The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-02
THE GALAXY.
MIDDLEBURY,VT.
Tuesday, HAY 2. l840.
PROTECTION.
(Psr Acadia

The intelligence we receive from various
parts of the country goes to show that the
present policy of the Administration in respect
to Protection, is beginning TO exert the fatal
influence which the Wings have always pre-
dicted. A temporary distress in the countries
of Europe and other causes that were momen-
tarily favorable, at first gave the tariff of 46
an appearance of tolerable success. 1t is now
in fair way to manifest itself in its true char
acter-and even should the party at present
in power be suffered to hold the reins for an
other term, (Which may Heaven forbid } the
wants of the country will evidently force them
to change their line of policy. We shah en-
deavor to lay before our readers, ~ q sub7e
quent time, facts that cannot fail 70 s.
tate these positions, in every candid mind.
1t was only our purpose at present to call at
tention to some further extractsfrom the Wing
Review, on this important topic.
"The policy ofthe party in power appears first
in the getting up and management Of the war ;
second. but not less marked, in the manage
ment and collection of the revenue. To de-
fend the first, they advance certain doctrines
of right of conquest" "progress Of the spe-
cies," "Anglo-Saxon destinies," and the like,
yelling their designs with these phllanthropical
pretences. A philanthropical hypothesis seems
to be the ace card in the modern game of poll
tics,and the player has one ready in hissleeve,
TO whip out upon occasion. Ifyou argue with
becoming spirit against killing and robbing,
your ears are deaiened with a ranting dis
course on Your deStinies, as if there were any
comfort to be derived from that. Destiny my
friend-do you say it is my destiny to be
thief? Perhaps it may be with you TO lead;
but the path is one IN which it fits not my dis
position to follow you.
"If you contend, with a becoming directness
and warmth, for the protection Of free labor,
and of the Interests Of the country, you are in
terrupted, and talked down, by genius with
long hair, who politely assures you that YOU
mean well, but err through simplicity the phi
lanthropists TO whom all hnman affairs have
been ntrus;ed by special decree Of Provi-
deace, have resolved that all nations ought to
be treated as one nation, and no regard be had
to petty differences of race, climate, manners
morals, industry, or liberty. The occupations
Of life are TO be divided up amongst them
England IS to make all the wearing apparel,
machinery, and movable convenencies, while
America attends only TO commerce and aeri-
culture. France Will make our shoes, Italy
our religion and our summer hats, Germany
supply our thoughts, and Africa furnish out
our sympathies. Thus will this jolly round
ball Of earth be no longer several ant-hills, but
rather one vast formicary. This is all the
purpose we have been able TO discover in
free trade argument, that occupations should
be restricted 20 particular nations. What ben
eft is TO come from the arrangement it re-
quires the mind Of mystic to perceive"
But if the fancied advantages Of free trade
arc hypothetical and hard to be appreciated,
the arguments against its contrary are no less
so: While England is raising a hundred. and
this nation twenty-five millions Of dollars
through tariffs laid on by free trade theorists
ophcr with the following thesis "That tariff
is unjust, because it taxes ole class to enrich
another" These two hypothesis, first, that
each nation should produce some one commo-
dtv, or set of commodities, proper TO itself;
and the other, that protective tariff is unjust
because it taxes one man TO enrich another
include the whole free trade argument they
are at once, theory, arguments and premises
"lf it were true, that tariff aflording pro-
lection, enriches one man to the loss of anoth-
er, then would those free trade legislators who
proceed to raise half the revenue of England,
and the whole of that of America by tariffs, he
proved guilty of inflicting 4 great wrong upon
their respective countries but as matters now
stand with them, they are charged, not with
the error ofimposing tariffs, but with having
imposed them in such manner and In such
a form as to do with th1m the greatest possible
amount of injury. Thus. while they cry ont
gainst discriminating duties and argue ior
dd rdlorem, they discriminate in 1.Ao, oi ,.as-
ticular articles, such as tea and coffee, and
bread stufis, in the very teeth of that iavorite
maxim of free trade, that ''if a tariff is laid it
must be for revenue" In times of scarcity, an
al valorem duty upon articles of food. yields
better revenue, the duty rising with the price,
but no sooner was there scarcity of food in
England, the duty was lowered to rate mere
ly nominal. The policy was advocated as
Just and necessary policy, and the ministry |
were praised for it, but it threw down and for
ever annihilated the doctrine, that "revenue
alone is to be regarded, in the adjustment Of
duties;' it proved that if tariffs are used at all, |
it is necessary to discriminate, lest in raising
revenue, We dcpress and iniure the people
"Once more, let us admit the maxim, that
revenue alone is to be regarded in laying du-
ties, why then are they not laid upon exports |
aswell as upon imports? Free trade econo-
miss tell us that the consumers of imported ar
ticlcs pay the duties, ard not the producers, |
or the wholesale purchasers. If this be true,
what more necessary or proper than duties
upon exports also, and so double your reve-
nue.? fyou laid export duties upon Ohio
corn, not the farmer, nor the corn dealer.
would pay them-saY you-but the consumers
in other parts of the world. Is it then your
excessive tenderness for consumers in other |
parts Of the world, that keeps you so silent on
the policy of export duties 90 no! We
know very well that it is not possible for US TO
regulate the price of corn in the Europen mar
kets, and if the prise were raised artficially by
imposts here. the producers would suffer-"
What of that what of that, my sage econo-
mist? Your duty is TO raise the revenue by
the most efficient and convenient means, and |
You are not to 90 about neutrality-suspicious.
word these Ohio farmers, by laying all your