The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-09-22

| VI DIiilSi 10 all the world
and one third of her entire exports, EXCLUSIVE
OF the amount exported to her own possession
and dependencies. BIT what is more re
markable still in The policy of this country is
that far the largest portion Of all the 81 itisl
industry brought to this country could in
| comparatively short time. be supplied b,
nations industry and resources.
TIE DELUSlVE CITATION OF BRITISH
EXAMPLE.
Mr.. President, a desire to close my remark,
induces me % pass over many points should
like to notice bnt there are a few, out oil
which so much capital has been made in
this country by the champions of free trade
that am not willing TO slur by silence. -
They cxpaliate largely upon the success OF
free trade principles in England and by this
means they have succeeded in imposing on
the crcdnlity Of large numbers of the pcope
Of this country. After all what does the free
trade Of England amount to? She still i'm.
poses dnties on her imports to the extent of
40 600 900 on an average. Last year they
amounted to 900 900 900 and how much Of
the Eli 100000 raised by excise duties is
imposed upon the same commodities before
they are consumed cannot state. What do
you think, sir. of the free-trade principles, or
rather practice Of England when she imposes
duty of scvcnty.two cents upon every uound
of tobacco imported into the kingdom. and
live per cent, upon TIE value in addition p
What do you think of an annual revenue of
from six to seven million pounds, equivalent
to thirty OF thirty.hve million dollars, derived
from tobacco alone the largest portion of
which is exported from the United States g
How does this consist with the idea of free
trade! That however is the character of
the free trade of England Bat even here
we may learn something from the wisdom of
English statesmen. Why do they impose
such large duties on this article? Because
tobacco is an article which enters into what
is called unproductive consumption. Though
II has become All article necessary to the COM
fort of the toiling million. yet it is taxed to
the maximum that it will bear because it
perlshes with the use because it cannot be
spun into yarn or made into cloth British
policy is to import nothing but raw products
which can be converted into product of ten
times their original value by the agency Of
her wonder working machinery, and such
other commodities as contribute to the sub
sls'cnce and comfort Of the operative
mechanics and laborers who make and direct
the machinery.
Again: we have heard a great deal of the
repeal of the corn laws Of England as a great
act of justice to the telling millions. exturtcd
from the Government by the principles Of free
trade. Sir. should be pleased to see the
Senator from Georgia { Mr., TooMBs in his
seat the Senator who spoke so pathctically
of the mposilions and expressions that were
practiSed upon the toiling millions by the
protective policy OF this country by the unjust
taxes imposed on them for Their improvement,
Of rivers and halbors. lie spoke of the hun.
dredS of thousands of poor people Il believe
he said there were four hundred thousand in
the single city of New York of untaxed IN
Enthusiastically able to exc out living /:
many Of them not able to do that and vet
Congress was asked still further to distress
and Cypress them by increased expenditures
aud the imposition of higher duties, thus
raising the price Of the goods with which
they were to he clothed.
What was the repeal of the corn-aws Of
England INTENDED TO effect? The corh.aws
were that part Of the general protective policy
of Great Britain which was intended to en-
courage agriculture and to insure. as far as
practicable, that sufficient supply of food
within itself for the subsistence Of its inhahi-
tants, necessary TO its independence but
when. from increased population and the
hunted quantity Of lands fit for cultivation,
the products of the soil often fell short, as
they were almost sure to do in unfavorahle
seasons, of sufficient supply for the whole
population, the prices in such seasons, as was
inevitable. rose so high that the laborns
classes, depending upon their daily or weekly
wages for the Subsistence Of their families.
and especially those who could get no regular
employment were often not able to buy
bread enough to support life and great
numbers, under these circumstances, but for
the relief under her poor laws in years Of
scarcity, would have persisted. Under these
circumstances cry of >. repeal" was raised
against her corn.laws by the suffering and
toiIng million. TWAS heard and responded
to by the Government, and the corn-laws
were repealed They ought to have been
repea led as soon as population began to tread
upon the heels of Subsistence Protection of
agriculture had gone as far as it could safpl,
60 without sacrifice Of other great interests,
and it was withdrawn with the sacrifice of
the agriculture. interest Onc fourth of the
population of Grea; Britain is still engaged in
agricultural pursuits. Agriculture still -four
lShrS, and all the wheat and other grains
aud the flour made from them, imported
from other Countries, constitute but fraction
of what is consumed. 1t is estimated that
all the ships of the merchant service of the
world would not be sufficient to transport
breadStullS and provisions enough to supply
the United Kingdom If their crop should at
any time lall. The sentiment Of the invoca-
ton OF Thomson,
"le Britons, venerate the plough"
is still the sentiment of the English people.
as 1t is of every intelligent people Agricul-
ture is the foundation Of all prosperity, and
without its successful development civllza.
ton would retrograde But all history
teaches that people addicted to agriculture
only have Invariably become either the
dependents or the victims of the powers
addicted to trade, war, and spolation
But upon what pretext can it be claimed
that the repeal of the corn-laws of England
was triumph Of free trade principles g.
Hcre we have no quesion about the protection
of agriculture industry; it is about the pro-
lection of mechanical and manufacturing
industry. As to these interests, the repeal
OF the corn-laws was triumph Of the pro.
tective policy of the manufacturing inter
ests OF Great Britain and was so expressly
claimed by the Ani-Corn Law League and
The advocates of free trade. The repeal Of
the cornlaws cheapencd breadstufis and
provisions, brought them more within the
means of the operatives and laborers of the
machineshcps and foundries, in the mines
and in the factories, which enabled them to
do more work with the same or less wages.