Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-10-03
Oh gtan0ar1.
For the Standard.
FREE TRADE.
A SEQUEL TO THE PAMPHLET ENTITLED "oUR
CTpprNCV

federacy for her independence before name or a
standing amongst the nations of the earth has been
accorded to her, and whilst her sea ports remain
closed by force, It may, to some, seem premature
ami quite unnecessary to enter upon diScuSsioh
of the subject at the head of this article.
We are however, quite satisfied that the end OF
these things is almost at hand and that 1t is quite
the tine to begin to inquire into the soundnesS oil
certain foregone conclusions upon this very Impor-
ta,t and interesting subject; to endeaVor to look
through the mistS of prejudice that envelope IT,
.nd to do away, if possible, early impressions
sgainst it, that have been produced by wrong ed
,,cation bad precedents, or by msinterPreted ex-
nerience Besides, the Southern Conteoeracy IS
sctnally governing herself; she is legiSlatng, as
we'll as warning endeavoring to discharge her civil
functions, as well as her military undertakings
Her military efforts, however important they may
be, will not probably need to De exerted out Tor
time The foundations of her civil policy however,
ON the other hand are intended to be, and if wise,
Il is hoped will be laid for all time 1t is quite as
important then, that she should lay those founda-
tons Alright as that success should crown her milf
tary efforts. Independence will be no great boon
10 her unless it shall be exerted wisely and to the
best political ends.
Indeed, in respect to Trade, the Coniederacy has
already, in measure committed herself A tariff
already stands out in bold relief upon her statute
book, as though it were matter of course and ne
ccssary resulted from, and must needs follow her
claim Of independence though indeed, the asSer-
ton of her independence would have seemed to be
mere sound if not accompanied or followed imne-
iately, by an exertion of her power abroad. 1t is
certainly to be regretted, that so amportant SUBJ
iect as her foreign commerce should so prematurely
have been seized upon to be made a vehicle to the
world of her capacity and determination for self
government; for, in however strong terms or
loudly, 1T may proclaim her power, it may not and
we cannot withhold the expression of our conVic-
ton that it does not, in equally strong terms, pro-
claim her wisdom or the soundness of her policy.
Thirty years agone and more, it certainly re-
qured no supernatural eye to foresee, no prophetic
wisdom to fOretell to what results the persistence
by the United States her fayorite policy of pro-
lection BY tariffs, must inevitably lead The very
calamity that has befallen her, and with which she
is now struggling, through blood and slaughter was
then clearly foreShadowed The dark cloud that
has now eliminated and burst upon her with more
than the fury and destruction of an hundred tenn
pests, was then lowering the horizon its light
nings visible, its thunderS audible to those who
looked or listened with attention. Notification,
disunion, division, secession revolution, ill some
wav and by some means, cost what it might, if her
impotc and suicidal course were perSeVered in was
then already, too manifest to be mistaken or mis-
understood and yet that course, we are surprised,
rs we'll as grieved to see, is the very upon which
the Southern Confederacy have too hastily We fear,
set out
Let her, we say then, be warned in time Let
her profit by the fatal example Of the United States
That government took its cue in its protective poll
cy from the examples and action of European gov
ernments, and she is reapng the bitter consequent
ices thereof
Now, men of the Confederacy, let us ask our
selves what is the policy in this respect of the old,
burthened, oppressed, laboring struggling, bank
rupt governments of Europe, to US? Artificial and
fhor
tutions they artificial in much of their policy
indeed, must be so. Their internal well as their
foreign conflicts and contentious and wars have so
involved them in debt, that the plain natural Sug-
gestions of sound policy and political wisdom in many
respects no longer applicable to them They can't
adopt them. They have enormous debts to pay an
nually, and they must be met although nearly the
interest of what they respectively owe yet it is far
more incumbent upon them and necessary, that 10
shall be paid punctuay and promptly than that
any very great care effort should be had or made
about the payment of the principle, and the gov
ernments of that quarter of the world, almost with
out exception, that can devise the ways and means
of paying the interest of their debts and of meeting
their current annual expenditures, may De said to
have accomplished great feats in finance Witness
for example, the annual budget from the treasury
department of Great Britain. How closely debit fol-
lows upon the heels Of credit; if it does not over
step them, what small balance either one way or
the other. How every thing is made to contribute
its quota to the general fund, what nice adapta-
ton OF means to ends 1t turns out perhaps, that
the interest of her debt paid and her current ex-
pendltures tor the year met, once more, and the
nation breathes-again; or it may be- that a small
deficit of few millions of pounds sterling is ex-
hlbIted, and an almost universal joy and congratula
ton is expressed that it is no larger The finan-
cIal talent OF the treasury department gets great
credit for its economy and providence and another
year OF accruing interest and of expenditures IS en-
tered upon with the anxious hope though not with
out fear, that 1t may come out as we'll as the last
year has done. As with Great Britain. so with all
the nations of Europe The penalty for nations
departure in the first instance, from the Main,
patent and obvious paths of political economy and
wisdom, Is that it shall struggle and STRUGGLE on in
It's own mistaken and devious way, unaded and nm
directed by the plain and prominent finger boards
that designate the true and direct road. National
Indebtedness, like that of individual, affects its
",loie oeihg ana action and the deeper the ndebt-
edness, the more it transforms the nation into a
new potlcal being, and cOnStrains it to 90 counter
to the plain suggestions of true political wisdom,
anu, as IN the case of an individual it sometimes
eve! e untnans and prompts him to do, what, in a
d1erent condition, he would scorn; so in the case of
nations, 1t has led to acts and doings that stand
prominent and perpetual memorials of their injus-
uce ana oppression. History abounds with them.
tHH"i VIC Say Win all european pTeCe-
dents, In this matter of lettering commerce. They
are unsulted to our country, to our age, to the ge
mus OF our people, to our form of government, and
10 our Constitution. We are born into a era,
politically as we'll as temporarily. ...
Inc natural advantages of the Southern Confed-
eracy, her geographical position, her climate, her
soils, the variety and character of her products,
and the facility with which they may be almost in
definitely increased and multiplied, ought to give,
nay, they must command for her, a position and
prominence amongst the nations of the earth, never
heretofore in the history of the world accorded to
30 newly born nation-never, so early in its po-
itical life, attained by any other government Her
whole catalogue of natural products will be of the
most desirable and marketable character, and at no
stinted prices. The demand for them must be con-
stsns and steadily on the increase. Corn, and
wheat and cotton, and rice and sugar, and tobacco,
and hemp, and turpentine and lumber and ron
and copper, and coal, and silver, and gold. What
list! And yet these are but few of the items
Complete it, and then add to it, at no distant day.