The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-07-12
Webster's Commercial Treaty
Scheme.
LETTER FROM A DISTINGUISHED EX-SENATOR
OF THE UNITED STATES.

SCIlcIllc.
LETTER FROM DISTINGUISHED EX-SENATOR
OF THE UNITED STATES.
We take peculiar pleasure in presenting
TO the public the subjoiued letter, addressed
10 citizen of this State, upon the recent
movement of Mr.. W ebster. in relation 10 the
Tariff and Commercial Reciprocity. In
our view, il is a paper of extraordinary
forcefulness, and deserves the most respect
full attention. The writer of this letter is
one whose high reputation. growing out of
past services in the public councils, and his
present eminent position, would give to any
views put forth under The sanction of his
name weight of authority not inferior TO
that of Mr.. Webster himself. The opin-
ions given below were drawn from him in
reply to a friendly letter, and were not in
tended for publication. But the friend to
whom they were addressed, considered them
too valuable and important 10 be withheld
rom the public.-Philad. Ing.
THE LETTER.
have seen nothing so alarming 10 the
Manufacturing Interest of this country for
many years past, nothing so well calculated
TO excite Just apprehension of danger to the
great cause of Protection 10 Home Labor,
as the proposition of Commercial Treaty
with England, shadowe1 forth by Mr.. Web
ster, in his late speech al Baltimore. the out
lines and rat.fca,ions of which are daily be-
coming more clearly defined and exposed
TO the public view by the presses in the in
terest of the present Administration. Do
no, understand me as having entertained
the most distant idea that such CONNER
cial Treaty as Mr.. Webster has suggested
in his Balumore speech, could be negocIa-
ted with England, and sustained by Con-
gress without whose steady support such a
treaty, as shall presently attempt TO show
you. would be but little better than dead
letter. The whole scheme appears TO me
to be one of the widest and most Uiopiau
visions that ever bew,ldered the imagina-
ton of practical statesman. YET the sug-
ges,ion. however impraciicable. is one
which, considering the source from which II
springs. the political objects which lis au-
thor had in view, at the time he made H..
and lis necessary tendency 10 distract and
divide the friends of domestic industry, full
~ justifies all have said Of The danger 10
be apprehended rom it. We must meet ii
Immediately, and expose it in its true coll
ors, before il has had lime 10 excite the hos.
tility Of the farmers against the mechanics
and manufacturers of the country =; for, If il
can achieve this object, and thereby induce
the agriculturiss 10 throw their votes at the
approaching Presidential Election in oppo.
silion 10 the tried friends of the Tariff, and
in favor of Mr.. Webster's new ally in the
South, it will have effected the only real OBJ
iect which its author had in view, or ever
expected 10 attain from it. When say
doubling that there are many honest and
good men who are perfectly sincere in their
advocacy Of iais scheme and that many of
the enemies Of the Tariff confidently expect,
BY this means, 10 secure the repeal of the
law passed by a Wing Congress a: The last
session, under the effects of which the coun-
try seems TO be gradually rising from state
of utter pros,ra,ion.
The plan suggested proposes that the
principal staples ofi.,e South shall, by means
of a treaty or "commerciaI arrangement;
with England, 90 to that country at low
fixed rate of duty, The staples specified
as being thus to gain new or better mar
ket in the world, are rice, cotton, tobacco.
Indian corn, and bacon. These are pariic.
ulary mentioned. although the lure to the
agrcuiturist is intended TO be as general as
possible. Dir. Webster expressly admits
that no alteration in the English Corn Laws
can possibly be had. in his own opinion. He
tells US. that no reduction on the present e.
normous duties upon Wheat and Flour IS TO
be expected from England. But he IS kind
and candid enough 10 assure US all IN the
most emphatic language, that the only e.
quival, ut which England will coudescend
10 accept from US, IN return for her reduction
of duties on articles specified, is modi6cn-
lion or reductior of our own Tariff, gener-
aiy. We are not given to understand how
great the reduction will be in the amount of
duties which will be demanded from US
nor is single article named. the manufac
turer of which is destined to be the victim
of this commercial arrangement. The
speech. maker, with all the tact of veteran
lawyer, deals only in generaities when
touching this mos, DELEGATE part of his case;
and we are left TO The fair inlerence-the on
" one indeed which We can draw from his
the American reduction of
duties or the importation of British manu-
features is to be general, and so general
too, as will fully satisfy the demands OF
England, and the wants of her starving opc-
rs:ives. Every mechanic and man ufaciu-
rer among US, when searching for the rate
of duty. at which the article of the class pro-
duced by him, is to be admitted into this
country, will, if he be man of sense, fill
The blank left by Mr.. Webster for him, with
such an impost as will admit the British oP-