Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1862-04-11
FROM THE SOUTH.
Declaration of Free Trade by the
Confederate Congress.

Declaration Of Free Trade by the
Confederate Congress.
IRON the Richmond Examiner, Of Saturday.
A bill for abolishing the tariff and
throwing open our Confederate ports to
the commerce Of all the world, except Of
the United States, has passed the House
OF Representatives with extraordinary and
unexpected unanimity, and is now before
the Senate. It's one Of the first evil
dences that have been given Of dispo-
sition to establish an original policy Of
our own, and to desist from \ slavish imi-
tabor of The Waslisaeica government
The arguments in favor Of free PORTS
aud free trade are 50 multiGorm aud nu-
nletous that no doubt remains Of the bill
passing the Senate, and of the measure
becoming the established policy of the
Confederacy. In the brief discussion
which the bill elected in the House, the
fact transpired that the revenue from the
tariff SO far had been only sufficient to
defray the expenses Of the custom house
establishment. Duties upon blockaded
commerce were absurd enough; but a
custom-house system that paid only
enough revenue to defray its own ex-
penses, leaving nothing for the public
treasury, caps the climax of absurdity,
and discloses, in colors even ridiculous,
the futility of the measure.
The act repeating tho tariff law and
throwing open our ports, SO far as our
action can do so, to all the world, except
the public enemy, will proclaim policy
in which all maritime nations are deeply
interested, and, which cannot fail to ar
ray them sooner or later in solid pha-
lanx against the blockading enemy. The
difference between such a law and the
present tariff act, lcvying. albeit, only
IL per cent, is the difference between
day and night. 1t is the difference be-
tween free trade and restricted trade;
between an unpopular institution and
odious policy of the past, and policy
new, liberal, enlightened and gracious to
the commercial world.
1t will do more to open our ports. and,
whether these are open or not, to fill our
country with foreign goods, than great
navy could effect. Under its operation
we shall not see, next winter, our soldiers
going barefooted in the mud, and track
ing their pathway with blood Extor-
TONERS, spectators and contractors out
of doors, and their creatures in Congress
may oppose it, but the interests of the
people, Of the army and the government
demand the law trumpot-tongued. The
welfare Of the country SO imperiously
demands the measure that it almost
amounts TO a sort of treason to oppose it.
The bill provides for the repeal of all
laws by which duties arc laid and col
lected on foreign goods. wares or mer-
chandize imported from foreign countries,
except as regards those imported from
the United States of America.
ENGLISH MUsKETs The Mobile Re-
gistcr of the 18th ult., says:
"Sixteen hundred muskets, in boxes,
marked British pattern of 1861, pass
ed through this city yesterday, en- route
for General Van Dorm, Arkansas. These
boxes are an instalment Of ten thousand
similar guns which arrived at a certain
port in Florida not long since, on board
steamer. There is reason to believe that
the steamer which bore Mr. Yancey, also
brought arms, and others are on tho
way"
The Hon. JOHN BELL. - We have seen
private letter from this distinguished
gentleman, dated at Huntsville, Ala, in
which he expresses the strongest conf
dence in the ability of our Generals in
Tennessee TO beat back the advancing
Yankees. and in the ultimate triumph Of
the Confederate cause. Mr.. Boil says
that our defest at Donelson has thorough
ly aroused our people, and that rein
forcements are pouring into the Confede-
rate camps in large numbers.-N o.
Bulletin, I'm Wt.