The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-03
Of French silks into England, an instance

and some modes Of investing capital, oveI
others, he believed had almost universally
proved detrimental. They not only re.
strain private enterprise, but often exceed
mgly embarrass the operations of govern.
ment. in the Instance above mentioned
the English Government at this moment
experiences the bad policy Of such meas
ures. Notwithstanding the general peace
of Europe, the commerce between Eng.
land and France is understood To he almost
a nuIIity. Why' Because England can.
not agree to receive OH a fair terms, and
in exchange for her commodities. such
principal articles as France produces for
expectation, viz. silks and vine: Aud
why cannot she agree to receive these from
Francel Because, as to wine, there is
the old treaty with Porting aI-and, as to
silks, the manufacture of,hat article has
been unnaturaIly forced by high boun,ies
al home, and, it those bounlies should now
be Withdrawn, some thousand of persons
would lie thrown out OF employment. So
hat the particular agreement with Portn-
gal. and concern for the silk manufacture
ers of Coventry, completely tied up the
hands Of Government on subjects supposed
To be of tie hlghes, national Importance
To individuals. this policy is as I'M furious
as it is to Government. A system Of ar
'ifcial government protection, leads the
people to too much reliance on Govern
meni-if left to their own choice of pnr.
suits, they depend on their own skill, and
their own industry. But il Government
essentially affects their occupations, by its
systems of boun,ies and preferences, it is
natural, when in distress, that they should
call on Government for relief Hence a
perpetual contest isicarred On between the
different interests Of society. Agricnl'nr-
lists taxed to-day to sustain manufacturers
-couIberCe taxed Tomorrow to sustain
agricul,ure-and then were impnsillons
perhaps on both manufactures aud agri-
culture, to support commerce-and. when
Government has exhausted its invention in
these modes of legislation, it finds The re-.
suit less favorable than the original and
natural state and course Of things. lie
could hardly conceive ofany thing worse
than ap"Iiry which should place the great
interests Of This country in hostility 10 one
another-a policy which should keep them
in constant conhicI, and bring them every
year to fight their battles in the Commit
tee Rooms nf the House of Representa-
lives at Washington.
We see the most enlightened nations,
which have adopted this artificial system,
are tired of it. We see the most distin-
gnished men in England, f"r instance, Of
all parties. condemning it. TIE only diff.
ference of opinion is, whether the disease
is not so iIve,era,e as 10 yield to no remGe-
dy, which would not produce greater evils.
The only difference is, whether it be an
evil, grievous, but to be borne; or grie-
vous evil nv, to be borne. He alluded TO
England because her example had been
so often quoted as a model for our imita-
ton. Blu, why should we adopt on her
example, what she herself aments, and
would he glad to be rid of We hear the
frs, minister in Grea, Britain give his opin-
ion emphat,caIly, tina, England has become
what she is, no, by means Of lh, sys-
TEN, bu, in spite Of it. Why then are we so
eager to adopt system which others, VIII"
have tried it, would be glad to repuJia'el
Can any thing, he would ask, in this gen.
era view of the subject, be more unwise
than ,ha, this country should adopt such a
course Of policyl A policy, of which he
would SHY, that no nation had entered upon
and pursued it, without having found It I"
he a policy which could not be followed
without great national injnry-nor aban-
doned without extensive individual ruin
To leave men to their own dlscretion.-to
conduct their own concerns by their own
skill and prudence, and to employ their
capital, and their labor. in such occupa-
TONS as they themselves fohnd most expe-
dent, has been found the wisest, as it is
The simplest course, OF political Legislation.
As there is an order III the natural world
which holds all things in place-as the air
We breathe is wisely combined, aud CON.
pounded fr our use hy the course of ma
,ure-so there is a principle of regula.
tim, a sor, Of ris msdicairir naiure-in
the social world. Excess correcis ITSELF
lf there is too much commerce, it will he
dinnished-lf there he too few manufac-
turer., they will lie increased. with but
ordinary care, aud protection. For his
part. he believed that, however derided the
principles ofIeaving snch things very much
io,heir own course, in country like ours,
was the only true polic!-nnd that We
could no more improve the order and habit
and composition Of society, by an artificial
balancing Of trades and occupations, than
we could improve the natural atmosphere
by means If the condensers aud rariiers OF
the chemists.
Mr. w. proceeded to observe. that the
various propositions befnre Congress, at
the last session. appeared to him to be
equivalent to direct declaration of The ex-
pediency Of aholishng the fnreign trade;
nr, at least, If most most materially dimiil-
ishing il. He did not perceive how any
man could understand il otherwise. The
new duties proposed and the bills to repeal
the law respecting credits at the custom.
house, and drawbacks. were TO he c"nsid.
e,ed n mari of nue system. As To ALLOWING