Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-03-28
S99 90
RESULTS OLE FREE TRADE.
BulancC in my favor,

On the 18th inst. large Tariff meeting was hol.
den at Woodstock, which adopted a very able me-
mortal to Congress, written by the Hon. VIM Jar
vis,-also n series of resolutions in favor of pro.
tection-and appointed agents TO repair to Wash
ington to urge protection TO the wool-growing and
wool-nanuiacturing interests. From the memo
rial we extract the followng:-
"We have had some examples in our own his.
tory oil the effect upon her interests, by the free
trade policy now so much auded but which, prac.
tcally, seems TO be so little understood. From
1893 to l7o9, the trade of the thirteen cd states
was perfectly free TO the whole world. The result
WAS, that Great Britain filled every section of our
country with her manufactures of WOOL cotton
linen, leather, iron, brass, copper, and glass and
in four years she swept from our country every
round dollar and every piece of gold, until there
was not coin enough left TO pay the Peoples taxes,
and, in addition our merchants in every state were
largely indebted to the merchants of England
Virginia, and the other southern States had nothing
LETT them but dollars cut into quarters, and pista-
reens Gu; into bits and half bis, for currency:
and although in the cutting process about twenty
per cent. was extracted, we suppose, to pay The
operators for this new species of coming. vet as
the only currency which could be kept among
Them, the People were glad to receive at its nom
lnn value OF five cents for half biz, ten cents for
bit, and the four parts of The dollar as quarters
L
an extent that The Legislature Of Virginia deemed
itself compelled TO pass a law, to prevent lands
being attached and sold under execution.
We have shown the effect OF free trade upon
our interests for the six yeurs subsequent TO the
war OF The revolution, and we must now beg leave
to advert TO The case OF foreign nation. In l704
England made treaty with the Portuguese gov
ernmen commonly called the Methuen treaty, by
which England was allowed to export 10 that king
dom all Kinds OF her manufactures, at lower du-
~ Than they were admitted from other nations;
and III return, allowed the importation OF Portu-
gese wines into Great Britain al lower duty than
was laid on French wines. On the face of this
( treaty there appeared TO be something like reci.
procity but its practical advantage was all on the
side OF England. Ii secured 10 her the exclusive
supply of Portugal and her Brazilian possessions,
with all the manufactures that both consumed OF
WOOL of cotton, OF linen, of iron and STEEL OF brass
and some of leather and tin, which DESTROYED the
few manufactures that Portugal then had In paw
menI for these supplies, England received wine,
salt and fruit from Portugal,-a larger part of the
gold, the hides and talow, aud all the raw cotton,
the HONS, the dye woods and the furniture woods
shipped from the Brazils to The mother country;
but the Brazilian sugar, coffee and cocoa came
IN competition with similar productions from Brit
sh colonies England would not receive them, and
IlIe surplus beyond the consumption of Portugal
was sent TO the Mediterranean and The Baltic
there sold, aud tho proceeds RENTED to England
TO llqudaie the balance due to her, for the manu-
lectures consumed in Portugal and her colonies
The practical operation Of this treaty 10 make
the Lisbon merchants the factors of those of Great
Britain, and to draw from Portugal and her colo
MES large portion of their raw products or It's
uvails, for the support and profit of the manuiac.
lures of Great Britain; and its effects were to in
crease the wealth of British subjects, while those
of Portugal grew poor. The same result has fol-
lowed, and always will follow the trade between
II nation which supplies high wrought manufac-
lures, in exchange for The raw materials Of anoth-
er country. reciprocal commercial treaty made
by us with England some ten twelve years since,
has been followed by similar results within the
sphere Of its operation"