The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-28
THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM.

iulc al lnscnuon.
THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM.
We have had placed in our hands the following
interesting letter, addressed to Mr. Burke, Of the
Patent Office, by an intelligent and experienced
merchant Of Boston, in which the writer take. up
and refutes the allacies contained in the late letter
Of Abbott Lawrence, esq, addressed to the Hon.
VIM. c. Rives. IL is refreshing to see such things
emanaiing from the very hot-bed OF the protective
system. We are informed that there are many kin
dred spirits on this subject residing in the city Of
Boston, who are able to conquer their adyersaries
by argument, if not by votes.
The letter Of Mr.. Lawrence, which Mr. Rives,
with all his aversion to notoriey, has drawn from
him, for the purpose of revouonizing Virginia in
to a tariff State, has not been confined to tho Old
Dominion. II has probably been very extensively
circulated elsewhere. "Hilps Patriot" of Thurs
day last states that ths wing central committee" Of
Now Hampshire had recently flooded the post Of
fee of one Of her towns "with printed copies Of a
letter recently addressed by Abbott Lawrence Zone
of the Boston miliOndrss) to William c. Rives Of
Virginia, in support Of the present tariff We pre-
sumo that tens Of thousands Of this document have
been circulated under the direction Of the wing CEN
trial committee, in every nook and corner Of the
State" We are happy 70 have the opportunity OF
meeting its positions with the following letter. We
have another document from another hand to reply
to Mr.. Lawrence, which will appear 10 few days.
Since this letter OF Mr.. Homer's was written, we
have the decided change which h.s taken place
in England in favor Of free trade. We have seen
the great speech of Sir Robert Peel. We have soon
his new prcje of admitting pork and sailed beef,
and Indian corn, and buckwheat, free of duty, and
our wheat and our -four to 60 in, in three years,
only nominal duty. Mr.. Lawrence, therefore,
cannot now appeal with the same force to the pro-
tective policy of England as he did when he wrote
his letter-UMos.
BosroS, January 81, 1916.
Hon. Edmund Burke:
Dean SIR; In this mornings Courier, I fnd a let
ter on the tariff from Mr.. Lawrence 10 Mr.. Rives,
dated the 18th instant, copied from the Richmond
Wing. As II is evidently written with view TO in
huence the members Of Congress and the public il
will not, hope, be deemed presuming for one hold
ing contrary opinions 10 attempt an answer
BY your admirable essays upon the tariff, you
have shown deep interest in the subject Of equal
duties and great industry and research in collecting
facts and arguments; and trust you will give to the
public your own reply to MIR. Lawrences letter. In
the mean time, an humble eo-laborer in the cause
Of just mercantile system, proceed to give my
own views upon the subject
am fully sensible Of the great advantages and
abilities possessed by Mr.. Lawrence, and my appa-
rent presumption in endeavoring to controvert the
opinions Of one so much my superior in years, in
experience, and in reputation.
All that can offer to sustain my reasoning is
some ten years moro Of active business life, an
attentive perusa OF some Of the standard works on
commerce and currency, with earnest desire that
laws on these subjects Should be in accordance
with the great principles of our constituton-such
as will induce greater degree Of regularity and
certainty in the commercial operations Of this
try than now exist. The only advantage that can
be thought TO possess Mr. Lawrence in the ar
gumcnt, rests in the fact that, having withdrawn
from trade and having no pecuniary personal in
terest in the subject, am free from the influence
that such causes naturally have upon our minds.
Were il not for the established truth that contro.
versy, in some form other, il one of the condi-
tions of progress, should all shrink from these
unpleasant controversies, and the fatigue of refuting
arguments which have been answered over and over
again for the last century and half.
As long ago as 1851, Sir Dudley North advoca-
ted the following principles;
"That the whole world, b to trade, is but as one
nation or people, snd therssn natisns ap persons.
'eThat to force men to deal in any prescribed man.
ner may profit such happen to serve them but
the public gains not because it is tslting from one
subject to give to another. In Short that all favor
to one trade or interest is abuse, and cuts SO
much of profit from the public"
1t appears that then, now, there were parties
interested in sustaining monopolios and privileges,
and that this pamphlet was suppressed; but, fortu-
nately, some few copies escaped destruction.
Addison wrote, in I'LL, (see Spectator, No. So y
"Nature seems to have taken particular care to
disseminate her blessings among the different re-
gions Of tho world with an eve TO this natural in.
tsrcourso and traffic among mankind, that the ma.
tvcs Of the several parts Of tho globe might have
kind Of dependence on one another, and be united
together by their common interest"
Sir Matthew Decker wrote, in l744:
"Trade cannot, will not be forced, let other ma.
| tons prohibit by what severity they please; they
may embarrass their own trade, but cannot hurt Z
nation where trade is free much as themselves
Spain has prohibited our woolens. But should
we, for that reason, prohibit their commodities
BY no means. Some may be necessary for us
what are SO, we should not make dearer for our
own people. Some may be proper to assort earroe
for other countries; and why should we prohibit oul
people that advantage Why hurt ourselves to hur
the Spaniards? II we would retaliate effectualy
upon them for their i'll intent, handsome premiums
given to our plantations to raise the same growthi
as Spain, might enable them to supply Us cheaper
than the Spaniards could do, and establish trade
they could never return Premiums may gair
trade, utprohibitons destroy t." W
give you these extracts to show that this warfar
between monopolists and the friends Of equal laws
was carried on in England for more than century
and the power of combined private Interests agnins
the common good of the people il forcibly illus
trated by the fact that this struggle was so long sus
tanned before the majority in Parliament would &C
in accordance with the clear truth of the matter,
we may feel assured that an American Congress
will be more just to their constituents Adam
Smiths great work did much to overthrow the ole
ideas, and Mr.. McCulloch's remarks upon tn,
Wealth of Nations" are very applicable at thu
present time:
"Every one capable of approaching the justice o
its reasoning, and who had no selfish motives to leat
him to different conclusion, felt satisfied that tn
} protective or monopoly systsm was opposed to thu
progress Of real opulence and lasting improvements
and that every deviation from the freedom Of trade
not required for the purpose Of natural security o.
defence, was not an evil. But q heightened periot
elapsed before this conviction became general. Tn,
interest which many had in the support Of measures
and institutions bottomed the principles that hat