The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-09
coal interests of Pennsylvania. Mill

coal interests of Pennsylvania. Millions of the
commercial values'' Of the people of that State
in these two items alone, have already been sunk,
all TO the profit, by the same amount, of outside
foreign commercial values" and millions more
are now being undermined, and ready TO fall by
the cause, and TO the profit of the foreign
parties. What has come Pennsylvania must
sooner or later, come on the whole nation, by the
same means continuing TO operate. 1t only hap
pened that Pennsylvania more vulnerable, and
must necessarily feel the wound first.
But wish, Messrs. Editors, as much as possible
to keep in the light Of Mr.. Colton's definition of
freedom as il applies to this great theme 1t can
not be denied that the people of nsylvana, in
the items above specified, have been deprived of IA
vast amount of commercial values which have
accrued to foreigners. Has this been the result of
violation OF their commercial rights?" and, if
50, by what agency has il been effected Doubt
less the suffering parties would the first of
these questions in the affirmative; and think, too
ihat Tins would be the feeling of the common in
stincts OF man. And as to the agency by which il
has been effected, there can be doubt about that
we then at the same glance, how the interests
INSIDE and outside of the protective law affected
by its prostration. The former ruined by the
advantages reaped by the latter. In other words,
for want of protection, American freedom, to the
extent of these sacrifices, is destroyed by foreign
invasion, in the shape of foreign commercial
agency. There is no escape from this conclusion
if Mr.. Colton's definition of freedom be true one
If not true, let some one show it is not. By that
rule, not only have great commercial interests or
values been sacrificed, but freedom has been pros
trated.
This, M,ssrs. Editors, becomes a very serious
subject viewed in this light And is it not the
If
dom, always, forever-and the only shield. The
it would be of no avail-t would prove mere waste
Of force, of treasures, and of blood-without per-
manent law Of protection.
And let me say here that in this stage Of our
gument we have yet great deal upon our hands
nothing less than the vast commercial interests of
our great nation in the shape of all the commercial
rights Of the people, and of all their commercial
values. All this is nothing more, nothing less than
their stock Of freedom Talk you will of freedom,
1t can be found nowhere else except in the security
OF these commercial rights, and in the enjoyment
of these commercial values. Freedom is not
phantom; men have not made such a mistake; it is
substantial reality. II is cash, or that which will
bring it, cash under the control of its rghtful own
er, which no power earth can touch directly or
Indirectly, without his leave. To assai this right
is to assa his freedom; and with the loss of it, his
freedom is lost
With the purchase of American freedom was
purchased, necessary ingredient, the fair price
of labor, skill, talent, and commercial values of
every description, in the hands of their original
owners and producers; and Mr.. Cotton has shown,
that the freedom price of labor, taking this country
the standard is at least two to of its
price in Europe and other foreign parts. To ina
CINE that these freedom prices can be maintained
without protection, is absurdity which one
ought not to be obliged to reply to. Without pro-
tection American labor falls to the level of that of
all the world, and ultimately no more occupy
higher position than part of the same body of
water, in the same vessel can maintain more ele-
waited surface. Taking the word labor as the COM
prehensve designation of all the efforts of man, of
whatever description, by which they live and
thrive, and accomplish their lawful objects, it
stands the acting representative of all their
mercia interests The capitalist even, is not with
out the pale of this definition. For how can he
thrive without care, and is his mode Of labor
The object of American freedom, rightly under
stood, is to and maintain all these CONNER
ca interests of the people in their relative and high
position of palue, freedom value, against the RI
valship of all foreign commercial interests and
agencies which are oppressed by despotsm; and
the tendency of which, when admitted on the terms
of free trade 10 full participation in oil our com
mercial rights is TO reduce all our efforts for life
and prosperity to the disadvantages, and I'LL
tmately to the same oppressed condition. On such
terms there is escape from this result, any more
than from the effects of fixed law of the material
universe. The whole body of American freedom
lies here, and its maintenance is contingent on
this single lava iap Of protection forever.
Whether this law of protection operates fairly
and equally all parties inside of it, remains be
considered II is objected, and this is the only OBJ
lection, that it does not 50 operate.
AU REVOIR.