The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-04-12
The Free Trade Policy.

Resolved upon by the English govern
ment, has sadly disappointed our protec-
tionists, who had hoped to find in the ex-
ample of that government a sort of excuse
for returning 10 the old barbarisms of
which, with an instructive regard for the
absurd, they are so fond. Alhouoh the
English sometime since resolved upon the
overthrow of the corn laws, it has not nm
til now been by any means ceAtain that
they would be completely abolished. A.
part from the good that will flow to tbe
English people themselves fromthis wise
resolution, it is to be reioiced at because
of the effect it must have on the whole
civilized world. England's Influence in
matters of commerce and manufactures is
still of the first class, though in few
years more it must come to be second TO
that of the United States; and perhaps
there never was more fortunate tbinU for
the cause of liberal principles thanthe fact
that Great Britain, while ranking as the
first of commercial powers, was compelled
to throw aside the restrictive system of
which she had been 50 long the greatest
champion among the nations. In uphold
ding that system, for period of almost
two centuries, dating from the time of the
passage Of the Navigation Act, England
was compelled to wage many long, costly,
and in some instances disastrous wars, and
to incur debt that weighs upon her en-
ergles, and which must, for long time,
prevent her from playing the part Of an
effective upholder of liberal ideas. Her
position has been happily compared, by
one OF her own sons, to that of an aged
debauchee, who had been brought to
knowledge of his errors through suffering.
but which knowledge is wholly useless
Tor good because all his means of doing
good were exhausted in riotous living iu-
RUG youth and manhood. The example
should not be lost on a rising nation Ike
the United States, soon destined to lead
IN every thing. 1t should teach us that
h2erallty IN national matters is as enl6-
bling and productive as it is in the cbn-
Germs of individual life. The notion that
what other countries gain is necessarily
our loss, is unworthy of the commDn
sense Of men, and Of the religious dispan-
satiOn under which we live, that teachibg
US that we should rejoice over rather than
regret the prosperity of others. The
truth is, that every nation is benefited By
the prosperity of any one of It's contenl-
poraries. England cannot be prosperous
without the United States sharing in her
nor can we be in CONNER
cially sound state when England is dis
.ressed. The partition walls between ma
ions which have existed for centuries,
making enemies of the different branches
'f the human family, must come down,
low that England has entered upon
lobler career than she has hitherto pur-,
sued. 1t may be that she is actuated only
~ selfish motives in changing her policy,
md most probably it is SO, but the good
viii not be the less on that account. It
s with the fruit that the world have to do,
and not with the motives of the sower of
he seed. Generations sit under the I
shade OF trees that were originally planted
o crafty the selfshness of an individual
md their enjoyment was not the ,lbGi9ort
,ause he thought not of their g
Boston Times.