The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-09-24
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FREE TRADE AND "BLACKWOODn


We have received from Leonard Scott & Co.
the August No. Of Blackwood's Edinburg Mag
azine, and, also, the July No, of the Westmin-
ster Review.
The fist article Of Bldckwood is entitled
free Trade, and our Cotton Manufactures"
it the writer contends, with all his might,
Il gainst free trade, and makes some curious
yspeculations in regard to our country. He
says, that during the administration of Mr..
Polk, the free traders had some PLAUSIBLE rea-
son for their assertions of our willingness to
create a free trade, but that since then there
has been a change in the course Of our affairs,
and he quotes the Presidents message and
Mr.. Meredith's repor, of which another Eng.
lsh writer says;
"They have no wish TO see cotton-spin-
ming in the South. All this talk is for the
purpose of disarmiug, ifthey can, the oppo-
sitlon OF the planters of the South to their
plan for euriching the manufacturers of the
North. 1t is a plot against the planting,
agricultural, and mercantile interests, in
favor of the cotton-spinners at Lowell and
the ironmasters of Pennsylvania
The article goes on:
"If there were any truth in the statement
that the interests of the Northern and South
ern States were conflicting, free trade might
might still have a glimmering of hope that
eventually the southern party might gain
the ascendency; but the large number OF
mills which are being built in the south and
west makes it already amatter of Joint inter-
est between them and the inhabitants of
New England and Pennsylvania, that the
protective duties must be continued, if not
increased"
Whatever might be the course Of assimila-
ton of manufacturing interest between the
North aud the South, land we know that wealth
is every where coTetous,l if events had pro-
crossed as they babe fair to do, they will now
become totally different, and the prospect of
the free traders may again smile. 1t is an un-
doubted fact that manufactures here in the
South must flourish. By q sufficiently enlarg-
cd prosecution OF them, labor and all the other
necessary expenses may become as small, as
in the Northern States or in England. In adj
dition to this, there are no freightS and other
expenses OF transportation to pay, as at the
North and no heavy duties added to them as
elsewhere, and in a short while the Northern
States will have this addition of duties, besides
other (perhaps) heavy obstacles to encounter,
so that here alone viii there be a total exemp.
ton from all hinderances. Iii true that pro-
lection may be avariciously demanded by
our southern manufacturers, but it will be far
from being granted. Indeed being exempted
from such demands, from the Northern capa.
%tallsts, is a great advantage gained by Sc
cesslon, and is an additional security for the
faithfulneSs and moderation of Southern Con-
federated Government, Our manufacturers
will have no single plea, as had the Northern,
for protection,
To conclude, however, and looking at the
whole matter Of Southern and Northern inter.
ests, we are inclined to think that even to con.
tinued united the writer in B~lackwood is wrong.
for we think it would turn out that the Southern
manufacturers would find i, to their interest to
oppose protection by all means, unless it were
a protection against the North itself.
The other articles, in both Magazines, are
very fine. We nave no room, however, to re-
fer 10 them.