Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-12-08

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quarters of the offices should be abolished.
Legislative bodies, much reduced in num-
bers, should be told to do up their business
IN half the time, and go home. Laws should
be SO constructed that they would not re-
qulre to be altered and amended every
change of the moon. Biennial sessions Of
the State Legislature should be deemed
sufhcient. Sea ports and cities should no
longer trouble Congress with expenses and
outiays, which they ought to make them
seives-ond the people should learn prac-
ticaliy, that they have not only been in the
habit "of being governed too much," but
"of looking TO the government for too
much.'
am aware that this would be calam-
ltous state Of things to ''the rich and well
oorn' who ought to have a permanent share
In the government. am aware, too,
that practice has almost sanctioned the ''di-
vine right" OF such to consider, that gov
ernments we instituted for themselves on
ly; and that they have the right TO gou-
ern just as much as the laborins poor, and
toil'ng masses can pay for.
But have become much more lengthy
than intended, and will conclude by say.
ing that. though nature and humanity teach
the doctrine of freedom from all commercial
restrictions; and that the wealth and prop
erty of governments should contribute di.
rsclly and equally to its support; yet be-
lieve it will be difficult to reduce either of
these principles to practice, SO long as it
costs so much to carry on governments.
The people must yet be made to pay in a
why so indirect and unintelligible to the
most of them, that they do not know what
they are paying for; or that they imagine
that they are paying for something else.
If the people had a clear view of the use
that is made Of the powers lof taxation to
support the idle and ambitious, governments
would shortly become more simple in their
construction, and economical in their ad-
ministration., & q" s--.- ~
There is a foolish idea prevalent in this
country, that the tariff Of 1916 is an ap-
Proclamation towards free trade. 1t may
have that appearance to some. But it col
lects heavier revenue than was ever rails.
ed by any previous tariff, and in direct vio-
lation of one of the cardinal principles Of
its advocates.
Yours, vERGNIAUD.
AURORA, Nov. 20, ls47.
The Poetry of Free Trade.
1t is simple fact which should certainly
have some weight with political specula-
tors and legislators. that oil the poets and
philosophers of the present day, as we'll as
Of the past,-all, we mean, whom the
world has recognised to be such,-have
been advocates Of Free Trade. 1t is the
political religion Of philosophers. The
greatest minds Of Europe, at the present
day, without any exceptions, are earnest
advocates for the principle. They see in
it the surest means of emancipating the ma
tions from the expressions which have
brought them to starvation. England,
France and Spain are high tariff countries;
the latter more SO than any other nation in
Europe. Whether the wre.chedness Of
these countries be the cause or the conse-
quence Of their tariffs, is imnaterial. 1t
is enough TO know that the happiness of
every people is in an exact ratio with the
degree Of free trade which they enjoy. Is
it strange then, that poets and philosophers,
who have the clearest perceptions, joined
with the widest sympathies of all men,
should be advocates of Free Trade? :.
The Free Trade Association of Mar
seilles held great public meeting and
festival on the 24th OF August last, which
was attended by number of distinguished
gentlemen from other parts of France.
Among the prominent speakers Of the oc-
casion were the poet, orator and statesman,
de Lamartine; the President of the Asso-
citation, Nj. Lozare Luce; M. Frederick
Bns,iat and M. Beybaud.
The Washington Union has translated
part of the eloquent address of de Lamar
tine, the greatest and best of modern French
poets, from which we make the following
extracts: a.=
81 shall limit myself to what is the
principal consideration that has early in
clined me, in my mind and in my heart,
towards your theories. Yes, the heart
also-the heart above all; because, before
examination could have produced in me q
conviction id favor of labor and exchange,
nature had planted it as sentiment. And
wherefore, gentlemen? Because freedom
Of labor and exchange is the truly po pular,
and by consequence truly divine principle;
because the liberty of commerce, of indus
try, of exchange is, above all the interes,
of the masses, the most numerous the most
diherited OF other riches, the most labori.
Gus, the most crushed under the burdens of
life, the most sefering of society; the in
terest of those who have hunger, of those
who have thirst, ofthose who have heat, of
those who have cold, in the community of
man. 1t is that which defined last year
on the tribune ofthe Chamber Of Deputies,
in the consideration Of the question of coal,
of the introduction Of foreign cattle, of