Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-31

opposile TO its palpable interests, and this slngu
I1IIv enonuh has leen caused by the English Corn |
laws Several efforts have been made by The |
people of Ohio 10 obtain English manufactures IN
exchange for their corn and other provisions; Oul
when thew have sent these down to the seaboaru
the uncertainties OF the English sliding scale nave
prevented merchants from venturins on SO haz.
ardons IN expou and the commodities have rotted /
ON The ouays. The men Of Ohio have voted not
90 mnch against Free Trade, in The success OF
which no portion of the Union is more directly
interested. as against the unsuccessful efforts 10
open trade
mOur ioy at the success ola Free-Trader in the
Presidential contest is not little dashed BY Inc
doubts that have been thrown on the rectitude OF
and particularly in relation 10 the great question
of American slavery. Though we are not OF
those who would advocate any interference with
the domestic institutions Of foreign states, we are
ALWAYS erieved to find any section of Free
Traders who do not fully carry out their own prin-
ciples: Free Trade includes Free Labor, and
must in its results, lead 10 The perfect emancIPa
ton Of industry in all its forms We earnestly
hope that our brethren in America will learn tins
truth from the calm exercise Of reason, before II
is forced upon them by the irresistible influence
OF circumstances which those who best foresee
are least willing 10 contemplate.
"On this subject, Continues the League,) we
have been favored with the following letter, writ
ten by an intelligent member of the American
Legislature
"sNEw YoRK, Nov. s, 1914.
az cannot refrain writing you few lines, 10
announce to you the triumph Of our Democratic
candidate, Mr. Polk, over the great champion OF
the Wings and the father OF the American Pro-
tec,ive Tariff This State has cast its vote for
him, which gives him already l42 votes, the ma
iority required being 1873. There are also seye
raj States 10 be heard from, which will increase
his majority TO l52, or perhaps even more.
"tMr Folks success will greatly strengthen the
Free Trade party, and lead, as have before said
10 YOU 10 the overthrow of the whole system Of
high duties.
az ind the export Of provisions attracting more
and more attention; and as this trade increases
will The great grain-growing Western States be-
come more Free Trade in their principles. we
could not reach them BY reason or argument prior
10 Sir Robert Pees bill OF 1912; but that measure
has enabled us TO approach them through their
pockets, and that is an argument which requires
no reach Of understanding 10 comprehend. The
people Of the West understand il well, and do not
stand in need OF the politicians 10 enlishten them
in finding out their true interests. hesitate moi
10 repeat my firm conviction that reasonable
concession in the duties on beef, pork and bacon
in Great Britain would BE- followed BY COM
plee change in our Tariff and now, that The
Free Trade party is triumphant, is the time TO
strike tie blow, and destroy Tor ever this system
OF plumber and oppression
III is constantly urged BY the monopolists,
(says he Lcague,) that if wc were 10 take
The corn and provisions and timber OF Anne
RIGA. she would make no change in her Ia
rh-she would still shut out oUr mannfac-
lures; bu, we have here the statement of an
American legislator, that The trifling change in
orr Tariff OF 1872 in the article OF provisions,
has already produced feeling in the Western
States in favor of Free Trade with England, and
the most decided conviction is expressed that a
reasonable concession in The duties on beet,
pork, and bacon will be followed by a complete
change in line American Tariff. The change in
our Tariff by Sir Robert Peel in 1912, referred
10. was as follows
Old Sir R. Feels
Duties. Duties
Bacon, pcrcwt, 2Ss las.
Hams les las.
Beef sailed, not being comed, lbs. Sc.
Do fresh, OF slightly sailed, prohibited, IS.
Lard Ss. 2s
"Thrice have NE shut the door upon trade with
the United States and vainly hoped that, though
We refused 10 buy their produce, we could still
continue 10 sell them our manufactures. Mark
The result Of our folly In 1906, 1906, and 1907,
(oetore the ibiquiions Corn Law was passed,)
our exports TO the United States were about f8,-
900 900 per annum. The population was then
about six millions, SO that every man, woman,
and child OF the population, annually consumed
British manufactures OF The value OF 26s I'd. per
head. In 1912, our exports had fallen 10 f3,-
$4,000, and during the present year they will
amount to about f5,000,000; and we hear OF the
market being overstocked and English goods
selling al a loss Of 90 10 80 per cent. Taking an
export Of CA 900 600 per annum as sufficient 10
supply The demand, at the existing rate Of Ameri-
can duties and taking The present population at
eighteen millions the consumption OF British
manufactures per head now, ino,ead VI Sc" Cd,
as II was nearly forty years ago, is only As 3d.
Such have been the results OF our corn and pro-
vision laws
"We have The strongest evidence 10 prove that
the first hostile American Tariff was passed in
retaliation of our prohibory duties upon the corn
and timber OF thai country. Mr. Addington, the
British Minister at Washington, in his despatch
TO Mr. Canning on this subject, said, have
only TO add, thai, had no restrictions on the i'm
porialion OF foreign corn existed in Great Brl-
tain the Tariff would never have passed through
either House of Congress, since the agricultural
States, and especially Pennsylvania, would have
been opposed TO its enactment Can 1t be ex-
peced that the corn-growing States OF America,
which comprise three-f ourths of the population
and seven-eghths Of the wealth of the country,
will submit 10 the continued exclusion OF their
produce from. our markets, without retaliatins
by the imposition of heavy duties on our manu-
features We know, by bitter experience, they
will not But will our Government! and our
| Legislature Learn wisdom by this experience :!
Will they still pcrsevere in system so unjust
and impolilic, so injurious 10 the best interests
of The couniTy7 We shall see whether in face
of The facts that our population is increasing at
the rate of one thousand souls per day,-that in
the agricultural districts the existing population
cannot find employment, and that, therefore, I'M
less this increasing population are to be kept in
idleness, they must all be employed in manulac-
tures,-we shall see whether the Government
will dare, in the face Of such facts again traitor
ousy 10 sacrifice the people 10 monopozing
arstocracy, and condemn our industrious popula-
ton to pauperism by rejecting for The third, and
ii may be for the last time The opportunity which
now offers Of enabling US 10 exchange the su.
perabundant produce OF our industry for the food
we so much need, and which America can 50
abundan,y supply"
l.. EJJ,r, m NE Euou,rrr.