The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-16

We are indebted for the following communication
to gentleman, whose good old age of rs has not
impaired the vigor of his understanding, or the
power of his pen. 1t is indeed delightful to see
men whose feelings fresh in spite of their years,
who are capable of approaching the progress of the
age, and over whose unprejudiced miads the lights
of new truths and discoveries are poured in all their
force and all their beauty.
The following production breahrs the spirit of
the age. Let the wings struggle as they may for
party purposes Let the protectionsts strive to
promote their own interests at the expense of the
rest Of the communityi yet the restrictive system
seems yielding on both continents to the influence
of free inquiry and to the cause of free trade England
has abolished her cornlaws. The United States have
adopted wiser and more liberal system ofcom-
merce The political economists of France are about
TO establish home-league like that of England Ger
many is feeling the influence ofthe age The press il
illuminated by new works from bold and independent
thinkers. Have any of our readers a COPY of
pamphlet, published at Paris during the present
year-"Sophismss Economiquss, par M F. Basiiat?"
The last Edinburgh Review (ofJuly) reviews it,
and says of 1t that IN. Bastiat has, In this we'll
written volume, collected and exposed the most
popular proectionist faacies; those sophstical ar
guments which most frequently employed in
defence of protective duties on imports, and against
the freedom of trade. The publication of such
book is Of itself a proof that the doctrines of free
trade are beginning to make some progress in
France; and that the countrymen of Turgot are not
all deluded by that spurious patriotism which iden-
tihes the exclusion Of foreign goods with the promo
ton of national interests. The simplicity and d.
RICHNESS of the argument in favor of free trade.
ongh indeed, to it ready acceptance in all
countries where reason make itself heard, and
where sectional interests have not a complete as
tendency"
We should be happy to see this work of M
Bastiat Would not some American bookseller
find it his interest to publish an English edition Of
III The Philadelphia Keystone furnishes the fol-
lowing article upon it:
From the Philadelphia Keys
The PROTECTIVE sYsIEM.-A clever exposure of
the restrictive principle is contained in the follow
ing, which is extracted from a recent French work
called, Les Sophismes Economiques:n
"Petltion of the talIow and chambers the man
ufacurers of lamps, chandeliers rehectors, snuff
fers, extinguishers, of the dealers in tallow, oil
rosin, spirits, ana generally IN all articles used for
illuminating
"To the members Of The Chamber Of Deputies:
GENTLEMEN: You are following n good course
You reject abstract theories you are little interested in
abundance cheapntss your cares are chiefly engros,ed
in The condition Of The producer! You wish to guar
anty him from foreign competition In short, YOU
wish the national market to be supplied by national
labor.
1--WE are about to offer you an admirable oppor-
tunity of your-what shall we say Theory mo.
nothing is more deceitfu than theory. Your doc
trines Your SYSTEM Your prnciplesl But YOU
dislike doctrines; you have horror Of systems; and
to principles, you declare that there are none in
social economy we will therefore say your prac-
tics, your practice without theory and without prin
ciple We suffering from the intolerable CONNIE.
ttion ola foreign rival who is placed as il seems 10
u.s. in condition infinitely superior to us for the
production oflght that he mandates our national mas,
kei at marveousy reduced price; for as soon as he
shows himself, our sale ceases all consumers epplv
him, and branch Of French industry, ofwhcb III
ramhcatons are innumerabe, is Immediately thrown
into a state Of complete stagnation. This rival
who is no other than the Sun, wages such furious
warfare against ne, that suspect he is melted bv
perfdious Albion, good diplomacy as times 90 \
inasmuch as he shows towards that naughty island