The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-11


the balance OF trade doctrine, We ought TO has 6
been greatly impoverished, growing poorer and
poorer every year yet the result is, in defiance
OF this theory that whilst we have increased in
population, during these sixty years, 600 per
cent, our actual wealth has augmented, in the
same time, 2,400 per cent, showing the utter
fallacy of this exploded balance of trade doc
trine. (Applause.) The doctrine itself is weigh
cd in the balance of facts, and found wanting.
Here gentlemen. | might present, had they not
been better exhibited by your own statesmen,
tables, showing the great advantages that have
accrued to Great Britain from your own reduc-
ton and abolition of duties, and especially from
the repeal of your corn laws. The truth is, tina.
commerce is not geographical or sectional or
belonging TO any single country IL has the
world for its theatre, aud its laws are universal
Commerce has laws, and they are as fixed and
certain, when undisturbed by man, as the laws
which govern the movements of the planets
Our artificial regulations may produce n pertur
baton, but il will only be TO injure those who
thus interfere by legislative restrictions (Cheers)
Without OBTAINING you, however by present
ing your own tables, will only say that, with
the total abolition of many of your own taxes
and duties, and the great reduction of others,
your revenue has augmented, and you have ap-
II /,
and gentlemen, it is a consoling reflection that
the two great branches of the Anglo Saxon Nor
man race--you, the people of England, and we,
your children in America-present, ut this period,
almost the solitary example of governments
whose receipts exceed their expenditures, and
who have applied surplus towards reduction
of their debts. Look, gentlemen, at Spanish
America--look at the continent of Europe
without naming others, look at the high tariff
paralytic despotism of Austria hear, hear Ia
State in the last spasms of financial bankruptcy.
We see there, gentlemen, the police actually en-
tering the exchange, and, by the power of the
bayonet, endeavoring to regulate the exchanges,
and even TO regulate the price of paper money,
down to their penny notes Why, we all know
that they might ju-t AS well attempt to regulate
the movements Of the heavenly bodies Not
having exactly succeeded in this, the next thing
they do is to assail the Jews who deal in ex-
changes, and whom it appears, they are now driv-
ing from Vienna and Frankfort Now, gentle
men, this is most ungrateiul, for without the aid
of the Jews, Austria must have long since fallen
into financial bankruptcy, and she will derive no
advantage from this persecution. For ourselv, S,
in America, we have no prejudices against the
Jews. Whilst Christianity prevails amongst us,
we see the Jews called in the Bible the chosen
people by God. They hold an elevated social
position in our country, and are eligible to our
highest offices, even to that of President of the
United States. Hear, hear. Well, gentlemen,
under this repeal and abolition of duties, not
only has your revenue increased, but you have
had a great augmentation of your imports, your
exports, your tonnage, and your bullion; your
commerce, navigation, and manufactures have
greatly prospered; and in fact, it seems to be
generally admitted, that, under this reduction
and repeal of duties, England never was so pros.
porous AS at the present moment. Hear, hear.
But, gentlemen, what appears to me one of the
greatest effects of this change of your policy, is
its conservative influence, in its greater security
and safety to England, arising from the improved
condition, superior comfort, happiness, and con
tentment of your industrial classes Hear, hear |
Never was their condition as good as it is now I;
never did they receive higher wages, and never
paid less for food and raiment. And, gentlemen,
look at Liverpool. Why, atn almost afraid to
repeat, lest they may be inaccurately printed,
what see republished from your census, that
Liverpool has increased in population, during the
last ten years, from 29S, 4S6 in 1871, to $4,000
in 1851. Well think this is an English horse
you may run against the feetest Of our American
racers. Laughter and applause.
And again, when look at your docks, your
warehouses, your steamers, your vessels your
ship yards, your railroads. your public insttu.
tons, your new streets and buildings. everything
seems 10 mark that Liverpool is making gigan-
tic strides in wealth and population. II is clear
to me that Liverpool owes this chiefly to free
trade, as the great outlet and inlet of commerce.
Here come chiefly our cotton, our breadstuffs
and provisions, our rice, our tobacco, and also, |
presume Ito which you have no special ohiec-
TOM our gold Laughter, and hear, hear I
Strike down all this trade, and what becomes OF
Liverpool! And here permit me to allude TO n
distinguished member of Parliament one Of your
own eminent citizens, (William Brown,) the in.
tended chairman Of this banquet, now unfortu-
nately absent from indispostion, from whom,
imm ediately upon landing on British soil, first
received the grasp of friendship. Applause I
He was honored here, as In America, for his
energy and enterprise his high moral and social
qualities, his support of free trade, and his mu.
nifcent contributions to useful and charitable
public institutions. He is as much an American
as any man ought to be who prefers, as he does,
his own country, and he was among the first TO
aid and to suggest our great Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. Hear, hear lie knows well that
commerce must consist in the reciprocal sale Of
products and fabrics, and that II cannot be con-
Quoted by a mere exchange of our half eagles
for your sovereigns. Gentlemen, in discussing
this question, | certainly mean to make no
attacks upon individuals. In my own country,
as well as in yours, there are many who differ
from me- for whom personally | entertain the
most exalted respect. Amongst others, might
refer, rs differing perhaps n little from my hum.
BILE SELF to our distinguished representative at
your court hear who, no doubt, honestly
holds the opinions which he has avowed but
vet, at the same time, for whom, personally, for
his ability, for his patriotism and for his noble
qualities both of the head and the heart, enter
tain the most sincere respect and esteem. And.
gentlemen, if in the progress Of events, he shall
find, as one of your distinguished statesmen did,
that the views Of his early life were mistaken,
he would have the courage and msnliness to
aYow and r,tract bis error. ] mean not to
attack individuals, but systems, and what I
believe TO be erroneous principles, hoping that
endeaver 10 be an humble searcher after truth
[ Hear Now, gentlemen, most firmly believe,
and think il can be demonstrated, that protec
ton, ~ It is called, whether il be in England or
America, is essenti lily agrarian. Hear
What was done by your corn laws : Why, il
il said thew increased one-'h bird the price of