The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-03-20

axarnsr " u, sng pIvtec,.vu NOM az,
ture aud against the extinction of the protective
principle Twas brought forward Tor the representa-
ton Of Liverpool on the colonial. and consequently
on the protective principle. Although perfectly
tettered and unpedged. yet distinctly and explicitly
avowed myself the advocate OF that principle. have
bestowed the most calm and dispasslonate conslde-
ration on this question. / have listened with atten-
ton 10 all that has been said both sides IN this
debate and far from being shaken, | fad my opln-
ions confirmed, aud my vote must conform with my
opinion. (Slr Howard then proceeded at great
length aud ability TO show; which he illustrated by
variety Of statistical facts that the present movement
OF the Government for the repeal OF the Corn-aws
was neither necessary eXpedent and then pro-
ceeded to remark that The noble lord. the member
for West Riding, observed sofcb!y, the increase of
population requires additional means and sources of
subsistence 1t appears to me, that by maintaining
the Corn-laws shall best provide for this by ex-
tending and improving the cultivation of Great Bril-
tain aud Ireland. II seems strange proposition,
and one contrary to all experience, that the way TO
encourage the production OF articles of any kind s
10 expose that branch Of industry to unequal compe
titlon But can we not find, do we not possess. IN
our COLONIES, unbounded sources-rich fields OF viz
Gun fertility, such as the noble lord has depicted in
the United States, from which we may derive un-
limited supplies of British produced food had I'M
aglned species OF free trade among ourselves, by
which we might acquire freely, the agricultural pro-
ducuons, as well as Others OF Our colonies, II we
were really to treat them as Il counties OF the coun-
try. There was right move made 10 that direction
In the passing 0! the Canada corn bill, tor which
voted with great pleasure but this admirable
pnocple is very lmperiectly carried out. l heard
with great pleasure the other night the honorable
members for Montrose, Stockport and Cock
ermouth, express their wish to see this great
principle extended TO other colonies and
their belief or hope that the time was now come
when The cooi les generally were really to be incor-
porated with the United Kingdom as integral parts
thereof, and that thus new era OF colonial man.
agement was about to commence WIZ, sir, from
the moment that the protective principle shall un-
happily be extnguished, not only will the Canada
~ n in sigtiD IN he inrn, of
solemn compact between the Imperial Parliament,
which originated, and the Canada Parliament
which re-enacted that measure-not only from that
moment Will this compact be absolutely annuled,
but the colonial system itself will be virtually DIS
solved. For the Canada corn bill will become
wholly imperative = absolutely nu6ed, How
come from Canada, Prince Edwards Island aad
Australia, when the ports OF the United Kingdom
snail have been opened to foreign corn Not a
particle Of the Uated Sta:es bread stus will transit
Canada, by The costly inland communications which
are now opening tor that purpose, to be taken down
the St Lawrence to Quebec to give the British ship
owner the benefit OF the freight home, and the Br-
tsh merchant the advantage OF the transaction and
should this measure pass, the United States may
we'll deslst from the measures they have adopted
Ohe recent transit act,) TO countervail and defeat
the important advantages which the Canada corn
acts were intended to confer. What becomes,
then, OF the agricultural prosperity Of Canada =
Canada is, essentially, an agricultural colony. I
well remember-that in 1926, when holding the
provinces, under a distinguished and Justly cete-
brated statesman, Mr. Husksson, at time when
emigration to Canada was becoming brisk, and
Canada corn was only admitted to the United King
dom IN limited quantity, and at considerable duty,
think 5s to have written to Mr.. Husksson
DESPATCH IN which, referring to his trade acts and
TO the measures proposed by his maesty's then 60
vernment to pronse the permanent interests OF the
British possessions, | endeavored to represent the
rapid progress then making in British North Amer-
ca In agricultural operations, and the necessity OF
throughout British North America, aud to adopt
steady OF policy which should ensure to Cana
daat all times external markets for the consumption
ct their agricultural productions the marke of the
United Kingdom, and those OF their sister colonies
IN the west ] represented that no distress can be
so severe as that which must result from popua-
ton extending itself over unbounded fields OF virgin
fertility, peOpled by emigrants from the mother
country as measure OF relief to ourselves from the
occasional pressure of unemployed labor if at any
time we should I. in ensurng them markets tor the
productions OF their industry. And 1t does now be-
come matter OF the very greatest importance to
consider, what IS TO become OF the Canadas, If we
now fail Ia this duty TO them by Withdrawing protec
ton from the interests we have created, ana the in
dustry we have cherished. The United States will
not tree trade with British North America and If
SO, and we withdraw protection from the productions
o the Canadas as by the extinction of the protective
principle, and the repeal OF the derentlal duties we
are asked to do, Is quite obvious what the tenden
cy must be have often imaglned-and 1t was fer
this that moved tor and e5tained the order OF this
house, tor the extensive returns that prepar
Ing, namely, the various colonial tariffs and COM
mercia relations at present subsstlnQ between all
tbs colonies OF the empire aud the mother country,
and between the colonies tnemseves-that it might
really be possible TO treat colonies like counties OF
the country, not only direct trade with the United
Kingdom but IN commercial interc curse with each
other, by free trade among Ourselves, und er rea-
sonaole moderate degree OF protection from without,
and 30 resolve the United Kingdom, and all her CO.
loules and possessions, into a commercial union
such as might defy all rivalry, and defeat all combi-
nations. Then might colonization proceed on gi-
gantIc scale; then might British capital ANNA te
British labor, on British soil, for British objects,
Throughout the extended domlulons OF the British
empire. Such an union is the United States OF Anne.
together 70. comm :rcal aud political purposes with
the most perfect tree trade within. and stringent
protection from without; aud, sign ally surely has
that commercial league succeeded aud four lshed.
Such an union, too, Is the German Customs League;
and II has succeeded exten that really is in SO
short time, miraculous. But tree trade-the ex-
nction OF the protective princip e-the peal of the
dlferentla duties would at once convert all our CO.
lonies, In commercial sense into many Indepen-
dent states The colonial consumer OF British produc
tons ould then be released from his part OF the
pact, that OF DEALING In preference with the British
producer aud the British consumer OF such articles
az the colonies produce, absolved from his each
party would be free to buy Ia the cheapest and sell
In the dearest market DEFY any honorable men,
Der opposite TO say, that this would not be a virtual
dissolution OF the colonial system The British flag
might still lily tor time, where sound Brit sh policy
had raised 1t, IN every part OF the world The colo
nists would regard II still with the veneratlon TO
which it is entitled. Our navies might still guard
their coasts and waters, aud troops hold military
possession OF their lands; but then would come the
question OF the economists IN debates on the navy,
army, and ordnance estimates, what is the use Of
colonesi They consume not, as OF old, the produc-
tons OF the United Kingdom in any greater degree
than If they were foreign States no longer con-
snder and treat the colonies as domestic sources
essential for the supply OF the materials OF our manu-
featuring industry, and the elements OF our mari
time power and il will be difficult to answer that
economical argument, when, moreover, we shall
have discarded our colonies, for conside ration of
wretched pecuniary economy, and sacrificed ma
tlona Objects and high destinies, TO the minor and
the comparatively mean, calculations of speculative
wealth. have said what the effect OF free trade
must be on the Canada corn bill. What will be the
effect OF the extlncnon OF protection, when fully