Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-04-24
ADAM SMITH. A TARlFF MAN.

some PERSONS. very JEALOUS OF their repuiaipns a.
SOUND Political Economists. pretend mol 10 how the
late reduction oiihe duty in England on Cotton. isa
Protection 10 the manufacturing interests Of that coun,
Try. what. then will they say To the idea which
now maInain, that II Adam Smith now living Ia
this country, he would be IN favor of Tariff
but Viii FIRST remark upon the reduction OF the duty
upon Cotton, imported into England. Protection ~
manufactures msy he direct VI indirect bouny paid
10 'he fnysh manufacturers. 10 Indemnify them agass
my loss they might sustain from the composition Vi 9th
er Countries who mig hi bc able updersel them, would
te such protection that oil would admit II. II The Eur-
sh Government were 10 confer the same benefit upon
Their manufacturers, in any other way, what would b
The difference protection A gardener can proiecs
an exotic plant as eecinay, by sheiterng 1t iion the
Gull. NJ by directly impariing To II warmth.
I'm prlce OF manufactures devends upn the wagrs
oil labar The profits ot capital and the cos Of the
material, Now suppose The Government were To sly
to The Cotton f.ofds. you M hunger, under sx
sllng circumstances, contend with foreign factories. and
We must aid you. Here is army, we are at peace;
'she 81 many regiments IL work your factories, aud
we have 10 pa, them any how. you shall have their
abnI much cheaper ihan that you now employ. Thus.
one element Of the price Of manufactures woold DO re-
daced, and consequently The whoe prize lowered.
The same effect would take place. II the Covcrnmens
were In reduce The profits ol capital, by limiting the
Of interest To css than the present, and f)sng capitalists
10 lead Ia the manufacturers.
The English Gayefnuon, have not dnne either os
these absurd lhugsi The prohsot capital are already 1t
have amos, passed the limit oi starvation. and bordrr
On 1.-The shadow nf DEATH
But suppose, that in similar way. Euslsnd were 10
reduce the ohc element Of price. The Of The
moiefnl would not The price If the fhrics themselves
| be preporon,ley reduced And would MT NIL three
arrangements for the leneli Of the manufacturers, b.
protection The mind TINT dnes perceive il has II
ptptndcuar uhlqtny' 10 il, equal To Salnhpa collar.
Such mind Is Just f. Ia contend M the constitutional
difference between "Taif with incidental prDecton"
! iuT tscr f.
dental ptOiorllun." q. Dsatimina lions are eonsiu-
iianal The Tariff Ia net; lei the determinations fur
nsh protection. and the Tariff furnish only revenue. I
ibid YOU, Messra Editors WIS fond of Neiaph ysics
but Ibis Is ransccndenal This cvpsun In order ~
yet the hone6tS oi snund doctrine. without appearing 10
surrender ola notions. reminds one Of the trick Of selling
NE water and giving away The brandy. Pr,tec, ion 10
all unconstitutional. hui like certain ''wdcieuso He
~, we will have, Discrimination enough affud Incl.
DENIAL protection We must say then. that England
saned IL discriminate in favor her manufacturers
and sc has reduced the duly aud furnished them ibs
raw material at lowcr price. which enables them 10 sell
their labrcs for less, without diminishing their pro-
| fits,
Bu, have ssd. that Adam Smith himself the su-
thor Of Free Trade. would now be "a Tariff man Recnl
beet The time when he WRITE. His "Weallh Of Nations"
was published in l776 when the ultra rsrictpe sys.
tenn Ut his own country had driven all her american
ciinnrs In revolt. Commerce was then hanpered aud
lmneded by slupeodens menorplies that granted
10 iasorlies. obtained by rorfunun prosecuted with op
nressnp and grinding upon the subjects Of the Renlm
t1Is understand the system. which the ,m,nortal phi
sanher attacked and oyerhiew aud you will hel, full
y appreciate the difficulty Of eIrng on the other
exirpme
History abounds with illuslTios examples Of This kind
Gnat prssnd abuses have cnled t,uh the energies
al able opponens, who have sncc.cded fully In over
iir"w lng them; hut these champions have themselves
erred 10 the other extreme. To my mind the ease Of
Luther s directly in pinl; but this may provoke cos-
ireyersy, ill take anoiher. -.
Nhfu Bacon attacked the scholastic syspm of folly
and hvscism, ic soineinfs pushed his opposition oo
far In treating Of ''fnal causes" Dugald Stewart
says In rpmling the sirciurea of Bacon his mode
oi ph"shirne 1t is necessary always hear in mind
thai they have particular reference to The Sehoomen
aud II they should sometimes appear 10 be expressed in
terms too unqualified. due allowances ought be mado
hf the nndstngushng zeal Of refprmer in attacking
prejudice ronsecraed by long and unds,nre prescrp.
ien."' But Dugad Stewart. whn WA much of n NH
osaphic - alesnan gives decided testimony than
THIS IN favor Of my pronosion This docirine," says
he, 'o Smith and QneSnay, which tends simplify tho
henrv "i legisallun, by expding The policy Of hose
complicated checks and restraints vhirh swell the mu.
nlepa code Of mosl nns. has now helieve becoma
the prevailing creed Of thinking men all over Europe
and as commony happens Ia pyevailing crseds, has
h'en pushed hY many nf Tia raFtIsans far beyond the
vle"sand nlenlons fits original auihus't hiessrs
Editors. whn these rartlsansl | saw take an en-
hrged. pa'ro ne view 81 the perman Mt, prospective in
,eresis OF counry select vnur SYSTEM for the true g'o
~ and prsDe Iiy n The whole and within the circle Of
This general system. let complicated resriciiaaa cease
and legislation he free. This is res rade--the only
Find that useful, prae,ieabe is the free trade "
Adam Smith. MONOS.
Philosophy of Tho Human Mind vol H., ,2s. tIbd
p. 1885,