Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-10-04
JAMES G. BIRNEY.
To Mr.. Errett, Of Pittsbmgh.]
Lower Saginaw, Mich.

August s. 1914.
DEAR SIR-Your friendly letter of 18th July,
reached me more than week ago. Agricultural
calls, particularly imperative us here at this
son of the year, have prevented my answering it
till to-day Their continuing pressure will com
pei me, now in replying to your letter, to confne
myself rather to a statement of the conclusions
have been brought on to the tariff question, than
to insisting on the reasonings by which have been
led to them.
That our government will ever adopt direct tao
alton OF any sort, as a permanent revenue system,
seems to me altogether improbable:-at least, too
improbable to serve us busis toSfeason~ from. A
commercial people, as we are, will draw theirrev
enue from the Customs. They will belieye-and
rightly, as it strikes me-that the proper objects of
taxation may be as effectually and as equitably
reached by this mode as any other.
tariff for revenue to meet the ordinary expendi-
lures of the government will have to be the rule.
This once settled, should occasions arise demand
ing extraordinary expenditures, the people will
cheerfuly consent to higher duties to meet the ex
igency. But higher duties than are necessary for
revenue will never, apprehend, become the per-
manent policy of the country. ltwould not be &C
guessed in by majority so largely preponderant
as to produce even silent submission much less
cheerful assent to it, on the part of the minority.
The moral influence of our political institutions
forbds our looking for such result. These insti-
any inequality of right to enjoy all the benefits
flowing out of the action Of the government is I'M
| just. The existing generation has grown up under
this Influence. 1t has begoten in them strong re-
pugnance-nay, even spirit of resistance to any
and every thing that has even the semblance oftnl-
nunity or privilege conferred Oh particular por-
ton of the community. Right or wrong, they be-
leve it savors of the ariSt0crGiieG in the most obi
Gus sense of that word, as it is receved-and nat
urally enough--by people whose Constitution
and form of Government declares them all equal
ly entitled to its benefits. To insist on protect
i've tariff, then, further than revenue tariff can
be made protective, is, as it seems to me, to OPP
pose the natura-the constant, and therefore, in
the end the irresistible influence of principles tina
lie at the foundation of our political organization
There are other circumstances too important to
be passed by unnotced The uninterrupted peace
that we have enjoyed with European nations, and
that they have generally enjoyed among them
selves for more than quarter Of century-the
nearness into which this happy relation, nided by
the steam-engne, has bro't us and them-the con
stancy of our mutual intercourse with them-tht
} sympathy and cooperation that this intercourse
has already brought about among the good and thu
Il learned among ourselves and in other countries
in the pursuits of humanity, literature and science
the ties that it has created by marriages and il
business of almost every name and description
ties that under its influence are multiplying and
strengthening themselves every uay-al, all con
tribute to arouse and foster discomfort at be
n ing compelled to pay, at New York or Phladel
f phia, double price for articles made in Birmingham
or Lyons merely to encourage, comparatively
very few in our CWn country to engage in TIT
Il competition produce them. 1t is true, that thes
n causes are almost imperceptible in their processe
but they are, on that account, the harder to b
> resisted. They may be slow auxilliaries, but un
less am greatly deceived as to their power, the
g they will be found sure ones in removing the oh
+ stacIes yetremaining in the way of Labor ever
where receiving all that it justly lay claim to.
The sentiments have expressed above wouI
IT not, | know meet with acceptance in many part
n of the country. Many, even of the most faithfi
of the Liberty party would probably dissent frol
them. | have not been forward to publish then
Is lest, by doing so, might, in some degree, contr
in butte to divert our friends from our paramount OF
ject, the overthrow of the SIave poscsr;- bt
cause felt we'll assured, as still do, that if til
Liberty party come into power, the whole countr
so will soon be brought into the most favorable CT
I'd cumstances for harmonzing all its apparently di
cordant interests and for settling ON their prop'
basis all the important existing questions OF nation
al policy Now, the labor Of the country is mac
up of hostile parts--slave and free. lrreconc'
" BILE in their nature, they can never be brought
s. operate tremendously together under one syste
r. of legislation. Let one, then, look for jarrin
r. and dissensions to pass away from among US,
Or slave labor have passed away, or be seen to