The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-24
Attractive Tendencies of Real Free-trade.

swallowed up chancery, with lts very long ices,
and longer delays and vexatons."
Attractive Tendencies of Real Free-trnde.
In our last we exhibited the repulsive ten
denotes of British free trade, Of that system
which seeks to compel the farmers and plant
ers of the world to make all their exchanges in
British markets, that they may there be made
to support British merchants, and British fleets
and armies, to the exhaustion both of their land
and themselves. We now propose to exhibit the
converse Of the picture, In the attractive ten
denotes Of real free trade, as practised In this
country and in the great German Union, the
object of which is, by protecting the farmer and
the planter in their efforts to bring around them
consumers of their products, to free the people
of America, of Germany, and of the world at
large, from the oppression of the British mo-
nopoly SYSTEM
1t has been shown that of the people of Great
Britain who emigrate but few GO to Nova SEQ
tia, Canada, India or Australia, the lands sub
jected to British free trade, while the great
mass of them come directly to our shores, where
they are certain to enjoy at least some little
protection against the oppression of the British
system; and that of those who pass at first to
the British American provinces, considerable
portion are attracted across the border by the
fact that land and labor are both more valuable
within the limits of protection than without it.
The same causes operate with the people OF
continental Europe, of whom vast numbers
seek our shores, while Canada receives none of
them, although lands may be purchased in that
province at one-third of the price demanded for
those within the Union equal in quality and sit
uation. AS shown in its effect upon individu-
ais, American free trade would seem, there
fore, to be everywhere as attractive as British
free trade is every where repulsive. The
home of the freshman is no longer in Ireland,
nor is it in Canada, or Australia, but here; and
the London Times is almost disposed to predict
that here will be made the home of the whole
Of the Irish nation. What" says that jour
nal, ''if it come TO pass that before another
twenty years the whole Celtic race shall have
disappeared from these isles, and the problem
of seven centuries received its solution ~
What, we would add, if it come to pass that
before another twenty years the Celtic race Of
the British isles, and British power and influ-
ence, shall have passed away together2 The
one cannot go and the other remain.
The repusive power of the British system, in
regard to the communities of which the empire is
composed, is now being exhibited in full force,
and equally strong is the exhibition of the attrac-
tive power ofthe American one. Ireland enjoys
the blessings of British free trade, and in their
highest perfection; yet, were it deemed possible
to bring about annexation to this Union, the
proposition would be received with an universal
shout of appreciation, for the laborer would feel
assured that his Liberation from the destructive
British commercial policy would be followed
by an increased demand for labor; and the land
holder would be equally certain that it would
be followed by an increase in the value of land.
Canada enjoys the blessings of the system, hav-
ing perfect freedom of trade, according to Man
chester principles, and yet her whole energies
are directed to the formation of commercial
to be followed by political-union between
herself and this country, although she raises
only those articles of which we raise surplus,
to secure the disposal of which we have sacri-
feed our spinners and weavers, our miners
and our workers in iron, at the shrine of Man
chester free trade. The West India islands
have free trade with England, yet would they
gladly abandon their connexion with that .coun-
try if by so doing they could obtain admission
into the Union. Nicaragua and Yucatan
have sought admission into the Union. The
Sandwich Islands have now an agent in
the country importunate in his demands for
admission into an Union that grants some
protection to the farmer and the planter in
their efforts to draw around them the men who
drive the shuttle and strike the hammer. The
people of those islands have now perfect free
dom of trade, upon Manchester principles, with
Great Britain; and yet they offer to relinquish
it., provided only that they can be permitted to
come under our tariff of protection. That
they should do 50 is not extraordinary, when
we recollect that the republic of Texas, free to
maintain commerce without the slightest inter
ference of custom house officers sacrificed its in
dependence, glad to obtain admission under 'the
bill of denominations" the tariff Of eighteen hun
bred aud fortl,- tlco If British free trade were
good, why did not Texas form an alliance with
Great Britain? IL it be good, who do the
Sandwich Islanders desire to fly from III We
beg our friends of the Opposition press to an
swer these questions.
1t may be said, however, that the attractive
power Of this country results from other causes
and therefore we propose to show that protec
ton, as the true and only means of reachin!
perfect freedom Of trade, is elsewhere, and un
der monarchical governments, producing th
same tendency to union Somewhat more thai