Litchfield enquirer., 1844-02-08

6, Tn dr;vine from business our regular mer. chants and importers and giving 1t up to the cltl zens of other countries have seen 1t stated, that four-hs of the importation of foreign goods m the city of New York, have fallen into the hands oi French and British agents.
 Other European nations besides Great Britain understand her doctrine of free trade as dened by her legislators-free for herself-prohibitory to others.
 What is the policy of Russia!
 The answer is furnished in the following extract from a Government circular in 1927, on the sub feet of new tariff: '-
 To produce happy effects, the principles of com mercial freedom must be gen erGiLy adopted. Ihe State scGich adopts, schIc others reject them, mast condemn its OsCn industry and commerce to PGy rainoss tribute to those of other nations.
 From circulation exempt from restraint, and the facility afforded by reciprocal exchanges, almost all Governments at first resolved to seek the means of repairing the evil, which England had been doomed to suffer but experience and more cor rect calculations, because they were made from certain data, and upon results already known' Of the peace that had just taken place forced them to adhere to the prohibitory system.
 England preserved hers. Austria remained talth- full to the rule she had laid down, to guard herself against the rivalship of foreign industry France, with the same views, adopted the most rigorous measures of precaution i; and Prussia published new tariff in October last, which proves that she
 
 the rest of Europe.
 In proportio,s as Me prohiOitory system $ er- tended and rendered perfect an other cOt7ah1es, that State tcI:ch parsaes the contrary system makes from day to dag sacrifices more erfe''s'0e 1 and more considerable.
 lis with the most lively fee lings of regret, we acknowledge that it is our own proper experience l which enables us to trace this picture The evils which it details have been realized ln Russia and Poland since the conclusion of the act of 1SlS Az riculture without market, industry without pro lection, languish and decline. Specie IS exported, and the most solid commercial houses are shaken The public prosperity would soon feel the wound inflicted on private fortunes, If new regulations did not promptly charge the actual state ot aalrs Events have proved that our agriculture and our commerce. as well our manufactures, are not only paralyzed, but brought to the brink ot | ruin.
 P,ussia. also has furnished her commentary on the doctrine of free trade, by her protective tari the result of which may be seen m the following article recently published: Prussia seems to be ontrunning her continen- tal neighbors in manufactures, especially Tn those l of wool In the Prussian Union the amount Of ex- ports of woolen goods was, in 1881, lbs in 1S41 they had increased to 13,246,777 lbs. an
 increase of nearly 400 per cent. In Prussia proper, | the consumption of wool of their own growth amounts to 24 ,OOO, ,0OO lbs per annum, which IS considerably more than the British annual import of wool from the continent of Europe. The num- Der of looms at work in Prussia in 1895 was % ,139 in 1884 3l ,759, and in 1897 39,79s, The average export of cotton goods, from 1929 to 1881, was T., GOO GOO annually. In 1881 the number of looms employed in the fabrication of silk goods was S,956 | in 1884 12,O44, and in 1887 l4,111. In 1884 the export of silk goods was 65o .079 lbs, in 1885 762 l OO4 lbs, and in 1886 S47,927 lbs. The increase in all these manufactures from 1856 to lS4o is sad | to be still more striking"
 l might pursue this subject of free trade to a much greater length and show by other facts, how entirely the doctrine is repudiated, in practice, by the great nations of Europe. But this would ex-
 tend tend :..y remarks much beyc.d what have design ed, and interfere with the principal oolect nave
 in view, which is to consider the subject of protec
 tion, which has been condemned, in unmeasured
 terms, as unjust and inexpedient.
 IlOlait to De the ,ight, as Me paran.o',,st .. ,. duty Cf Congress, to WpnOtG @td suPP0Vc Hhe i"-
 bo Of o, O,Cn people, n,sd to protect the industry
 aud productions o} osv oscn country against JOr
 eign conpetitiOn. This right was directly assert 1 ed by those patriots and statesmen who composed | the first Congress held under the Constitution {; and it has been maintained by great majority of the people of the United States Upon the faith of laws enacted to give it effect, millions upon mill- ions of property have been invested, and millions of our fellow citizens, whose labor and industry constitute their capital, have depended, and con- tinue to depend for their comfortable subsistence, and for the support and education of their children The power to give this protection is contained in the great charter which alone gives us authority to act on any subject; and to lay duties and imposts" and 60 regulate commerce." are among these pre- scriped powers, and are designed to enable Con- l gress to promote the general welfare," and up- hold the interests of the whole country, so far as they may be affected by the imposition of duties, or the regulations of commerce.
 1 To sustain and increase national wealth and prosperity is of the principal objects for which governments are instituted; and hhGt nation which suffers its commerce. its agriculture, its manufac turests mechanic arts, its laborerin any shape be destroyed or materially impaired, when 1t has the means of preserving them, does not deserve the are threatened by the adverse policy of foreign na tions or the opposing influence of fore,gn pauper labor, the power " to regulate commerce IS to be exerted to prevent such unproptiOus results and it was for Gis, among other reasons. that 1t was | conferred on Congress. Wealth has its only real foundation in labor. The productive industry | alone of country creates property, and ensures lasting prosperity and it would be strange indeed, fla Constitution framed for 0is among other pur- poses, viz to promote the general welfare" contained no provision which would be adequate to sustain the labor of the people which establish ed it, which is an essential elementi in the general welfare" of which the Constitution speaks. But such provision is found in it, and it has been put into practical operation since the adoption of the Constitution. The power asserted, IS the power of self-preservation--the power of up- holding national independence - the power of increasing national wealth and promoting national prosperity-the power of maintaining the great and essential interests of the country Such is the nature of the power. and such is the origin and foundation of the RIGHT of Congress to sustain and promote the labor of its own citizens in all the branches and divisions of their industry.
 The DUTY of affording this protection is not less obvious than the right to afford it. There ma nv considerations connected with this part of the