Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-11-28
L. EngIand n Free Traae Nation

We have been accustomed to hear the advocates of
free trade that England has prospered under that
SYSTEM and upon this assertion the changes have been
rung from Maine to Georgia by the newspaper press in
the interest Of the free trade propagandsts That the
system of England Is not free trade one as the Men,
phs Enquirer says well known TO all who have troubled
themselves study the policy of that country; but as
yet, not much progress has been made in changing the
universally received opinion because the masses losing
sight Of their true interests content to be led into
the quagmire Of civil discussion by every wilothc.
wisp who finds his profit in deIuding them When thcy
have aoundered for time in the qucksands of political
strife, without improving their condition. perhaps they
may discover that, in running after distractions they
have lost sight Of reatiestha while foolshy levotng
their attention TO questions that do concern them
they are allowing the English people drain them Of
their gold, aud to Glstcn upon them a load of debt
which wears Of industry and economy will be required TO
cancel.
The policy of England has ever been consistently di-
reced toward the accomplishment Of one great object
10 make all the nations of the world draw their supplies
OF manufactured goods from the workshops OF it, PEG
pie and To compel all nations become competition.
with each other in the British markets. for the sale Of
raw products To further this end the English customs
tariff has been arranged that raw products are per
United to enter at nominal rates or entirely free from
upon which labor has been expended is subjected to
tax that is nearly prohibitory few quotations from
the English schedules Of free and dutiable goods will
serve to illustrate our position.
CoTToS-Unmanufactured, free Of duty
Manufactured into fringes, 81 cts. per NJ
dresses, $3.50 each
" bonnets lOl
Manufactured into cotton pillow lace q 60
per H.
ToHAccO,-unmnnufactured, "A cts. per ID.
Manufactured, 81. 20 " " and only go
cts. per W drawback, II re-exported
lRoN-Ore, free: ornnmcnted castings $40 per ton
GoLD.-Ore, bars, and coin, free: manufactured into
plate, &c, SOS per ID.
Northumberland free as thread lace 81 40
per ID.
GRnS,-Nearly free. convcrtcdiu into whisky, $500 per
gallon; ale aud beer - 60 per bbl
ALcOHOL.-When pure =. 90 Der gallon. adnltar,ted
With lO per cent Of Wood spirits % nom
iua duty This discrimination 4, in favor
Of scientific chemists, for whose u.e the
Wood spirit does not harm the liquor but
IT. mixture with alcohol, renders the latter
unavailable Tor any other purpose
IlAbtt.-ln the rongh, nearly free; ~ hoOr-bOlrl5
~ cts per foot, and per cent on the value.
These few citations will be sufficient to convince tho
unprjudiced reader Of the falsy Of the assertion hn
England l. free trade nation for in exact rroporiior
to the value Of the labor expended upon the manufacture
Of any species Of goods from the raw material doe o.,
duty increase which j. levied upon the corresponding ism
ported articles. Grain enters British ports NJ nonins
rate, but The whisky and spirits manufactured from rlir
represent labor aud are therefore heavily taxed Eov
cotton pays duty, but the labor employed ia convert
ing il into nge Is protected by duty Of - cents Del
pound while the labor expended In making thread lac
from far, (which in the is admitted free ben
more valuable, because occupying a larger amount d
time, and requiring greater skill is still farther guard
against outside competition bys levy Of sfCO on ca
pound imported.
IL Il not, then, an absurdity to call England r.,
trade country She is IN theory, but not n practice
Her socalcd economists talk loudly of the advantages
free trade and her journals recommend IL 20 Ill the wor
~ The only true policy but The Government takes goo
care not TO act upon these suggcstonsikc the qua,
physician, they do fancy swallowing their own b.
tuses