The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-09-15
For the Sentinel.

Mr.. ALLEN:-I had the pleasure on Wed.
nesday evening last, of listening to very
eloquent speech delivered by John A. Bing-
ham, Esq, at the meeting of the Scott and
Graham Glee Club. The subject mainly
treated of by the speaker, was the impor-
tance to the people of the United States, es-
pecially in the North, of well regulated
Tariff not o1ly of customs with dscrimna-
tons in favor ofparticular articles, atfording
protection to particular interests, but also of
tonnage duties for the purpose Of fostering
our commercial marine. Thus encouraging
the manufacture Of all such articles which
we consume, as can be manufactured from
the raw material produced in our country,
and also training up men in commercial en-
terprse to 1T them for manning and success
fully commanding our Navy in time of war.
In connection with this subject the speaker
remarked, that 1t WAS remarkable and sig
niiicaNt fact in our present political contest,
and one presenting matter worthy of serious
thought and reflection by the Amerc IN peo-
Pile, that the London Times and several 9TH
er of the leading commercial journals of
Great Britain have expressed their prefer
ance for Franklin Pierce for the Presidency
of the United States, and their earnest de-
sire to see him elevated to that high station;
and giving as the reason of their preference
that Pierce and his party would favor the
policy now for nearly three years adopted
by Great Britain and the United States in
their commercial intercourse with each 9th :
er--viz, Free Trade.
These facts do present a question worthy
OF our serious consideration. Why do those
Journals advocate the election of Franklin
Pierce to the Presidency? Since listening
to the able remarks of Mr.. Bingham Gin
which he did not pretend however to discus
this question: have given the subject some
thought, and [ will give you the result Of my
reflections.
In the first place, those English Journals
speaking of the Free Trade policy, do moi
mean absolute Free Trade, but they con-
stanuy refer to that system of commercial
reciprocity lately adopted by the United
States and Great Britain in their commercial
intercourse with each other; and is what VIZ
call a Revenue Tariff by which certain dutie,
for Revenue are required to be paid on al
articles (eXcept n few admitted free) of the
growth or manufacture of Great Britain. i'm.
ported into oour country, and the tonnage du.
ties are levied on British ships in ourharbors,
as are levied ON our own, A short time age
the Liberal Party in Great Britain, backed
up by the commercial and manufacturing in.
terests in their country induced the British
Parliament to abandon their old commercial
policy of Tariff for Protection and to repea,
their celebrated Navigation Act, measures
of public policy worthy only of the times
when they were adopted, when the science ol
political economy was in its infancy and
known to but few, and to pass reciprocity
act, whereby Great Britain adopted simi
lar scale OF al 0dlorum duties on American
productions as that in force in the United
States on British productions, and required
only the same Tonnage duties to be paid by
American ships as are paid by British ships
in the Ports Of Great Britain. This is the
system Of commercial reciprocity referred to
by those British Journals when they speak
of the Free Trade policy, becauseit seems to
them as absolute Free Trade when conpar :
cd to their old policy Of commercial restric-
tons.
1t will be noted by those in any degree
acquainted with affairs in Great Britain. that
those English Journals that favor Free Trade
policy above mentioned are entirely, con.
troled by the commercial and manufactur.
ing classes in that country What class then
does the Free Trade policy favor then in
Great Britain, and what classesin the United
States? and how does it favor those classes
lin each country Great BItisr is not wha