The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-02-26
FREE TRADE.

4hey hold up their heads, look wise, and
seem to feel conscious that they are decid-
eddy the most important and triumphant ter
sons on the ear,h's surface. The success
of Locofoco attempts 10 dupe the American
people and the partial failure Of crops in Eu-
rope have caused the free-tradsts TO feel
pretty certain that the repeal ofthe tariff of
1912 and the abrogation of the corn laws of
Great Britain are al hand.
The more ignorant of the Locofocos are
already anticipating great and beneficial re-
suits that are TO befaIl the agricultural inter
ests of this country from the throwing open
Of the ports of England for the admission Of
foreign grain. The Locofoco people were
told during the late Presidential canvass
thar, if England destroyed her corn-law poll
cy. every American farmer would be greatly
prohted; and now, that there is some proba-
billy of that event, many dupes and ignoram-
uses are calculating on large pecuniary ad-
Vantages. They seem to think that the Uni
ted States is the only country in which a
surplus of grain is raised, and that England
will be obliged TO look 10 this continent for
her supplies Of breadslufls, Their demagog-
ues never knew, or if they did know it they
never informed the people, that the coun-
tries lying contiguous 10 the Baltic, Mediter-
ranean, and Black Seas produce large sur
! pluses Of wheat, and that Great Britain. when
ever she needed supplies from aboard, had
been in the habit of importing from those
countries. In the great wheat markets of
Asia and Europe, wheat is almost always
sold lower than it is in the United States, and,
il the English ports are thrown open 10 for
/ eign grain, the producers in The United
: States will have 10 compete with The Asialic
} and European seIfs.
The farmers of the United States already
: enjoy great, advantage in the English
: markets over the producers in Asia and Eu-
rope. A large amount of wheat and flour
] produced in this country finds its way 10
England through Canada at a low duty, while
, other foreign enjoys no such advantage. IF
the com laws are repealed, the United States
S farmers willnot. be as much benefited as they
] are under the present arrangement The
r most intelligent Of the Locoloco free-trade
= trade men know this and acknowledged it,
How, then are OUT farmers TO be profied by a
repeal of the British corn law?
We do not think that the agriculiurisls of
this country have any cause TO anticipate the
5 least benefit from the destruction Of our tar
iffand the British corn laws. If our protec-
tive policy is broken up by the Locofoco
: party, vast number of persons will be
thrown out Of their present employment and
i forced TO cultivate the earth. In this way
= the home market Tor grain will be injured, as
: many thousand of.consumers will be turned
into producers. There are in the United
= States about four millions of persons who
n depend for subsistence on the various me-
e chanical and manufacturing occupations
To feed them requires a vast amount Of ag-
rcuItural products as good as it is. Let
:, any considerable number Of these consumers
e be forced by the unwise policy Of the Gov
: eminent 10 become producers, and the agri-
= cultural interests must of necessity greatly
suffer.
Il Some of the Locofocos talk Of a commers
e cial lreary with Great Britain by which an ar
e rangement will be made 10 secure the sup
: Div of the British corn market TO this country
b as an equivalent for giving British manafac-
S lures monopoly in our markets. Such
treaty, while it would greatly injure Amer
= lean manufacturers would not be of any per-
n manent advantage 10 American farmers, for
l. those persons alone who would be forced
e out of manufactures 10 cultivate the soil
\ would produce more wheat than Great Bri-
$ tain would need.
IN But little experience in the blessings of
re Locoloco free-trade will be sufficient TO sat
- isfy the people of this country that wing mea-
ID sures and wing policy are their true inter-
is est. The honor, glory, and independence
n of the Government and the general welfare
:, :, and prosperity of the people, can be promot-
,e ed only by the policy advocated by the
: Wings, and that must eventually become the
I'd settled policy OF the United Stales-Lou