The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-09-22
From the New York Globe.
THOUGHTS FOR THOSE WHO WrsY
| TO EXERCISE THEFACULTY OFTHOUf;HT

TO EXERCISE THEFACULTY OFTHOyGyHT
What Is the best method Of increasing the
wealth of nation I? We answer. nnr.ssricts5
liberty in the exchaRge. with ali the world oe
what naton's labor produces. sound curren.
cy, and perfect free trade with all naions. will,
best advance natfon's wealth. but II is often
said. that however desirable free trade ma BE-. We
cannot adopt it urtifo nlsiuns with which we
trade will reciprocais. Now, while we admit
that reciprocity in trade throsy hotrs the enrre
commercial world Wouhf he ereap ccsri In all
nations. nevertheless assert that if the United
States will adopt system nf perfect free trade
and all other nations Keep sp their restrictions.
the United States will soOa heennae the greatest
commercial and the most wealthy naun the wo,ld
ever saw. Do not Condemn this idea-we will
Illustrate IT'S truth. The elies 0f New York and
Boston are rivals in the western trade Row.
suppose that the Legislature VI Massachusetts
should pass law laying tag. for State ptrrnoses
"f say ~ per cent, ON the value Of all western
produce that sought a market I'm the CITY of B,s
ION, and that M snch tax was levied by the Lee
elsIatnre of New York western produce seek
Ing market in the city Of New York. what
would be the effect the western trade eF the
two cries? Why. undoubtedly, all the western
trade would leave BH'ston and 90 to New York.
And all the manufactures and msrehand,ge Of
every description that went west would he pur-
chased in New York. and the trade of Bnston
would hi DESTROYED M me denies bnt that sach
would he the effect of 20 per cent tax levied by
The State of Massachusetts an all western pe,duce
that sought an exchange fn Eastern manufactures
IN the city of Boston. The western merchant
would not bring his produce to Boston, and lose
20 per cent. on its value. when he confd avoid the
loss by bringing it to New York; this rs clear and
will not he disputed SD far then az the business
trade and wealth Of the city Of New York are
concerned. il would advance mach faster should
the tax we have mentioned be imposed spon the
trade of Boston with the west
Nuw, apply this principle to the trade between
the United States and the rest of the world.
Suppose every nation bar shis shoald sdhers TO
the restrictive system. and impose duties the
produce Of every other nat inn " nth which it trades,
what must be the effect Hpun the trade Of the
United States with the world WHY it would
increase five fold. All Dstoes woult seek our
market; here they could exchange their produce
free from all taxes. II would draw the trade Of
The world to our shores. The trade between all
other nations would decline. while the t5ade he
tween the United Sjatea ard all other nanns
would increase This rs So self evident thai
me who reflects upon ii moment will doHl
truth. If other nations sent the sBrpfus proGc
of their labor here they world have to take tn
surplus produce Of our labor in exchange. The
result then. is. that If rs the only nation in
the world that will adopt perfect system Of free
trade. ours will be the Batioa that will be ths
most benefited
One olher illustration Of the truth Of this posi-
ton may he given. 81 is well known that one of
the principal causes that led to the adoption Of the
Federal Constitution. was the evils that rpsulIed
from The fact that the several States had adopted
different rates of dotpes on foreign imports
Virginia complained, Ehai IN consequence of the
light taxes upon imports Imposed by the State Of
Maryland. that the foreign trade was drawn off
from Virgins, and was fast enrichi0Q Maryland.
This rs strong illustration Of the truth NJ our
argument. See the journal Of the E2ouse Of Dele
gates of Virginia 0f 1895. also the Madison pa
pers. and you will find that Virginia admits, that
in consequence Of her duties nm imports being
higher than those Imposed by Mary Ia0d, her i,sde
was hanished to Maryland.
We merely desire 10 induce men to reflect npoD
the great advantages thar would result from a
system Of perfect free Trade though we do not e1-
pect that it will he aa,pted Immediately. We
wish 10 show tina, " rs perfect folly to wait for
other nations to recfprocate the blessings that viii
follow the unlO0sening the fetters that bind the
commerce of the world. The idea that free trade
cannot be practise6 by one nation 80 bong as other
nations adhere 10 their restrictions, is g1oss
aosnrdiy. That sDeh an idea should have been
so long and so generally entertained il an evidence
that men have never reflected iburoupbIy opon
the subject. We hare heard il repeated 50 often,
That we have considered tia great truth uOdis-
Puled and lrrefutable. Open oor ports to- rnorFD8
to the free introduction Of The snrplDs produce Of
the world, and leave The tariffs Of other nations
they are, and the very FIRST year DOR foreign trade,
both exports and imports, would donble
If some one win tase up this idea that We have
thrown ont, Une who has more time IN Do Justice
TO the subject, md examine il in all lis BEARINGS,
we will publish what he has 10 say over his own
signature. IL sppears 10 Ds that shy great nation
that will throw opeD her ports 10 al The world
will SOON drive other Balioos into the same liberal
policy. This effect would he inevitable The
Gpllowing arole, from tine .Ns,e Hagsn Demo
erat, though il has no bearing ppon The remarks
we have made, yet IL contains such important
trPths that we will Icy is before The readers Of