Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-08

not Boston and New York tax the laborers who
flock to those places for employment, in such a
way as to protect their resident citizens " from
the palsyiug contact of foreign competition?
These resident citizens have right according
to the theory offs. to be secure in the profits of
their labor, and to have the privilege of manu-
featuring for their cOuntrymen and neighbors."
Why do not the capitalists of Lowell, Law
renee, and other manufacturing towns, petition
for tariff tax on all who come from other towns
to work in their factories, so as to keep up the
price of labor? The answer to all these qes-
tons is plain enough. 1t is not the interest nor
the object of capital to keep up the price oflabor
Every man hires as cheap as he can.
S. appears to think that my argument against
tariffs would make sad havoc with the improve
ments Of the age" and asks me "not to be a res
pccter of persons" &c. am not. do "pro-
nounce sentence upon" all the wrongs which
spring out of this sordid, selfish love of gain,
whether done by the State, by corporations, orby
as wages slavery. But there is great distic-
ton, land S. is fond Of dstictions,) between tar
ifs and "rai-roadsa' Tariffs are great ma
tiona concern, enforced with the whole power
of the nation, and extending their influences
throughout the world. The powers of corpora
tioRs ags, vsstgy.. gufeyi9r' though much greater
power to do harm as much as possible. And |
believe all real and all needful good to man
might be brought about on principles OF entire
justice, if people would live up to the golden
rule.
People are too much in the habit Of reasoning
from human causes or theories to their antlcipat-
ed effects, without taking into consideration the
agency Of Divine power in controlling events
They look at the good they hopet receive with
out ascertaining whether if they do receive it, it
will not be at the expense ofothers. Their mo-
tives are too often based on selfshness, and they
cast about for plausible appearances to interpose
between their true motives and the public eye,
SO as to appear to men to be philanthroplc and
disinterested. All! it is too true that their
"hearts are decchful and desperately wicked"
That which is. based on wickedness cannot pro-
mote tho best good of man.
The two great interests, protection and slave
ry, exercise almost unbounded sway in the U.
States. They mutually assist and strengthen
each other. Northern capitalists look to the for
x,,o, and Con%ba,p IN tba lottar tho 0nncn
which lays them golden eggs" The two have
combined to elect Gen. Taylor. They saw that
by appealing to the war spirit and other base mo-
tves; there might be chance to succeed
They calculated shrewdly, as the event has
proved. Daniel Webster was dragged before
the public and made to give the weight of his
great name IN favor of nomination which he
declared " not fit to be made !" on account Of
the protective interest. Thousands no doubt,
were kept from voting for free soil, and cast
their votes in favor of Taylor and Slavery, sim
ply because they attach so much Importance to
protective tariffs. Even the great Buffalo plat
form had to bow to this interest and embrace
the doctrine in its creed, in the hope thereby to
gam some from the whig ranks. This interest
Acontinue its struggle for power, and to ac-
h its object will coAhine with slavery as
it has any infuenco'to give or receive.
WORD in conclusion. If | have witten much
u this subject, have my excuse in its vast
magnitude und importance, and also in the fact
thatvery few attempt to advocate the entire sub
stution of direct taxation and free trade for tar
ifs. am not of the opinion of an old preacher,
who in combating certain notions of reform
which were getting foothold in his society,
used tho following as a clinchert to his argument ::
"But even if all these new views should prove
true, you ought not to adopt them, for they are
at varence with what you have been taught to
believe, and an old error is better than new
truth" There are very many at the present day
who seem to be precisely of this opinion. Ithas
been no small tax upon my time to write what
have; but have been stimulated by the belief
that am laboringto promote the truth. For
the truths sake have endeavored to be as lu-
minous and as logical" as possible and to weigh
the import of every word so as to guard against
demonstrations. In the mean time, am con-
tent that my reputation as writer" should take
care of itself.
A. H. B.
Boston, December, l9, 194s.