Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-08-13
VOL. XII. NO. 39.--wHoLE NO. 2o7s

accounts for the delight with which the secretarvs
report was received and republished bv the British
Parliament Now, who are the American Dnriv
and who the British party in this country Are ali
the exertons and su1erings of our fathers in the
Revolution to redeem us from this state of colonial
dependence, to be, in effect set aside and disre-
garded and our much boosted independence be
battered away for cheap clothing and necessaies,
which we are fully able ourselves to supply?
Ill. come now to consider the proposed bill,
adopting national policy, res integrd as if we
were now, for The first time, to enact law on the
subject; as if we had nothing now vested in man
uiactures, and sacrifices to endure by change;
and as if we were secure from the oppressive
operation on Us of the regulations of trade by 9th
or nations: The Secretary in his report says 1t
is generally conceded that reciprocal free trade a.
rnong nations would best advance The interest of
ALL" Again, he says; "Let US, with revenue due
ties only open our ports to all the world and nation
after nation will soon follow our example" It is
difficult to see what inducement they could have
| TO follow our example, when we shall have given
them our free trade without requiring any conces-
sion from them. But it is as to the sentiment first
quoted above wish to call attention, and to ex-
| press my vlews-l say my views, because am au-
thorized to speak on this point only for myself.
When two bodies of water lie near ench other,
and communication is formed between them all the
water will find the loCest level If the cattle in
two contiguous pastures are suffered to run COM
mon into both the feed will be reduced to the con-
dition of the poorest one and all the cattle will be
kept on the feed of the lowest in flesh. IL dacent
countries pursue their trade unrestricted with each
other, all things must sell at the lowest price of
that article in either of those countries IF we de-
pend on a foreign market for supplies, we must sell
our produce to them in their market at as low q
rate us it can be supplied by any body. Together
with these simple truths, another must be remem-
bered and that is, that for all the purposes of trade
and commerce, and the interchange of commodi-
ties, SO great has been the improvements in naviga
tlon and so rapidly are they advancing that we
now brought into continuity with and are contig
uous to- Europe.
Let it be remembered that we are now irving, in
view Of the world, the great experiment whether
mankind can succeed with a popular system of
government Now must be solved the great prob
lem in civil society, whether man is competent to
seltgovernment, and 1t rests with us to settle for
ourselves, for posterity, and for the worlGto
tie, and that probably foreuer this great question:
I To effect this, we have assumed an exalted posi-
ton for ,Dhote people, among the nations of the
earth. 1t is not enough that our people be only as
wel-conditioned as those Of other nations. In Or
, der to occupy their places as freemen, and dis
charge the duties enlightened citizens Of free
republic and bring forward their children to take
e their positions on the platform Of equality with the
favored and daughters of the land, our people,
r yes-our whole people--must, as compared with
those of other nations, occupy an elevated position,
physical, intellectual moral and social. They are
and they must be- better clothed better fed, better
IS housed, and better educated, and adorned as be-
If comes the taste and condition of a free people,
l. Now, whatever branch of our population or indus
try is brought into contact and competition with the
same IN Europe, it must sink at once to their level.
If our manufactures and workshops are in England,
o and we buy there, because cheapest, there, too,
n must our productions be sold as low the like can
be furnished by others. TO do this, our producers
{, must work as cheap, and live as poor, and, OF
course, descend to low level in the social con-
II dition, the producers of the same in Europe.
e Now what is the condition of those who cultivate
n the land and now furnish wheat to England SO
?, much cheaper than ourselves? 1t is true, indeed
as stated by Lord Ashburton, they work for six
e pence day. On the Continent, from Spain tc
', Russia the wages of the pcasantry will not aver
e age over one franc day, and every where the
ID women and children mnge in the labors of the
le field and such extensively is the condition ever
= of England.
~ The food of those people is Of the most simple
3 and coarse kind, their clothing and dwellings bu
d. the most rude covering and shelter, and thei
j. ncessant toll forbds all possibility of intellectual
ID culture. Such may answer as SUBJECTS &c. mnnar
ID chy, but must not be the condition of the citizens
A. OF this republic. Whenever it becomes so, our pc
I'd litica experiment will have failed. No, sir; no
m We cannot make common lot with the nations o
at the world. We are, and must be, q peculiar peo
x ole and such must be the nature of our policy
IS. Having almost entered on the enjoyment of tn
mt promised land, let not, in the ndiscreet desir
IN to procure cheap goods, indulge longing for tn
a vegetables and flesh pots of Egypt, and retur
to therefor again to state of vassalage and servi
ne tude but hold way, to fulfil the performance
a Of our nations calling, in actual independence AM
ar prosperity.
es ltmay be true that the growers OF cotton, whic
ed cannot be produced in Europe, and the condition
le whose labor-saves- be degraded In scott
to position, have nothing to fear in this experiment
at foreign competition and this may account Il
on their general willingness that this free trade polio
its should be pursued; but even they should remen
Nv Der that their destiny is embarked in the same pr
le tcal experiment with ours, and must share in tt
nd general result.
ed The sands of my hour glass are nearly run on
In and must close | choose not to leave the in
ey preston that my hopes of my country's final de-
as tiny depend on this bill, though doubt not if tn
m policy were adopted and persisted in, it would DE-
as stroy our prosperity but, sir there is elascit
.S and recuperative energy in the intelligence, ell
terprse and resources of this people, by which the
ed will redeem themselves Ifthis is adopted, tn
ch people will, under it, suffer deeply but when
nd erng they will seek relief they have heretofo
to done, by abandoning the policy. And though tn
nd people may be again deeply convulsed and thong
1t that couvulson may not be death struggle, yt
we in the paroxysms Of their agony, they will cru
ed, the party and authors Of their suferngs.
he -
tic
ir- LooUAcTY.-A young man who was great ia
a ker, sent by his parents to Socrates to learn
Cd atory On being presented to Socrates, the Ia