Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-12
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
THE TARIFF-FREE TRADE.
(Coniinued.)
raunspAy MORNING. FEBRUARY ~. Is.s

moment deserve the Infamous charge which Is
brought against the Wings, by portion of Their
ndversaries we think it nevertheless pal pable to
the plainest capacity, that the free trade policy
attributed TO the Administration, and hailed with
such iervor by the British PRESS will have the in
evitable effect Of building up British interests
upon the ruin, the recoverable rum Of own
prosperity. What benefits are to be received
from Great Britain IN return for our sell. sacrfc
ing CONCESSIONS why has she not herself prac
tised upon the theory which she so insdiously re.
commcnds for our adop,onl Why has she i'm.
posed such enormous taxes upon the beef pork
bacon, tobacco, &c. Of America, making ave.
rage duty of 355 per cent? When has she ever
relaxed her policy, except under temporary
pressure, and for a temporary Purposel The
Duke of Wellington, in the frank, direct. and
concise manner characteristic of the man. once
declared in the House of Lords, That when
free trade talked Of as existing in England.
il was an absurdhy. There is not, and there can
be no such thing free trade in this country
We proceed on the principle of protecting our
own manufactures, and our own produce-,he
produce OF our labor and soil-of protecting
them for expectation. and protecting them for
home consumption and in this universal Svsfera
Of protection IL is absurd to talk of free trade -
A single glance nj the condition OF England will
prove the truth of the Dukes observation. How
can England adopt the free trade policy. even if
she had the inclinationl With gigantic nation.
al debt of eight hundred millions with an i'm.
mense army and navy, requiring annually vast
expenditures for their support; with magnifi-
cent throne to sustain; with colonies in all quar-
tiers Of the globe, drawing unceasing contributions
from the mother country: TO what quarter could
she look for relief should she abandon her "uni.
versal system of protecton!" Tier only alterna.
live would be an additional burthen Of direct tax
alton, which, bowed to the earth as the people
already are by the demands of Government
would be the signal for instant Revolution. Ii
- idle, then, to expect compensating reciproc
~ from the British Cabinet.
The only article Of Americas production which
has ever received favorable consideration from
the British Government, is the Cotton of The
South, and that, for the reason that it is inds
pensable to her own manufactures. Yet who has
not been struck with her long, persevering, pa
tent efforts to render herself independent even
in this respect, of country, by the cultivation
of Cotton in IRd,al 1t true that in many OF the
districts oil lnula. uer eIlOTts nave been
degree unsuccessful; but, with unaltering re.
solution, which took counsel from dsappoint.
ment she has pushed forward her work, adopting
such new appliances as the soil and climate seem.
ed 10 require, and exhaustiDg the whole field Of
experiment, until, at last, brighter prospects are
breaking upon her labors. Recent intelligence
states that the in Dharwar District, complete sue
cess has crowned British industry and enterprise.
1.-The culture of American cotton has been year.
~ Increasing IN quantity from 600 the first
wear, ISI2,) to, it is calculated, $4,000 acres
this year, when Mr.. Mercer thinks that not less
than a million Of pounds Of American cotton will
be produced" The seed is also said To improve
instead Of deerOrating, and throughout Central
India the climate is stated to be similar 10 that of
Dharwar, which has proved so favorable. We
call upon the free traders Of the South to note
Ihese important! facts and to Judge for themselves
whether 1t is wise TO sacrifice the market present
cd by their American manufactures, when
England is making such steady and well directed
efforts, and with so strong probability of sue.
cess, to supply her own markets with the growth
Of her own dependencies!
And we talk of free trade now now. when the
sky above us is yet dark with the threatening
clouds of war, and the thunder is yet mutterng
nngrIly in the air. That cloud may pass away,
and those thunders may cease for time, bat
while England remains on this Continent, and
she will never leave it wiIlIngly,-whie the
sparks of our ancient hatred still survive and are
perpetually famed by the breath Of every dema-
.Oguo who seeks popularity, there will be con.
slant danger Of collision with Great Britain How
shall We be prepared for that event! BY renoun.
cling our Tariff policy, and asking loan of arms
rom our enemy, when it becomes necessary to
meet him in battle Or, will the advocates of
rec trade admit the duty Of Government to pro.
tect the manufacture Of articles necessary for the
national defence II they make this admission.
their contest with us ought to be considered at an
end. Our soldiers and our sailors need some.
thing more than the mere weapons Of aggression
and resistance. They require blankets, SHOES,
every description of clothing, embracing almost
all the articles manufactured in our country.
Such an admission would be fatal to the principle
for which the free traders contend. Or do they
propose to send forth aE American army, arrived
inn similar style TO that Ol FalstaH Would they
have an American General exclam with the no
nest knight, MY Whole charge consists Of an
Gents, corporals, licuenanls gentlemen of COM
panies, slaves as ragged as Llzarus IN the paint
ed cloth, where the gutons dog licked bis sores.
aud such as indeed, were never soldiers bat
discarded, unjust serving men, younger sons to
younger brothers, reyolied tapsefs, aud osllers
trade fallen the cankers Of calm world aud a
long peace aud such have ], to I'LL up the room
of them that have bought out their services, that
you would think, tha, had bundled and fifty
tatered prodigals, lately come f ON swine keep
ing. from eating dran and husks. 4 mad fellow
met me on the way, aud told inc, had unloaded
oil the gbbels, and pressed the dead bodies. No
eye hath seen such scartcrows Nay, and the
villains march as they had gives on; for, in
deed, had tho most Of them out Of prison.
There's but shirt aud half in all my compa-
nv and the half shirt Is two napkins tackled to
-. NJ hmm nucr The .Ln..-L.r L.Ln