Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-07-29
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
Adam Smith made luminous.
SATURDAY MORNING. JULY -. Isi3.

In the No. of Hunts Magazine (that for May)
we perceive that Mr.. Woodbury. (sometime the
Jupiter Nimbostis, the Cloud Compeller of Trca-
sury Rcpors) has OF late been radiating his clark
ness visible" upon Free Trade, with dissertation
ON the principles of which that lucid Secretary IA
vourcd, not long since. the young philosophers of
New York, in discourse at the Tabernacle.
The Secretary very UNANIMOUSLY employs some
two pages of the opening of his Essay in settling
the value of the term, Free Trade. Upon the
whole, he is firmly of opinion, that it means, not
Prohibition nor even very heavy burdens but
Commerce untrammclled. Some Che says) have
given II the former signication-as doubtless his
political friends did, when they supported high Ia
riffs not needed for revenue; and some have Civ
en- it the latter-as Mr.. Woodbury. himself proba-
bly, did, at that period oil his philosophy, when he
voted To lasten on us the ''Bill of Nominations -
After this luminous effort at definition, Mr.. w.
proceeds TO commit rather the most splendid piece
OF confusion ever seen, mixing up with each other.
pell-mell, Free Trade rs a matter of n nations
legislation upon its own commerce and citizens
Free Trade, rs an universal system of unrcstricr
ed, untaNcd exchange among all nations. and the
temporary monopoly ol the Carrying Trade of the
World, which, as neutrals, we, To large degree.
rope. The latter and the augmented wealth and
traffic which they gave us, he cites rs Il magnf
cent example of the advantages of Free Trade =
That II may be seen that we do not miSntcrprct
the Secretary. will cite what he says. Our
revolutionary struggle Che rcmarks) was for Free
Trade History says it was Tor the right of not
being taxed, when were not represented: but
history, II seems, was mistaken y orr ancestors
succeeded.
Persevering (he continues this their abroad
was much aided by the long continuance wars in Europe
growing out OF the French revolutions and this system and
those was combined flung the hands Of the T. States
as the greatest neutral power almost the whole carrying
trade OF the world In only IL IL years they pushed
our commercial growth 10 extent Unprecedented the
annals of mankind. They sweled the tonnage employed
IN trade abroad Ia greatness never brilliant and
most prosperous attained by ourselves
u New years previous 10 the present moment. They
creased, IN like manner commerce and cigh,s The
aggregate OF imports for some exceeded the
amount Two or three ycars ago. and many millions
beyond what II Is Another striking illustration OF
the portion Oi tins navigation under the principle free
trade aud without which it could have existed that
has been devoted TO the business other nations cen.
terng here, (and including the ireghs by between
foreign paceS half whole large imports at that ne
Rod were again exported and carried every and PEG
pie whose necessities, comforts or luNues. created de-
mand for them"
tie goes on To say that envy of our success in this
free trade led 10 the Berlin and Milan DEGREES the
Oplers in Council seizures, confscatons impress.
ment, and the like "'rhcn for the first time since
our Independence were compelled To defend our
rights, nation 10 that free trade on the ocean
which had been found not only so consonant to our
Republican principles, but so conducive To our ma
tonal growth" In word, we fought the last war
with Great Britain for free trade; which, indeed
Mr. w. considers sufficiently established by two
-. Il.
and Sailors Rights the other, land equally CO.
gent that General Jackson beat the enemy at New
Orleans, and was upon the point of knocking South
Carolina and her Free Trade into what is called ga
cooked hat by some, and "the middle of next
week" by others.
How haPPythe philosophic youth ofthc taberna-
Gle, in having so broad aud clear light poured upon
history for them They WILL ofcourse, understand,
that during the continental wars, our ships intro
duced goods all over Europe, without paying one
silver of duties That nations indeed. usually
tighten their taxes in war; and that. though we
laid ourselves double and triple mpOsts upon TO-
reign goods, when we went To war with Britain
and though when we had beaten her, VIC made
peace without single stipulation for reduced du-
ties on any article of American productions and
moreover enacted, forthwith, under Mr. Calhoun's
lead, what was then called permanent system of
Protection yet it was all for Free Trade that we
fought and conquered