The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-08-27

+ been practically colonial dependence o
: England. Spain followed the same policy
r she, too, took all her clothing and manufac
lures OF England, who made them cheapest
, and contented herself with raising merino
f wool, for that kind of sheep have been in
Spain from the time of the Romans.
This wool they supplied to flanders and to
England, and took their cloth of them, as
some gentlemen propose we should do; and
what has been the effect? Spain, as fine a
country as the sunlight visits on this earth,
once prosperous in the development of its own
resources, and standing long among the fi,N,s
class of European nations, high above that
England whom Spain condescended to en-
ploy to acorz. f., ner, because she could do it
cheapest, has now become poor, degraded,
and almost in state Of anarchy, subject to
the will and dctation of that England whom
she once despised. This is the fruit of the
doctrine to always buy where you can buy
cheapest France, Germany, and Russia,
having all adopted this policy in self defence,
and being prosperous, England began to be
curtailed of her markets She has sent COM
missioners to those continental powers, and
pushed on them the doctrines of free trade,
which she never followed. They have been
deaf to her solicitations, and told her they
could never again follow those doctrines
which drained from them all their money, I'M
til they had pushed their manufactures to the
same degree of perfection as England and
so become fully able to compete with her.
FinulES herself rapidly being limited in her
markets, England has finally, in order to en-
BILE her manufactures fully to avail them
selves of their advanced skill and extensive
capital, and to give them again the advant-
age of all others, so far reduced her duties on
grain and provisions, as to enable her manu-
features to feed themselves and families at
the cheapest possible rate. This was done by
Sir Robert Peel, entirely for the benefit of
the English manufacturer, and through their
success, to advance the commerce and nation
al prosperity. Now, what is the policy rec
commended by our Executive Why, that
such course should here be taken as will let
in foreign articles, entirely and utterly to de-
Stroy our manufactures, contrary to the doc
trine even of Adam Smith, that it is ever bad
policy for any nation to diminish its artizans.
Let us now briefly recall to memory a short
chapter from the history of our own expert
ence on this point. While we were colonies
of England, we were not permitted to have
our attention diverted from our agriculture
and fisheries, not being permitted by Eng
land to manufacture eUen a hob nail. We
were then told as we now are, very patron
isingly, that we must feed them and they
clothe us; that it was entirely best for us to
buy all manufactures of them, because they
made them cheapest. Our trade was con-
fined to England for our supplies, and what
was the effect? The same it ever is on all
colonies-wc were kept in state of entire
dependence, the hcwers of wood and bearers
of burthens to England. When our fathers
concluded to strike for independence, they
found themselves unable to furnish them
selves even with ordinary clothing and the
struggle of the Revolution received most of
its aggravated sutlerings from the privations
which this state of dependence on England,
and want Of the power OF self supply, created.
The retreat of the army, under Washington,
through New jersey, in 1776, the darkest pc
riod of the struggle, was marked with the blood
of soldiers feet on the frozen ground for want
| of shoes. Why was this? 1t was because
they had relied on foreign supply of shoes, be-
cause they acere cheapest; and therefore, when
trouble came, they were incapable ofself sup
| ply When the long struggle Of tie Revolu-
ton closed, each State had the formation of
its own tariff. Some desired a protective ia
riff; while others, DESTROYS of securing the
advantage of the foreign trade to their own
ports, declined to lay any duties whatever
Our ministers abroad endeavored to form
commercial treaties, but as the Congress had
not then power to enforce them, none could
be formed. This was a state Of actual free
trade, from the peace of 1888 to the forma-
ton of the Constitution in 1888; and what
was the effect2 We bought entirely Of those
who sold cheapest, and that course Of trade
drained all the money from the country
Debts could not be paid, or judgments entorc-
ed; and even in the Old State ofMasachu-
sets, so great was the Distress that the peo-
pie rose in open revolt, called the Shay's re-
bellion, and forcibly stopped the sittings Of
the courts, to prevent judgments being rem
dered for debts The country seemed fast
tending to anarchy, and even Gen. Wash
ington expressed the deepest fear that all the
revolutionary war, and its success, would be
lost in the result. This was but the effect of
free trade, and of buying where we could
buy cheapest.
From this we escaped by the adoption of
the present Constitution, wherein the power
of the several States to levy and collect du-
ties passed to the General Government, which
Immediately exercised that power by laying
duties discriminating for the encouragement
/ and protection of home manufactures. 1t is
true that, soon after this, and for many years,
all Europe was involved in war, and we be-
came, as neutral nation, the carriers for the
world, and full and high demand existed
for all our productions, SO that manufactures
were little advanced before we were involv
ed in another war. We had still pursued the
policy Of buying instead of making our arti-
| cles of manufacture, and that war found us
still in comparative state of dependence on
England. The sufferings and distresses of
that war were not so much its battles, as it
was the exposure and disease from want of
proper supplies. I have witnessed in that
war, and many present witnessed it much
more, much of suffering, from long, cold shiv-
ering nights passed inwant of blanket; and
our Government was unable even to procure
blankets to perform their treaties with the