Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-03-19
Free Trade.

fTtt lrd0r.
lfthe political systems of the various nations of
the earth were about to lie formed anew, we might
listen with patience, and examine with attention the
fine spun theories of the advocates of free trade.
But when the policy Of The countries with whom
we cary commerce has been settled for years,
and we have learned wisdom from their example, as
WEI! as our own dear bought experience, it is worse
than folly to oppose theories, however beautiful in
the abstract, To fscs-siubhorn facs. HIS ory is
said 10 be philosophy teaching hy example,, and
whoever attempts to incuca,e different phil sophy
in the nineteenth century, mistakes the characters-
tics of the age. Let us have f.cts-fdctS instead
OF argument. 1t is an insult to the common sense
of the American people, to talk about free trade with
France, while she levies duty OH one million of
dollars worth Of our tobacco, greater than collect
upon twenty m lions of dollars of her wines and
siIks.-Wih England, while she prohibits the i'm
portarion of our grain and breadstufis, and yet an
nually floods us with the products of her own man
uiacures, and in return drains us of millions of
specie. Russia tricd the system of free trade, ard
learn the result of the expeI .mcnt in the following
extract:
"FuRTHrR Norris uroN TARIFF AND FREE
TRADE-A Government, whether represented
by one man or the Million can learn wisdom
but from two sourCes-lts own experience and
the experience of other nations. The former is
an expensive ahd dilalory mode of instruction,
and that Government is best, in this respect at
least, which can reap harvest of knowledge
from the bitter fruits Of experience rpencd by
others. Read the following
Russia was prosperous in 1918, II, Is, and
10; but, fascinated with the theories of Adam
Smith and J. b Say, she adopted new tariff
in ISIS on the plan of letting trade regulate
itself In this Tariff, she abrogated her pro-
hibitons and lowered her duties. The country
was Immediately dcluged with foreign goods,
and, in due course, drained of It's specie, as we
have been in past years, to pay for the surplus
of those imports, which far exceeded her eX-
ports. The most disastrous consequences took
place. Circulation was stopped. Distress and
wrctchcdncSs overspread the laad. The man
uiactures first fell victims TO this mistaken poll
cy. Agriculture next felt the shock, and final
ly, bankruptcy swept away large proportion
OF those commercial houses whose cupidity had
paved the way for the misery OF the country.
Here is experience-here are known and
undenlable effects, resulting from equally well
atlestcd causes and how was the evil correct
ed by a return to Protective Tariff The
following extract is from the Emperor of Rus
sia's Circular, written by Count Nesselrode, in
1877, on the subject OF the new Tariff:
TO produce happy effects, the principles of
commercial freedom must be generally adopted
The State which adopts, while others reject
them, mgst condemn It's own industry and
commerce 10 pay runous tribute to those OF
other nations
"'From a circulation eXtempt from restraint,
and the facility afforded by reciprocal eXchang
es, almost oil Governments at first resolved to
seek the means of repairing the evil which
England had been doomed to suffer; but cx-
pcrience and more correct calculations, because
they were made from certain data, and upon re-
suits already known of the peace that had Just
taken place, forced them 10 adhere to the pro-
hibitory system.
England preserved hers. Austria remained
faithful to the rule she laid down to guard her
self against the rivalship of foreign industry,
France, with the same views, adopted the most
rigorous measures Of precautou, aud Prussia
published new Tarlfn October last, which
proves that she found it impossible not to fol-
low the example OF the rest of Europe
In proportion as the prohibtory system is
extended and rendered perfect in other coun-
tries, that State which pursues the contrary
extensive and more considerable