Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-05-31
OFFICERS
A. c. PIERCE, President.
For the Watchman and journal.


Mr.. EDIToR:--1 am but an humble individual,
and my opinions may be worth but little; still, sir
/ cannot doubt your readers Will honor my Judg-
ment, in commencing the powerful inactivity" by
which you have induced your neighbor of the Free
man to work out his own political humiliation in
his own way. And now that he has fairly done it,
it appears to be no more than an act Of justice to
those of your readers who have not the pleasure Of
perusing the Freeman, that you should republish
several articles of political matter, which have of
late appeared in that Sheet and that you should
give your subscribers the opportunity of furnishing
themselves with extra copies for gratuitous distrl
button.
There were scores of staunch Wings in this vi
cinity who last fall voted the Liberty ticket, upon
the presumption that party pledged to definite
object would, a matter of course, If called upon
to act at all, adopt political sentiments congeniai
with that object; and not only So the party did,
for time previous to election characterize itself
Wing in principle, with this difference, that it
would not concede to the eligibility of shareholders
for Office.
Now, sir, these men have but to see those free
trade notification, commercial reciprocity articles, SO
profusely poured out through the Freeman of late,
10 condemn them and their authors. Many of them
do not take that paper, and the more desperate Of
the party who do take it, will be cautious to send
such commodities to safe place.
The fact is, the Freeman presumes too much up
on the ignorance OF the people, when 1t appeals 10
them to support Free Trade from principle Of be-
nevolence to the poor Of other countries.
1t is PROFESSIONALLY known by large majority
of the people of this country, that we cannot sue
cesslully resist the designs of the Kings of Europe
to keep their labor confined to mere SubSiStence-d
design that it is in accordance with the only safe
views Of princely power. Who need be told tina
if labor in England for thirty years to receive
as ample compensation as would be required to Sc
cure moderate degree of prosperity to the fret
institutions Of New England, the people would be
come their own sovereigns? Who that recurs t.
the scenes which transpired in England in Crom
wells time, has yet to learn the lesson that Mon
archs have ever since practsed upon, that the grea
secret of Kingcrait is to keep labor living trol
hand 10 mouth
10 say that the adoption of those reciprocal re
latons so pously applauded by the leaders Of til
Liberty party, would bring the labor Of this coun
try into a sympathetic union with that of England
and other countries with which we trade-a unto
totally inconsistent with the existence of our FIRE
instltutions-would be to tell the great bulk of th
people what they know already.
That one Of the proioundest statesmen Me-
England ever bred, being supplied with souther
nostrums, did in an evil hour recommend to til
country the adoption of commercial treaty wit
England with view to supercede the proteciy
policy, Is too true but it is also true that for thi
very act, the North consigned him TO the same pc
litical Death, which she will soon visit upon I'll
Liberty party for the same offence.
What man Of common sense need be told thi
Free Trade, or a commercial reciprocity, if the Free
man so pleases to term it, is the bane Of every thin
American, except American Slavery?
Should this meet the eye of any honest suppo
ter of the Liberty party, let me tell you, my lrien
that the only hope your leaders have ever had
becoming strong enough to get themselves electC
to office, is to do it by keeping you in ignorance
that very fact
Free 7rade, what is it ?" inquiries the Freeman
correspondent. I'll tell you, sir aud appeal to you
own conscience for the truth of what 1 say. 1t
system for reducing free labor to such q standal
of value, as the impoverished condition of the pla
ter, sinking under the incubus OF slavery will pc
init him to pay.
1t is fact which the advocates Free Trade a
ways labor to conceal, that no import duties levlt
upon similar articles, could at all affect the vail
OF the great Southern staples, and that the pecul
arty Of their soil and climate has thus far preve
ted foreign competition. But how is it with Il
North Sad experience has taught us, that Il
value OF our industry rises and falls very nearly
proportion as the Tariff is high and low. THERE
lies the advantage of Free Trade to the slaveho