Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-09-26
BRITISH INFLUENCE AGA,Nsf OUR
TARIFF


y The British manufacturers and capitalists look
vim as much i'll favor upon ov7 protective system
the opponents Of the SINE system here at
n s display. The form6 have TO a considera-
I.e extent been dispossp.sed Of valuable mar
Ae'' tney are likely - lose their privilege of
supplying US with cohon fabrics, woollens, man
uIac'ured iron, 5oos, shoes, ready-made clothing
ana other articles which we prefer to have made
NJ home.
tits not to be supposed that body Of men so
wealthy, active and powerful as tho British man.
"'acturers, will rest without making effort TO
<egan possession of our market. They have
gone vigorously to work to carry their purpose Of
breaking down our protective system. The New
York Republic quotes from an English paper
showing that subscriptions to the amount of
100000 lsince raised to I2470,OO01 have been
made in the principal towns Of England for
the purpose OF diffusing Free Trade doctrines
throughout the world. Manchester alone con-
tributed twenty thousand pounds. AS this quar-
Ger oil the world is perhaps the most interesting to
these contributors, field for their operations,
we may expect to become-nay we have probably
become already-the particular objects of British
Tree trade solictude.*
1t Is quite time that the eyes of our people
should be open on this subject. Ii by the re-
suits OF our elections in November we shall be-
come the destroyers of our own protective system
oy means OF the nsidious influences exer,ed up
on the popular mind either from abroad or from
the violence OF party prejudices home, the pur-
poses of England will be gained, and we shall
nave leisure 10 repent in bitterness Of spirit for
the iamentable want Of common sense and patri-
otsm which might have averted so great calam-
Try. tits certain that the British manufacturers are
looking to the success of Mr.. Clay as a death
blow to their hopes, and that their strong sympa-
shies and wishes are in behalf of Mr.. Polk. "'Ihe
election of MIR. Clay" says the London Atlas,
''must, we fear, be looked upon as, to consider
able extent, the confirmation of the principle of
commercial restriction. lie has al,vays been the
consistent ddrocafe Of protective tariff" The At
las goes on TO say, "Nor can we wonder that
such is the policy Of the most respectable aud in
telIgent statesmen of America, when we consid-
er mat by our corn laws shut The door in the
lace OF any attempt to negotiate a commercial at
iangement on the footing Of fair and subs,an-
tial reciprocity. We take nothing from the Uni
yea States but that which we cannot possibly do
without-their CorToN AND ToBACco-ercluGing
me staple produce of the great agricultural states of
the West, by sliding scale ingeniousIy framed
30 as The maximum amount of impeachment is nut
In the way OF access TO the English market Is it
y be wondered at, then, that they retaliate, and
vmeot high duties on American flour by high duties
on English manufactures 90
We repeat that the friends Of home industry
and oil domestic protection need to have their
eyes open to the dangers which now threaten the
stability of our industrial system. Ii has active
and powerful enemies both here in the midst of
US and across the Atlantic; and the object on
ooth sides OF the water being the same there NAV
ne such combined effort as to endanper our
whole tariff policy Bali. finer.
*Ihe editor OF the Richmond Star states that
he was shown one of the "Free Trade Tracts,''
oy gentleman who got it from a British agent
that had brought over twenty thousand with him.
Vhn nasl,, III.