The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-06-15

I'm mon produce Is so regulated. AZ
amount to prohibition, excepf Il, =;
sons Of the greatest scarcity. Our cor
and meal, of which we have such !.
abundance, is SO highly taxed, tia,
impossible for us to compete Will -
native producers. The dutv ,,no
wheat is 50 regulated, that the nrice :
IT'S always kept up to two dollars an,
quater per bushel. Except TO avo;,
the immediate danger of famine. ever,
one must perceive that such a du,,
VIII always prevent the importation o
this article. Timber, spirits, mann.
iactured goods, rice and nearly ever,
article which we might send to exchan.
&c for their goods are excluded with
equal care by the imposition of duties
varying from one hundred 70 t,renfa
seUeH hundred per cent.
Tobacco and Cotton are the onlv
articles which have borne the dutv i'm
posed upon them without arresting
their export. Unmanufactured tobac-
CO bears a tax o one thousand and
manufactured tobacco Of t.OelUe hun
bred percent. Every hogshead of to-
bacco imported into England, pays a.
bout one thousand dollars tax to the
government, bat even this does not pre-
vent its introduction, as is proven by
the fact, that this article alone pays in
to The English treasury over twenty
millions of dollars perannum, more
than the whole amount derived by our
Government from duties upon imports
OF every article affected by our tariff.
And in the face of these facts we are
asked to adopt a system Of free trade!
How can we carry on any trade without
loss to ourselves, with nations which
exclude by prohibitory duties, nearly
all our articles Of export? The duty
upon cotton alone, is nominal, five
per cent, but what is this article com.
pared to the vast aggregate Of industr y
products made in the United States?
How far short would the entire crop of
cotton fall, of enabling US to pay the
European debt that would be contrac.
ed under system of freetrade? Our
import, together with the interest up
'n our public debt, amount TO one
hundred and twelve millions of dollars
annually, under our present system,
md if our home manufactures were
o be destroyed by the adoption of this
policy, il would rot be an ex-
ravagant CT lculation TO set down our
oreign debt at two hundred millions.
Fifty millions is the probable value
II the cotton crop, and as almost every
'ther product Of the country is exciu-
led by European tariffs, how is the
emaining one hundred and fifty mil
ions annual basHgRGsiS5 us metals would i
Don all be drawn froln the country +
Or this purpose, but we have not gold
nd silver enough 10 support this une-
ual trade for five years and the mines
f the whole continent would not en-
BILE us 10 continue it. 1t is, however
waste of words to demonstrate, that
rade must be reciprocal or ruin ensue ;
nd that it is impossible for US to prac-
ice the Utopian system OF free trade
,ithout other nations also adopt It. ]
What folly it is then, to talk OF re-
ort to this as remedy for the want
f market, without we could first IN ]
uce the nations Of Europe to abandon G
he policy in which they have adhered G
Or ages, and under which many OF
aem have arisen to greatness and
over. Whatever may be written oy
British emissaries like Goblet, or
nee ulative abstractionists Of the
chooI ofAdam Smith, to gull as into b
he adoption ola measure which would
estroy our manufactures, and reduce
5 10 The condition TO which we were
riven by English policy prior to the
evolution, when members OF PariIa-
,ent boosted that the Colonies should
=, he allowed to make 50 much as
oh nail; there is no probability that Il
hem will ever resort to it. Ratified by E
he wisdom and experience OF success
i've generations, the restrictive system
f Europe may be regarded as perma-
ent as the existence OF The Govern,
nents where it is in operation. Unth
be nature of man is changed, the IN
tiuct of self preservation will PerPet
'ate r. We may never hope, there
ore. to avail ourselves Oh a loreign
oarltet for our surplus commodities
We must create one at home which
rill be steady and permaneht' and 1n-
by the fluctuations OF To-
e;gn policy. ;ancv
o the interests Of other nations, anu
up I syslen Ofour own. one which
! purely. thoroughly Amerie ..;al hG1 M
led bv no states lines or sectional Oh
;sions, but which is as broad as the
ubole country and embraces Within It's
every interest.