The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-30
The Paradise OF Britiah Free Trade.

In noticing, on a recent occasion. letter of
Governor kossUrH, we stated that the present
exhausted condition of Turkey had been due to
British Intervention between the consumers
and producers of that country, to a far greater
extent than to any interference in its affairs by
Russia, and that the only effect of the extern
sion of British free trade to other countries of
poor and helpless az Turkey now Isl Since
then we have looked into URaUHaRT's Turkey
and It's Resources, work Published in London
in 1888, and having for its object that of eS-
hibiting the perfection to which the system
called free trade is carried out in that country;
and believing that few extracts from it may
have interest for our readers, we will now pro
coed to give them.
The system is thus described. and it is one
that must meet the entire appreciation Of our
British free trade friends
"Since the throne OF the Sultans has been elevated
at Constantnople, commercial prohibitions have
been unknown. They opened all the ports Of their
empire to the commerce, TO tho manufacture, TO
the territorial produce OF the Occident or to say
better Of the whole world Liberiy of commerce ha.
reg ned here, toiout limits large a, eriended as
IL tcas possible 10 be- Never has the Divan dreamed
under any pretc1t OF national interest or even Of
reciprocity, Of rcs,rsiing that faculty. which has
been exercised, and ia to this day in the most IN
limited sense, by all the nations who wsh 70 fur
nish portion Of the consumption of this vast en-
pre, and to share in the produce Of its territory
"Here every object Of en- change IL admitted. and
circulstes without meeting other obstacle than
% II
value 70 the custom. house The chinra of a bal
Of trade entered into heads sensible enough
not 10 dream Of calculating 'nhst,cr there rno,
profit buying selling"
The following view will, we think, have
some interest for such of our readers as interest
themselves in bringing about the substitution
of direct taxation for a revenue derived from
duties on imports:
"In Turkey. freedom OF commerce il not a prin
ciple taught by lnmentable experience, aud put IN
practice at the cost Of much temp orary loss and
suffering IL 10 not the result Of soning on facts
collected by persevering industry II is not the
effect Of opinions widely spread by public discus
sion a. 10 result and oonssqnnoe Of dn,cf tara
hon. Thus, without knowing or suspcoting the
pcrils they have avoided, revenue il em,ncipstcd
from all such necessities government from such
eihDdHhs1Incht ana opposition TIE nation from
such eScitement-tas that resulting from change in
the objects Of taxation and industry and commerce
from oil restriction"
Mr.. URQUHART is, as we sec. a great sd-
mirer Of free trade and direct taxation. He is,
as will be seen in the following extract.
equally an sdmlrer Of the system Of carrying
on trade by means OF caravans Of peddlers on n
large scale--the bagmeH Of England-who
trade directly with the producers of the com
modities they desire to purchase, paying neither
house rent nor taxes; and yet, singularly enough
there is no part Of this country in which the
hostility to peddlers exists in so great degree
as in some Of those States in which the love OF
British free trade most prevails. It is rare to
find two Of the advocates Of this system agree
ing ia any opinion
cit Ia impossible 70 witness the arrival of the
many tongued caravan at lie resting place for the
night, aud see unladen and piled up together
the bales from distant places TO glance over their
| yoSy wrappers, and the strange marks and char