Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-02-26

upon all monies received.
Mr.. J. L. BRIaHrwELL, of Danve. is specia
gent in that section OF the State.
THE CoASTING TRADE
We observe that Mr.. Clingmau, of North Car
lima, has given notice of his intention to offer
be following amendment to the Canadian Re-
iprocity bill now pending in the House of Rep
eutatives:
provided that before any of the provisions of this bill
hall take effect, the Government Of Great Britain shall
gree with the Government of the United States that all
be ports of the British donnions and of the United
respectively shall be open all the vessels ofboh
ounres whether engaged in the coastg trade other
rade in the and under like regulations
hey authorized to do with reference to the for
ign trade of the two countries"
II free trade is henceforth 70 be the policy of
bur Government, Mr.. Cng,nan's proposition
bhould unquestionably be adopted. II we are to
have free trade in some things, let have it in
hll'things-if manufacturers and agrculturists are
mot to be protected by the Government against
Foreign competition, neither should ship.owners
and ship builders. The Navigation laws of the
United States furnish the most complete illustra-
tion of what the free traders denominate class
Legislation that is to be found any where on our
statute book. Protection AMI monopoly are in
delibIy and Enthusiastically stamped on all their
features As early as the year 1898, the ship
builders aud ship owners Of this country memo
realised Congress on this subject, alleging their
Inability to compete with foreign nations for our
own coasting trade, and asking protection for the
branch of industry in which they were engaged
In compliance with this petition, Congress pass
ed an act providing that goods should be
Cd M, oc III
from one to another port of the United States, in
u vessel belonging wholly or in part to a subject
of any foreign power. From that day to this
the law has stood upon our statute book and under
it our citizens have enjoyed for sixty years a
complete monopoly of the internal navigation of
the county. How far ore indebted to the
benign and fostering influence of this protective
policy, for the rapid and astounding growth of
commercial marine and the marvellous de-
velopment of the naval aptitudes of people,
we shall not now stop to enquire. Nor do we
propose to consider the question, whether the
shipping interest needs any further protection
aud whether it would be wise aud proper. even
at this late day, to abandon policy which is
coeyal with our existence nation. We sim
ply wish to call attention to the fact, that our
laws on the subject of the coastiug trade, are in
glazing and palpable conflict with those anti pro-
tective doctrines, by which the now dominant
party in this country profess to be guided. and
which they insist on IMPLYING to the other indus>
trial interests of the nation. The advocates of
free trade are shocked at the idea of protecting
a million of manufacturers at the expense the
remaining twenty millions of people in the
United States Now the ship-buldng and ship
owning class is much smaller than that engaged
in manufacturing. Why, then. should the
whole nation be taxed for the support of the
former any more than for the latter! Why
should citizen of Richmond, in this free trade
country and free trade era. be denied the privilege
Of sending a hogshead of tobacco to New York
on British vessel, though the master of
such vessel should be willing to carry it for
half the sum demanded by his American COM
petitor! If it be wrong to protect domestic
manufactures by discriminating duties, is it not
still more to protect domestic shipping by ia
vesting those engaged in it with an absolute mo.
nopoly ?eer
We are glad to perceive that Messrs. Cling
man and Toombs have brought this subject before
Congress, and avow their determination to press
it on the consideration of that body. The for
lner gentleman is genuine free trade and di-
rect taxation champion, and does not shrink from
carrying Democratic doctrines to their legiti-
mate length. The Democracy must follow his
lead or fatty repudiate their professed princi-
pies. Come up to the mark, then, gentlemen
free traders and repeal the navigation laws of the
Union. You have preached one thing and prac-
. ficed another long enough. If your politico-
economical theories are sound, the whole impos.
system is nothing more nor less than a system OF
legalised robbery and oppression, and you should
long since have substituted direct taxation in its
stead But if you are not yet ready to do this,
you at least abolish the navigation laws
Here lisa case of genuine and unmitigated class
Legislation, protection and monopoly-a case of
sixty years standing upon which you may now
tryyour free trade experiments, if you have any
faith in your specific for the disorders of the
body-poIitic.
RESS-THURSDAY.
SENATE.-Mr Charltor presented the creden-
tials of Hon. Robert Toombs, Senator elect from
Georgia for six years from the 4th Of March,