TO ls33)ve had the protective policy of a
high tariff; AMI! nine years (from 1888 to
1872 We have had The full operation of
nee ade on more Than a moicly of the
Whole amount of our imports and a Ges-
ccndng tariff on the residue. And " hat
| is The condition OF South Carolina a. this
| day las she regained her los, prosper
| ily? has She recovered from the de.ola
ZION and ruin so confden " imputed To
the existence of high tariff? believe
| ii The gentleman from South Carolina
could be INTERCEPTED here, and would
respond i'll candor. unbiased by The dclu-
sions cngendeled by lavorile but deIu-
sivc theory, he would tell us that she has
not experienced the promised prosperity
which was dweli upon with so much elo-
quence by his 'e.low citizens.
How is it in regard 10 the great staple
oflhe South? how stand the prices OF cot
ton during these nine years of the de-
scendng tariff and the prevalence of free
trade? II, do the Sc years compare with
the nine years of protection and high tar
if? Has the price OF cotton increased.
rs we were told it would, by the talented
South CaroIinian? 1t has happened thai
during the nine tariff years The average
price of cotton was from 1924 to 1883
higher than during the nine years OF de-
scendmg tariff and free trade, and at The
instant am speaking. | understand that
cotton is selling al lower rates Ii an have
ever been realized since the war with
Great Britain. know with hat tenaci-
~ theors adhere To iavolile theory,
and search out for imaginary causes of re-
suits before their eyes and deny the true.
| am not going into the land of abslrac-
items and of metaphysics. There are two
great. leading, inconrestable facts, which
gentlemen must admit first, that a high
tariff did not put down the prices Of STA
pie commodities; and, second, that low
tariff and free trade have not been able to
save them from depression. These are
lacts: lei casuisis and theorists, and the adj
vocales OF a one-sided paralylic free trade
IN winch we turn our sonnd side 10 the
world, and our bIghled and parayzed
No dead side toward our own people.
make of them wha, they can. Al, the
very moment that Eng and is pushing the
resources of Asia, culliva,ing the fields
of India, and even conien plating the sub
sdizIng OF Africa, for tho supply of he'
factories with cotton. and when the i'm
porlalions from India have sweIled from
100000 bales to $4,000, we are told thai
there are to be no restrictions on flee
trade.
Let me not be misunde rstood, and lei