The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-24
THE WORK YET TO BE DONE.

honor, and the peace Of the ccoantry are in safe
Keeping. Patriotism and wisdom stood by while
the Executive policy in this matter was foreshad.
owed IN the message. And now that policy faces
the policy of England, strong in the strength OF
almost unanimous nation This fact covers the whole
around. Our government has been true to the peace
of the country. If peace can be preserved without
loss Of honor, Of character and Of just rights vndca-
ted with frmness and moderation, we shall have
peace.
| And now we doubt not that the democratic repre-
sentatves of the people, and Of the States, will turn
their attention in earnest and patriotic spirit to
the other great measures Of our internal policy,
which the Executive has brought before them. On
the Oregon question party lines have been, indeed TO
some extent drawn; but they have been wayer-
| ing and faint. In so far as this fact presents
to England our Oregon movement, as a national
movement, 1t is not perhaps to be regretted.
There is fear that the democratic party will lose
its proud position as the party which goes for "the
extension Of the Of freedom" That position
was settled in the last II was ratified by
the first great act Of its session. Our noble south
lOestsrn rirer-he Del Norte-s its monument IL
is engraved in the boundary line of our Union.
But now the eye of the country-at least Of the
democracy of the country-turns to another capital
measure which party lines will be drawn to great
extent On the cardinal question of our commercial
pocy-the question whether our people shall buy
where they can buy cheaply, and shall sell where
they find the best market-the question wheth-
er for class interests taxation shall lock up trade
the question Of the tariff-now demands the united
efforts of the democracy. Party principles and par
| ty pledges should now be our watchwords of action
not because they partisan, but because they are
true
Political economy took its place among the sciences
on the publication of Adam Smiths great work, in
the very year Of our Declaration of independence.
The theory of commercial freedom, and the fact Of
political freedom were thus established together Il
was fit that it should be so; they are branches of the
same trunk 1t is the strength and the great renown
Of the democratic party that sees and feels their
connexion, and is resolved to act upon it, This is
| the instinct Of the masses
1t Is the great good fortune of the democratic
party, that the Irresistible laws ofndustry and of trade
are just nOW doing in other lands, what the princi-
pies Of our constitution prescribe as duty for US
We are committed to tariff for revenue, (" by our
organic law. Great Britain, bound to the policy Of
restriction, by her anomalous social system, and in
the interest Of her landed arisocracy now auas be-
fore the menace Of famine and opens her ports The
great statesman, who sits at the helm of her ship
OF state, as he lacks and to meet the exgency
points to the new lights which recent experiment
has shed upon his course. The fatherland Of
monopolies flies for succor and 70" food to a
new policy, and procaims that henceforth the Eng
ishman is to buy Of him who will sell cheapest
Denmark, Naples, and France, are even now begin
ming to practice on the same doctriae-Germany is
learning IN the same school. In word, freer
commercial policy is coming to be the movement of
the civilized world. What has heretofore been onv
tendency in the European world, is Just now taking
the shape OF fact. Principles are defining them.
selves into measures, and coming to be recorded on
the statute book. 1t is the great good fortune of the
democratic members Of this Congress, that pending
their labors to reform the monstrous tariff of 1912
every steamer will bring them cheering intelligence
of the successful steps by which the English minis
ter is fighting his way through host of difficulties
ana OF preJudIces, in his noble effort to fling wide
open to us the great food market of England This
fact presents the true tariff policy of our country in
wholly new and most imposing aspect before
the great agricultural interest Of the valley of the
Mississippi 1t must tell strongly upon the discus
sons and the resolves of Congress- A capital ar
sument-perhaPs we ought to say the capital argu-
ment-ofthe advocates ofthe restrictive policy among
u.s. has heretofore been found in the closed ports of
England That argument must now be at once
abandoned. Nor is this all: England il now her.
self becoming an illusrious example of the success
OF free commercial policy under the most appalling
difficulties. The country whose whole social sys-
tenn is one vast and mos, complicated artifc.. is
giving up her artificial system of commerce, and
adopting the natural system in its place. The
country Of colonies is fastening to place its colo
NAL commerce and its international commerce
upon the same footing. Even the Canada tim
Der duties are giving way Already it il an
nounced that the English people will no longer nav
their enormous bonus for the protection of the SUGAR
planters OF Jamaica And most Of all, English az
culture, the pampered pet Of centuries of restrictive
legislation, must henceforth compete in open market
with the world, in giving the millions bread. That
oppressive tardtion, which has heretofore forced it.
self up into good repute sndcr the ala, of protection
Is now breaking down ia its ancient and chosen
stronghold. The example y full of new argumen-
tative power. The great GUN of the restrctionists
IS not only spiked-t is turn ed with deadly effect
against themselves!
We have before alluded to another leading aspect
OF the new commercial policy which the ministry is
now carrying out in England, and which the demo-
cratic party are soon to carry out here. We mean
the bearing Of these measures on the peace of the
two nations The absurd wing cry--the absurdest
Of all the short-lved sbsurdites of the opposition
press-that Oregon was to be bought by a revenue
tarif-this party cry has already exploded itself; or
rather it has fairly died out. He will be bold par
tisan who shall again seek to galvanize it into life.
But it is not to be doubted--and we point to this
fact with an honest pride-thst the policy of the
democratic party on the tariff, is at this juncture,
the nolicv NJ naars ueI of freedoun nd Of