The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-08-15

dence of England. Spain followed the same
policy; size, 700, took all her clohing and man
uiacturcs of England, who made them cheap
est, and contenIed herscllwith raising meri-
no wool, for that kind of sheep have been IN
Spain from the time ofthe Romans. Tins
wool they supplied 10 Flanders aud 10 Eng
land, aud took their cloth of them, ms some
gentlemen propose we should do; und what
has been the effect? Spain, as fine Il country
~ the sunlight visits on this earth, once pros
perous in the development of its own resour-
ces, aud standing long among the first class
0fEuropeun nations, high above that England
whom Spuin condcscended 10 employ TO Wort
Tor her, because she could do it cheapest, has
now become poor, degraded, and almost IN Il
Stute Of anarchy subject 10 the will and dlcta-
ZION fthnt England whom she once desps-
ed. This IL tie fruit Of the doctrine 10 always
buy where you can buy cheapest. France,
Germany, and RUSSIA, have all tried this same
free trade policy, until by sid experience con-
vinced Gifts impolicy, they have adopted the
policy ofprotccting, by discriminating duties,
their own manufactures; aud they are now
prosperous and independent England has
long pursued this course of self protection,
and her artisans are in advance of the WORLD
Her manufactures furnish the material for her
commerce, and the basis Of her wealth.
France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, & Rus
sin, having all adopted this policy in self de-
fence, and being prosperous, England began
10 be curtalcd other markets. She has sent
commissioners to those continental powers,
aud pushed on them the doctrines of free
trade, winch she never followed. They have
been dcaffo her solicitations, aud told her
they could never aguin follow those doctrines
which drained from them all their money,
until they had pushed their manufactures 10
81, Of ,,nrfnctin,t Ennlunn
and so become fully able to compete with her.
Finding herself rapidly being limited in her
markets, England has finally, in order TO ena-
bic her manufacturers fully to avail themselves
0ftheir advanced skill and extensive capital,
and to give them again the advantage oiull
Others, so far reduced her duties on grain and
provisions aS TO enable her manufacturers 10
feed themselves aud families at the cheapest
possible rate. This was done by Sir Robert
Peel, entirely far he benefit OCtRs English man-
UiitcItucr, and, through their success. to adj
vance the commerce and national prosperity.
Now. what is the policy recommended by
our Executive? Why, TINT such II course
should here be taken as will let in foreign ar
ticlcs entirely and utterly to destroy or manu-
fact,WerS, contrary to the doctrine even of Ad-
am Smith, that it is ever bad policy for any
nation TO diminish its artisans
Let us now briefly recall to memory short
chapter from the history 0four own expert
cncc on this point While we were colo
nies of England we were not permitted TO
have our attention diverted from our agricul-
ture and fisheries, not being permitted by
England 10 nanuihture eUen Il hob nail We
were then rold MS we now are, very patron
isugly, that We must feed them and they
clothe us; that it was entirely hest for us to
buy all manufactures of them, because they
1af l,,,, ,fsit. liip fl.nHA
fined to England for our supplies, and what
was the effect; The same itever is on all
coouies-wc were kept in.n state of entire
dependence, the hewers of wood aud bearers
ofburthens 20 England. When our fathers
cons luded to strike for independence, they
found themselves unable to furnish them
selves even with ordinary clothing; and the
struggle uf'ihe Revolution received mast of
it's aggravated suffcrings from the priyations
which this state Of dependence on England,
and want ofthc power OF self S'ippy,crcutcd.
The retreat of the army. under Washington
through New Jersey, in l77G,thc darkest pc
Rod ofthc struggle, was marked with the
blood ofthe soldiers feet on the frozen ground
for want ofshoes Why was this: 1t was
entirely because they had relied on for
cign supply shoes, because they toerc ctCGp-.
est and therefore. when trouble cane, they
were incapable Of self supply When the
long struggle of the Revolution closed, each
State had the formation lis own tariff,
Some desired a protective tariff; while others,
DESTROYS of securing the advantage ofthc for
eign trade to their own ports, declined 10 lay
any duties whatever. Our ministers abroad
endeavored to form commercial treaties but
as the Congress had not then power TO ell
force them, none could be formed. This
WINS Il state of actual free trade, from the
peace of 1888 to the formation of the const;
tuition in 1883; and what was the effect: We
bought entirely otthoSe who sold cheapest,
and that course Of trade drained all the mon
cy from the country. Debts could not tie
paid, or judgments enforced; aud even i'll the
old State of Massachusetts, so great was the
distress, that the people rose in open revolt,
called the Shay's rebellion, and forciby stop
ped the SittIngs OF the courts, To prevcntJudg-
ments being rendered for debts. The coun-
Try seemed fast tending to anarchy,aud even
Gen. Washington expressed the deepest
fear that all the revolutionary war, and its
success would he lost in the result. This was
hut the effect of free trade, and of buying
where we could buy cheapest.
From this we escaped by the adoption Of
'hc present Constitution, wherein the power
of the several States, TO levy and collect duties
passed to the General Government,wh inn
mediately exercised that power by laying du-
ties discriminating for the encouragement
and protection Of home manufactures 1t is
true that soon after this, and for many years,
all Europe was involved in war, and we be-
came, as neutral nation, the carriers for the
world, and a full and high demand existed
for all our productions, SO that manufactures
were little advanced before we We're involved
III another war. We had still pursued the pol
icy of buying instead of making our articles
of manufacture, aud that war found us still in
II comparative state of dependence on Eng
lind. The snfferings and distresses of the