The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-10
From the ". Y. Evening Post.

THE FREE TRADE LEAGUE.-To those in
whose behalf the subjoined communication is
written we reply that we have little to add to
the information of the formation and OBJ ects of
the free trade league, which we have already
given 1t has no PARTY object, and it is intended
so to conduct its proceedings, that it shall have
rs little to do with party a temperance society
or an association for the relief of INDECENT aged
females. The committees who were appointed
at the meeting the other evening, will shortly
| fulfil their tasks Of framing constitution and
drawing up an address to the public when the
cooperation of those who agree with the league
in its views of commercial freedom will be in
vited, and steps will be taken to form auxiliary
leagues in other towns Of the Union.
For the Evening Post
MEssRs EDIroRs The intimation which you
gave few evenings since, that movement had
been made in favor of free trade and direct
TAXATION" by some gentlemen Of our city, has
excited the hopes of many. We arc eager to
possess ourselves Of the information which you
intimate will soon be made public in regard to
this new movement.
Heretofore, all the reforms which have been
attempted in this direction, have, to some eX-
tent, come of, or been attracted to some party
organization and hence we have been permit
tCu W ~ III Iti pal VI pdi "
discipline deemed expedient Bound down by
these ties VIC have from time to time, been
compelled to sanction all kinds of tariffs, from
"high to low" including "judicious," "discrmnn.
ting" and revenue" and all pointing to protec
ton, either "incidentaly" or 'accidentalIy."
But, from your announcement of this new
movement, the friends of free trade have reason
to hope that now they will be permitted to think
and speak "the truth and the whole truth"
! We have hope now that our revenue laws
will be considered to the end, that the true prin-
cples of taxation will be set forth, and that the
unjust, because acknowledgements, because in
direct and wasteful-system, at present adopted
may give way to views more just, and more in
accordance with the interests and happiness Of
our people.
Without shutting our eyes to the f.,ct that in
huential opposing interests will be encountered,
we incline to the hope that truth and reason will
ultimately overcome all that selfishness may OPP
pose to our progress. But let us consider our
hopes of ultimate success, Notwithstanding the
opposition of the protected party.
We have on our side the dsinterested and the
good, if we have the right.
We have a very large portion of the literary
and scientific minds of this and of all countries,
who have, and will further aid us-and all the
more when they see us trying to help oursel-
YES.
We have the producing classes-when they
once come to understand that "captal," and
not labor" is protected by our present sys-
tenn.
We will have the enconomist who desires to
see the government administered with as little
tax on labor as possible.
We shall have the moralst-when he is con
WINGED as he may be, that our present corrupt
system of political patronage grows out of this
system of taxation.
We shall have all these classes, and more. We
shall have the cooperation of the manufacturers
themselves, when they come to understand, that
they can more successfully compete in the mar
kets of the world under free trade system at
home, than under restricted system, with an
inflated paper currency, such as we are at pres
ent cursed with.
But enough-our object is one of inquiry, not
of discussion. Please give US the information
you have in regard to this C. free-trade league
that we may unite with them in the good work
they propose, MANY SUBSCRIBERS