Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-27
Tus cossrIrUrIo>-srArE RIGHTS.
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
EFFECTS OF FREE TRADE UPON THE AGRl
CULTURAL INTERESTS.
FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 81. 1916.


The Administration press will make great ei-
forts to convince the agricultural and Southern
community of the benefits to be derived from a
commercial treaty with England, and the over
throw Of the existing Tariff. We have oui strong
doubts whether any such treaty can secure the
requisite majority Of twothirds in the Senate for
its passage. IL will almost certainly fail, unless
the whole Of Oregon is demanded by our Govern
ment for the honest and sincere advocates of that
territory, in the West, will never consent TO any
mu,ilation Of that lovely land. We must take it
for granted then, in the first place, that England
is willing to surrender Oregon up to 81 degrees,
which we believe she will never do or, that the
unterrifed Democracy of the Western woods will
sustain Mr.. Polk in compromise upon 40 de-
grees two of the most improbable things which
can well be imagined, before admit the
idea of the passage of commercial treaty. Yet,
even taking for granted these two most doubtful
events, how can such treaty pass Senate by
majority of two-thirds, in which. while there
thirty Democrats, there are twenty -four Wings
and friends Of the Tariff
Ifthen, as we think may fairly conclude,
no such treaty can, BY the most remote POSSIBLE
", pass the Senate, the Administration must pro-
coed to repeal the Tariff, in the hope that, while
such repeal will carry out the principles to which
the Executive stands pledged to the South. It may
also mollify the wrath of England. and assist IN
the adjustment of complicated territorial dispute
We have already endeavored TO show how base
would be the surrender OF own interests for
such an unworthy purpose. We may add, that
miserable and ruInous such policy would be,
there is reason TO doubt whether even then, Great
Britain will surrender without struggle, the
whole Of Oregon. Surprising however, the end
in view to be accomplished, and the Tariff de-
stroysd, the press OF the Administration will ap.
peal to the agricultural community for its support
and paint in glowing colors the golden harvest
which they are to realize from Free Trade
True, they may saw, a thousand factories are de-
stroyed, but, farmer, your property is the solid
earth, and that is indestructble. Ten thousand
starving families are clamorng for bread, but for
you, Plenty fills her horn, and OVERLOOKING gra.
naries reward your honest toll. Sit by your quiet
freside, and, you exult in its genial glow, the
luxury of repose will be rendered sweeter by the
howls Of the houseless beggars without Or, if,
perchance, feeling of compassion for human mi
sery steal across your heart, remember that I'm.
less these wretches deprived of work, the pro.
duce OF your soil cannot increase in price. What
the bitter despair of hopeless men, the groans
Of famshed families ! what tears, starvation,
death, when, by their means, you yearly add
few more dollars to your hoard
We do not believe, we would not insult our
hardy yeomanry by the superstition, that the agri.
cuturiss of America can be governed by such
sordid influences Receiving themselves the pro.
faction nf the thav how M ,,.,.b
that others should be deprived of its encourage
ment. They have no desire to be privileged
class. They would scorn to grow rich upon a
brothers ruin, and, like church yard weeds, at
tain rank luxuriance amid universal decay.
Whenever such degradation characteristics the az.
rlculturists of the land, whenever they are willing
to sacrifice the general good for the elevation OF
the few, and for personal emoument to deprive
their country of her real independence, we may
bid an everlasting farewell to liberty. The forms
of free government may remain, but the spirit
will have departed. We can admit no such be-
lief. Rather would we suppose that, when cor.
ruption seizes upon all the functionaries of 90.
vernment, and the eieminate jewellers in large
cities become infected with the plague the genius
Of our institutions will seek refuge among the
hardy tillers Of the soil, and erect her temple in
some mountain iastness, where no foul breath
will ever dim the fire upon its altar, and thou.
sand honest hearts and sturdy hands will guard il
from PROCLAMATION till the end of time.
But, let us ask, what advantage in reality have
our agricultural classes 10 expect from the aboli.
ton of the Tariff, and the adoption of a free trade
policy by Great Britain Let us take the prin.
ciPal productions of our country-its wheat, corn,
and cotton. As a general rule, and with only
such exceptions as are produced by an occasional
scarcity, wheat can be procured from the Baltic
much cheaper than from own country. I'm.
less the Party Of Progress move this CONT.
nent as near to England as the North OF Europe,
and can prevail upon American laborers to work
for siIpence day, it is idle to talk Of supplying
the English market with American wheat. Lord
Ashburton, in a recent speech, averred that al
this moment, american corn could come to Eng
land through Canada, at duty of four shillings :;
and yet, If the returns were examined, 1t would
be found that nine.tenths of the foreign corn in
England was from the Baltic, though the duty on
corn from its shores was fifteen shIllngs a quar-
ter This was entirely owing to the low price of
labor in the north Of Europe" In this connec.
ton, it deserves to be noted that the recent intel
hgence from England, has produced no effect up.
on our flour market. And, should the duty upon
Indian corn be abolished, there are strong reasons
to doubt that we could derive much benefit from
its export. Certainly, an article Of food, there
would DO no demand for it whatever, in the Brit.
ish market. Even the poorest classes look upon
It with disgust. Bread made from oats, is regard
ed with more favor. Then as to cotton, the
Rroa, staple Of the South, it is already admitted
free Of duty, so that It can certainly receive no
benefit from the scheme of Sir Robert Peel. And
now, having seen all that they are to gain by
free hade, let the agriculturists ask WHAT
THEY ARE TO LOSEi They will lose tn,
Home Market which has been created by our
manufacturing establishments, and the extent Of
which may DO inferred from the fact that the sin.
gle State Of Massachusetts has annually consumed
more Of their products than the whole of the TO-