Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-01-06
BOB WALKER AND HIS BRIT
ISH ALLIES.

Secretary Walker, in his Treasury Report,
glories greatly over the immense amount of
breadstufls sent to England the last year, and
fatters the farmers that they are henceforh and
forever 10 have grand foreign market for their
produce; while on the other hand lie argues that
our domestic manufactures are firmly establish
ed and abe to pay high wages, and no high pro-
lection is needed beyond that Of the Tariff of
ls46; and thus having happily disposed of two
leading popular interests, he brags of great in
crease of revenue and specie, and winds up with
a grand flourish in favor of FREE TRADE
thus:
The new tariff is no longer an experiment, the
problem is solved, and experience proves that The
new system yields more revenue, enhances wa
ges, and advances more rapidly the public pros.
perity. In the midst of all this success, why put
in jeopardy by any change, the nations revenue
and wefare? When free trade is advancing so
rapidly throughout the world, shall we retrograde,
and invite Great Britain to recnact her corn laws,
and drive again from her ports ouf bread-stui1s
and provisions And now, when under our sue
cessiul example, the ports Of Europe are most
probably about being more widely opened to all
our exports, shall we check the advancing spirit
of the age, and extinguIsh the growing light of
commercial freedom? Every where nations are
being aroused on the subject, their statesmen are
resisting the interested classes and exposing the
injury and injustice of shackles upon trade, and
will enrol the names Of other countries on hepreat
international league of commercial freedom for
the benefit of mankind. 1t was our own coun.
Try and her public functionaries who proclaimed
these great truths before they had received the
sanction of other nations. Our great movements
precedent in she Halls OF British Legislation
where American free trade documents were re-
corded among their archives, and our doctrines
approved and example followed by the Repeal Of
the British Corn Laws, and the reduction, or re-
peal, OF other duties upon our eyporis. Indeed,
it has been conceded by some Of our own most
distinguished Protecuonsts, that the promulpa.
ton O: free trade doctrines IN the American Of
fetal Documents Of l64S certainly accelerated.
If, indeed, il did not actually insure, the repeal
OF the Blush Corn Laws. With such results
already from our efforts, we have every motive
10 perseyeEe until The free trade doctrines OF
Great Britain and America--ihe two great ma
lions of kindred blood and language shall open
their ports and dlsenthrall the commerce Of the
world.
II thus appears that all the fiatienng results OF
increased revenue and wages and public pros
perty are attributed by the Secretary 10 The Tar
if of 1876, and Free Trade, alias The repeol Of
The Corn LawS in Great Britaiu. Now let us see
about this. This flaming report bears date Dec
8, Is47; let us see what language the honorable
Secretary's allies on the other side of the water
tho British Free Trade statesmen were using
within few days ofpthe same time
In the House of Peers debate occurred on
the 25d of Nov. upon the state of the country,
and Lord AsnBuRToN thus alluded to The Corn
Laws:
gThe operation Of the Corn Laws had mol had
much 10 do ,oih The eyisis--at least not in produ-
cling it. The corn trade you'd hare been pretty
much the same as il bad been, epsp although HE
corn ialps had NOT been touched. The importation