Litchfield enquirer., 1844-02-01
FREE TRADE
ionate mother

An attempt has been made on numerous occa- sions, in certain quarters to fix on the Wings op position to the doctrine of" free trade" There is no intelligent member of the Whig party who would not readily accede to this doctrine (provded it can be carried out fairly and squarely all sides) as any other portion of our citizens but if set of free trade advocates assert that free trade consists in one nation practising 1t whilst other nations do not is it remarkable that others should object, and say, this is not free trade. The Governor of Mis- sisippi, in his late Message to the Legislature of that State, lays down his views this subject very clearly. He says shall never see prosperity un- til we have free trade, under which system one nation can exchange its surplus productions for the surplus productions of other nations" Thus he defines " free trade,' and that is true and honest definition, and any other is a 'shumbug," mere " "gammon." Had the Governor, however, consult ted the more refined graduates of our free trade university, they would have told him, (" don't say that, for that is what the Whigs are willing to ad- init; you must profess free trade principles, and then with mess of words of enigmatical meaning. weave in the notion that if other nations do not practice it, it is good reason why should not, " for two wrongs don't make right ;" and "ifoth- CTS are ignorant it is no reason why we should be-" and thus "gammon" the mass and try to make them believe that but for the Wings we should have free trade, and with free trade we should have prosperity, Sc.
 Now what is the common sense meaning of Free Trade. Is it not as the Governor of Mississippi states it! Is it not reciprocal interchange or ex- change of the surplus productions of all nations trading with each other. each charging for reven- ue purposes, if necessary alike. This would be free trade, it would be fair contest of industry, and that nation most industrious, most sklful, and most economical, would of course be most likely to triumph. In such contest, and on such prin- ciples, we do not know that Whig who would be unwilling to enter, but when we nations abroad with whom we are most engaged in intercourse,
 
 their own people, we do not know that Whig who is disposed to disregard this fact. who in com mon national defence is disposed to leave unpro- tected the industry of our own people. The Whig notion of free trade is perfect reciprocty-and that is to take off protection when others do so and put it on when others put on,-there is no other reci procity. Suppose England or any other nation chose-for the sake of protecting their shipping interest-to impose Tonage duty of one pound sterling per ton upon ships entering their ports, and we poor easy free disregard ed it, and say " two wrongs don't make right,"- we will not retalate-we are for Free Trade, and we shall charge no tonnage duty on foreign ships entering our ports How long would our flag float upon salt water How long would we be able to exist under such system! And what is our nat ural remedy against such course! Why req eity Is be sure--there is no other; and that reel procity would be exactly similar tonage duty in our ports on ships of nations charging on our ton age visiting their ports. And just SO must we do in all other matters. We must protect al branch- es alike of our industry, against the effects of pro- lection practiced elsewhere, or we sha be smoth- cred.
 But, it is argued on the other hand. Europe takes cotton at very low duty, and taiSna Rp sundry other raw materials at moderate ratt sefefore we should reciprocate and take European productions under equally low duties So we do,-we take long list of articles from abroad at very low dutes and many under no duty at all That is, we do as Europe does-take what we can't produce and what than any portion of Europe. But are we children, to be misled by penny whisle' Can we be ex- pected to abandon the sources of productive labor because in some instances Europe takes some of our staples under low duty ?-ETpress.