Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-22
BRATTLEBORO, VT: AUG. 22, 1857.

Regulate commerce the proposition ofMr Mddi-
son being to make a discrimination in the trade
OF nations to the disadvantage 0i those with
which We had not come 40 reciprocal arrange
ments. This mea urc was barely defeated, and
that by the influence of the mercantile class en-
gagged ~ commerce with Britain, against which
country the discrimination was levcled. " 1t is
curious slys Mr.. Brnton, that while the pow
er TO regulate foreign commerce by Congress
was one of the chef causes for forming the Fed
cral government. vet il has never been exercised
10y Congress, and seems TO he power overlook
ed, or conioundcd Wit that 10 lay duties aud
imports for revenue Though not yet exercised
il is power which has found need for its excr-
else. and will find it again
Our immense commerce, if all articles are
taxed even moderately, will produce far more
rev 'nue than the economical AMI fair admins
iratlon of the government would require. A
moderate duty on iwothirds of the mportations
may be sufficient for the expenditures OF the
government, after the extinction Of the public
debt and the inltOductlOn Of economy into Cts
admnstraipn) leaving One-thrd to 20 upon the
Tree list. Now the nations which receive the
chef benefit Of til large free importation, ought
10 recprucate the favor by taking something free,
or at a moderate duty, from us. Free com
mercc Is not to be given IN exchange for burthens
and imposilons."
We are pleased to see the emphasis and tier
alton with which the editor illustrates in his notes
the value of public economy. At various ap.
prOprlaic places in the course of these volumes,
he pauscs to compare the conditions of The cOun-
try and the recognized maXims of government
WI what is 10 be seen in our times. He shows
that small revenue, administered with cOnscicn-
lions economy, suilccd to deiray all the extra
ordinary expense OF founding an empire and, at
the sImc time, TO Iasi the public redit TO a re-
spectacle STANDARD. And the inference is Obj
vious, that, with a similar sy stem of expenditures
at the present day, it is possible almost to inaug-
urale practical free trade, and vet have rcyc-
nue. enough for all the necessary purposes OF
government.
Mr.. Benton's views with regard to internal
Improvements and the army, and their relations
TO defence against foreign agcressions, are well
known TO be those If all our most intelligent
statesmen. The progress of science, and the
force OF individual enterprise, have superseded
the national questions Of the construction or nm
piovemcni of roads, rivers and canals " For
defence, the United States are the strongest
power in the world Her railroads in few DAYS
would place a million of volunteers, If needed,
on any point 1ilaud attack her pIivatcers would
clear the seas OF the cnemv's comm rec. Aud
these two great means OF defence would be as
cheap as effective supe'seding the old expcn-
sve policy t" preparing for war in time Of
peace"
Daring the years covered by the first three
volumes the slavery question had not assumed
sufficient I'M ortance to call out any remarkable
debate. In his notes, the editor briefly touched
upon the early action Of Congress relative to
abolition petitions, the Fugitive slave law o
l79j, and the 'aci, asSer ion in the bill for the
erection of Louisiana into territories, Of the ghr
OF Congress to leeislate on slavery, in the public
domains, &c