Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-02-23
.-rrrm ANDREW STEW ART
OF PENNSYLVANIA.
~v.pEerss Treasury re poTt exploded.
Couefadpd.1

Conefadrd.l
,T3ut. sir, ! wish to present another, ana
more important view, in connexion with
-. subject of ''fee-trade," which Mr..
walker regards as the greatest blessing
49, could be bestowed upon the people
- his country, and especially upon the
S.horing people-tbe '.toiling millions"
:. he calls them-in whose prosperity and
..i6.re he seems to take such especial in
....x: he speaks Of increasing their "com-
e.. education, and intelligence" olsen
HANGING wages Of mechanics and toiling
.,o,kmen, blessing them with increased
prosperity"
Nov. undertake to say, and to de-
,ronstrate, that Just the reverse of all this
would be its consequences; and submit
the matter 10 the enlightened judgment
and decision Of the American people. !
.ay that. instead Of exchanging wages
and increasing the "prosperity. comfort.
education, and intelligence" Of ''the toll
ing millions" il would degrade them. in
every department Of industry, 10 the mis-
cradle condition Of the pauper and scrf.
labor Of Europe. subsisting themselves
and families on shilling day.
Break down the walls of protection, re-
peal the tariff. open your ports, establish
free trade, let in the products of foreign
193 cents day labor, and American la
Dor must quit work and give up their mar
kets till our money is all gone; then our
mechanics and workingmen must come
down. and work as cheap as they do. Is
not this inevitable! and these are the bles-
sings Mr.. Walker has in reserve for the
dear people, 'the voters" ''the toilng mil
lions" Mr.. Walker says in his Report.
that "freight." with steam and modern
improvements, amounts to little or nothing;
thar duties are the only tang that prevents
foreigners from taking free and full pos
session of our markets. and in this he IS
right for once; they will take possession Of
our markets till American labor, mechan-
les. and all; come down and work for
shilling day. Is this not perfectly clear!
Can it be doubted or denied! For illus
tration: suppose in Baltimore manufactu-
rers and mechanics hire workmcn at 25
cents day. and here in Washington they
pay a dollar. will not the BaltmOreans
send down their goods. hats. shoes. clothes.
everything, undcrsell the l.atters and 9th
ers here, and must they not either give up
business, or bring their labor down to the
Baltimore standard. They may buy as
long as they have money. but when their
money is all gone. they must work cheap
or starve. The only difference between
Europe and Baltimore is the ''freiGht.
which Mr.. Walker says is now but slight
impedimeDt to imports. Such would be
the ultimate effects of"free trade on A.
mcrican labor.
The great object and office of a tariff
is to protect high and prosperous labor
against the ruinous effects of free compc-
titon with low-priced and depressed labor.
Low labor wants no protection against
high labor. but the high must be protected
against the low. or by free competition. be
brought down to its level. This result
follows just as certainly as the removal of
wall which separated two unequal bodies
Of water, would bring the one down to the
level ofthc other Proclaim Stree trade.
open your ports to the productions of the
pauper and serflabor of Europe. working
for ten cents a day, and what follows! in
pours their goods, and out pours your
money: goods come in and money goes
out. till it is all gone; then we must make
our own hats. shoes. and clothing. or &c
without. And this is the way in which
Mr.. Walker. his ''mOdcl President" and
the advocates Of ''free trade.'' would in
crease the wages. and promote the "com-
fort. education. and intelligence" of the
American peoPle-by degrading them to
the condition, moral and physical. and.
in the end, the political condition. too. OF
the paupcrs and slaves of foreign despots.
How could American freemen live on a
shilling day! How could they educate
their children. who would be obliged to
work from the cradle to the grave! untitled
to be free. they would becomes subjects
and slaves. Depress one class. and YOU
Of course elevate anothcr-put down the
MANY and you build up the few-first you
establish a nobility. and next a king.
submit. would not such be the tendency
il not the end. of ..free trade.'' carried
out to its final results! vet this is 'democrn
ry,' the modern progressive democracy
as preached and practiced by Polk and his
party.
But this is not all. The duties levied
ON foreigners to protect our laboring men
furnish nearly the whole revenue for the
support Of Government. But establish
''free trade" and you not only release the
foreigner and his goods from all taxation
but you transfer the burdens to Your own
Impoverished people--you appoint swarms
OF tax-gathcrers to harrass and plumber
thcm-to sell their last COW. and take the
last bite Of bread from their children. tc
supper; your wars. your standing armies
tax-ga,hercrs. lords, princes. and pension
ers. The revenue collected from protec
tive duties heretofore levied on foreign
goods was felt. not as burded, but as
blessing and benefit in the protection ant
prosperity they gave to the national indus
try; but repeal these duties. paid by for
eigners for the privilege Of selling theil
goods in our markets, open your ports
crush your labor. inundate your countr,
with foreign productions. and then resor
for revenue TO direct taration. and yo,
convert a blessing into bitter curse
But thank God the remedy is in the hand.
Of the people! leave Mr.. Walker and
free trade with ''the voters.'' the 'toilins
millions" to settle the matter in their owl