The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-02
The Retrogrnas Policy of the wings.

Treasury, one OF the popular English journals re-
marks that at Is If more importance 10 Manehes-
er and Birmingham than to the United States {"
This, certainly, cannot be owing to the genius of
The gentleman who occupies that post, tor he has
not yet given the country any evidence that he had
any. Ii was supposed, that when Gen. Tay lor was
raised Ia the office of Chief Magistrate Of the ma
1on, by The of bus fellow-c items there were
tome pretty strong reasons to hope he would
choose a cabinet that would carry out his pledges
10 the nation at all events. that the pledges of
Cen. Tay Tor himself would be redeemed, either
b the men he appointed over the departments, or
by Others whom he would tind to fill their places
should they prove recreant 10 the trust. But the
u ion has had perfectly convincing proof, that
Gen. Tay lor has made the worst selection possible,
snd than he has not only been surrounded thus far
during his administrarl on, by false and peridious
men, but that they are gifted with none of the at
tributes o. statesmen, and will be likely to involve
he country IN the NEST serious difficulties and en-
tanassments. II hoped, by those VINO are
lookne forward to a better era, when the peacea-
bile relations OF mankind will be multiplied aud
extended IN all directions, that some impulse would
be gwen 10 those great movements which have
characterized the spirit and the tendency of the
present age. While the world seemed to be
launot ed upon The great stream of progress, and
even the despotsms of Europe were crumbng to
her final fall, mank md had ght to expect that
The hrst decisive movements of the new President
OF the Unled States would be favorable to the
nation, in all ils relations and aspects There had
irdeed, oeen d considerable number of Indications
that nothing could be expected from the present
cabinet, worthy of the times or of the country:
but very lew were prepared for policy of reac-
Ton so decisive and unustifabe. Ii Is true that
he wing party has always been favorable TO a
narrow, sectional and seral policy but it was
hoped that we had got beyond that miserable and
contemptlble partisan conflict between protection
isis End free traders MIR Meredith has gone back
fifty years III the history Of the country to find the
'ysttm IT polIcy which he has recommended
He plants himself IN the middle of the stream of
progress. and wishes arrest the tendency of the
age TOWARDS liberal institutions. He belongs to
~ school OF English arisiocrats, who have sue
ceeded, untll the time OF sir Robert Peel in ras-
ing barriers H. the fr,e intercourse of nations and
would have ne adopt that same system which has
impoveI shed ninetelths of the inhabitants OF the
Brush islands, for the sake of enrchiug the al
rrscy bloated and opulent remaining few He
would have the tank raised upon certain articles
becsuse, iorsooth, capitalists, who have their mil
hons invested in thus branch If manufactures and
sleCulauons, cannot Accumulate colossal fortunes
with sufliclent rapdly; aud, therefore, he adopts
The lnDcipe on which The English cora laws were
So loug sustained. Of keeping foreign grain
from falling into the English markets in order to
rsise the price of,bread THIS system wrought
WI, ess, devastation and run In at Briian
aud. although such s The natural fecundity of our
soil sno climate, II could not Immediately have
such effect here, Yet the principle of interpreting
restrictive barriers between the commerce and
intercourse OF friendly nations, - acted upon by
Mir. Meredith, IN the very same way.
Sr Robeu Peel may have been a trickster in
Poiiucs, and VIZ presume hr was but 1t Is never
IN les true. that, m conjunction with the hercu-
lean efforts Of Golden aud his associates, the |
whole civilized world g. we except Mr. Meredith
and lew musty wings in the United States)
nscsme heartily convinced of the truth, that
the Only way TO swell the revenue Of state,
aid ia prevent frauds ON the customs, Is to lay
mode rate dutes that protection withers up com
nsioe. and is IN the emo AZ fatal the producer as
the consumer; aud that the WAITS of human So
c,,, ano the duues oi civilization imperauvely de-
u+rd tr,e 'rede between all nations. These pnn-
cipss, inch were fret brought clearly before the
BRUSH Farlsment by powerful and popular
I ,smau Only ihi,, or four years ago, have al
ed, iurmphed ia Great Britain, aud are being
lracua, sdop,cd throughout the civilized world. |
To- suppose. therefore that a nation like this. which
n,o,t IT necessity be continually advancing in Ii
b, raliy Il opiuion in freedom 81 commerce. and IN
g.acesbie relations with mankind, should ever re-
uru tcthoss musiy interchangeable opinions which |
prevailed hllf q century ago, u 70 suppose that
"a cen b. ensof.d. bv an overwhelming majority,
rrgrirrg EVERYBODY but mouopulists to wear two
,sts nd three noses, a. int law can be- passed
woich viii compel ,hrse same men to sell what I
icy produce. IN the cheapest. aud buy what they |
~srt 10 the dearest market in The world
Tn, day hss gone by when such political hum
huge viii be- swsllo ned BY the >, ople of This coun-
tfy IN attempting 20 dc II. Mf Meredith viii find
hlms,ii placed in very much the position that Mr.
Clayton has been. when he attempted to getup
~ar vilh Fmnce, and. in thu most cowardly man
net. ,mckied To- the spint 81 usurpation which
England rad manli,s'ed M interfering with our
somestic silalrs To 20 bach In the United States
H. impossible the mere sttemptto de- II has always
been fatal 10 The Wing party and in this respect
,I,sts the main difference between the wings and
- q, mocrsis There have been very few states
men M this country, m The wing ranks, that
have clearly understood this principle. -Four or
hive nmes VA succession. the most desperate
Efforts were made TO elect MIR Clay TO the
irtsid'ocyi but although " was universally
c"' csoto that ne was gifted with the most exalted
t'i'nis, end, probably, tet os warm aud genial u
i"'' fer he prosperity of the county a. any other
uuD, yet. in hi. idoia,rous advocacy of NAM |
moth bank snd the doctrine q a protective tariff. /
~ sacrificed hIms' u snd his party Mr. C,lhouo.
y,efhars. hes entertained clearer views ON this sub
lect for greater number o. years, than aay other
American Statesman. From the very beginning.
h. has been an advccste OF freedom Of commerce
and siftoueh. m the stern integrity u his charac-
,r winch dld not allow him TO pay the syccphant
TO p@rty leaders end party opinions, he has missed
,hs Presidential chair. yet he Is one Of those men
~nose fsme csn receive no additional lustrc from
L..ll. al ..ll.n. and h. s.anda 10