The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-27

In Hanover and Caroline counties the polls ver
svorabe. Pol. kept open everywhere in consequence
Ins weather.
I'VE are confident Of sedd ms election"
American Knt<rprass.-Fres Trad<.-ship-bulldias
Not day passes Our heads but we zee more anil
for admring the uncomfortable energies III,
ardent enterprise, the progressive spirit Of countmen
this progressive OF all ages These phenomena ard
be ascTibed free institutions, which unfeter TIL,
mind from aniiquaied cus,oms-which create bold !
daring an indomabIe character cherished and expand
comparatively young country. Its space lie SO exten.i|
that it sweeps from the Atlantic to the Pacific. and en-
braces SO many degrees of Latitude and such varieties
climate from Maine TO Florida, might enable the curl
Gus traveller eat his strawberries early in March, All
follow this beautiful production till the close Of June
Vast regions OF cheap and Incorporated land spread
beneath the eye. Judge Young's late report exhibits
territory OF millions upon millions of acres. which almost
defy the abors Of the statst to calculate No govern
ment in the world possesses so much land-no people
have such ample opportunities Of seeking new homa
and OF dFusng themselves such surface Of CHEAP
and excellent lands. But physical blessings do mol
terminate here Our empire embraces almost every va
ETY. OF material for manufactures, and every species
mineral treasures Our magnificent rivers aud our i'm.
mense coast afford us the opportunity Of spreading out
our commercial every sea, and Of building The
finest vessels in the North. the East the West or in tho
central States. which float upon the bosom Of the ocean
What conceivable limit is there then, to agriculture
manufactures, commerce, and ship-building'
The energy Of character. which is principally the
fruit of free institutions calculated 10 turn thess
advantages to the best account Our counrymen asI
bold, energetic, enterprsing and ingenious in every al
Their government is free-region, the press, every en-
ployment is free. Our trade ought also to be free
there be any country in the world which should worship
at the altar OF free trade the United States is that
try II there be whose principles may subdue all o
position and defy all competition il is this blessed re
public.
These suggestions are called forth th, morning BY he,
able letter of our commercial correspondent. which vel
lay before our readers
Some time since called the readers attention toon
of his letters. which related to the proposed aerao
the British navigation laws We expressed INHALER
ing faith in the great principles OF free trade at the SANE
time we admitted that the exgencies OF the treasury
quired some burdens to be imposed, to some extent,
the shape OF mposts, on commercial intercourse. Th
expenses OF the government make il necessary that rv
should be raised by levyng duties on imports Wi
stated also that according to the ancient theory and
even according to the doctrine of OF our abes
statesmen the national defences might require thatton
mage duties should be levied in order TO build up mel
chant marine, from which our navy could be supPh
with experienced and skful seamen. The letter whh
publish to-day goes far to convince that our nay
tiorlaws are scarcely necessary either to sustain
increase our merchant marine The facts are draw
from reliable sources, and they cogent, not COZ
vincing. It appears that our tonnage employed IN
coasting trade OF which citizens have monopo!
has not increased with the same rapdity that whd
is engaged in the foreign trade and subjected as that's
to the competition of all those nations-Great Britain
among them-which have reciprocal treaties with "
This circumstance would OF itself seem TO indicate thai
the tonnage duties not really protection and adva
tage to commerce for il they were, the absoa'
monopoly, far as foreign competition is concerne'
which those engaged in the internal and coastlng TRADE
enjoy, would have produced greater relative degree
prosperity than this portion of national indusI
exhibits But when the further fact appears, that n'
only portion of our tonnage which actually receives
encouragement in the form of bounties-beng Part
that which is engaged in the fsheres-so far from ID
creasng with the general prosperity, has actually d~a
ished, the Argument greater force and con''
tency.
But the facts which stated by correspondent
no, stop here They show that the tonnage employed
fisheries which does not receive boun,ies as an encou
agenent, has almost entirely driven OF and destroyed
serious competition. These facts, coupled with the OF
ration of the duties hemp and other materials whf
enter into the construction Of ships referred to by
seem TO weaken the necessity az legsaaH
attempts to improve upon the natural laws which rsu~
trade and commerce Has our merchant marine really
grievous cause to fear anything from fair competition
the high seas Already il are to great exisn
the shp-bulders for the Hanse Towns. which have The
best opportunity njure by competition, If bsa
commercial policy on part could empower them
do So Does il not then appear probable, in view
the other facts to which have alluded and which o
commercial letter fully and forciby Details thai h'
of free trade, If applied fully and absolutely
to our tonnage, would not only remove burden from
commerce hitherto deemed necessary but confer gre'|
and lasting benefits shp-owners and ship buideT'|
themselves These remarks do not Of apply ''I
our internal communication. 7Aas is branch OF n'l