New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-16

We print to-day entire Gen. JaoksOn's noted
letter On Protection and Free Trade written TO
Dr. Coleman OF North Carolina Gan ayowed
Free Trader) in ic2i. Gen. Jackson was then
a candidate for President; DR.. Coleman wanted
TO support him. bat could do so with most sat-
isfaction and to the greatest advantage proyid-
inc he would come out for Free Trade. This he
refused to do, but avowed himself heartily for
Protection. His reasons do not need TO he VIM
dictated nor r,Gliorced; and We ask our readers
10 scrulinizo and weigh them carefully.
The Uorld, having been shamed into printing
them, profcrs the following pleas in abote-
ment:
j. These are Gen. Jacl,sons crude first
thoughts" no. "the revised opinions Of his
ripper judgment"
To which we answer: Gen. Jackson was
over 81 years old when be wrote this letter.
IL had reen prisoner Of war more than forty
years before aud had entered Congros. nearly
thirty years before. Napoleon Bonaparlc, born
two years after him, had run his memorable
career and died three years before. IT Gen.
Jacksons opinions on the Tariff question were
"crude" when be was 81 years old, il is most
unlikely that they ever became "mature.'
And in fact, though party exigercirs somewhat
modified Lis attitude in after years, there is no
evidence, and no probability, that he ever re-
nonnced the opinions set forth in this letter.
The vital matter Of Gen. Jackson's letter is
his conviction that the interest Of our farmers
required higher duties to be paid on foreign
manufacture in order to create home markets
at their doors instead Of compelling them to
rely on the remote and precarious markets of
Europe. The World says he "was certainly
mistaken in this; We think he was eminently
right; but The jaci is unaffected by dissent or
approval.
Gen. Jackson regarded the Free Trade policy
as that Of "British merchants, in antagonsm
TO that Of American farmers. That happens to
be "our sentiment, better expressed" And If
we could only get hold of the list Of subscrip-
tons to the funds of our Free Trade League, we
have no dtibt that it would strongly tend to
confirm Old Hickory's view of the matter.
The u Grid comedies that what or country
needed in 1924 was greater diversity Of indus
rial pur'uits--in other words, more Of her poo-
pie employed in Manufactures, fewer in Agri.
culture--but holds that Gen. Jackson was mis-
taken in regarding Protective Duties as the
proper means - pc desired cid. Gen. Jackson
appealed TO "Dhmon sense" in The premises;
and we are sure he did not appeal in vain
Gen. Jackson thought that considerations of
National Independence and National Defense
required Us to mine our own Iron, Copper aud
Lead and grow our own Hemp and Wool. in.
stead Of buying them abroad. Herein we think
he was cmlnently right. The Uorid thinks
otherwise-or rather, tries to regard these con-
siderations as no longer applicable. But that
they are, the failure and collapse of the late
Stakeholder Conicderacy strongly alirns
Had the South been mining its own Metals and
weaving its own Fabrics in lsGO-6l. instead of
buying them abroad and trusting in Cotton as
King, it would have suffered fer less ard stood
q Ear better chance Of success in our late strug-
gle. Shall experience teach in yaini
On the whole, il seems to us that The Worid's
notions are crude and the views Of Gen.
Jackson singularly sound and mature. And
we think our subsequent history has signelly
tended to establish the ripeness and statesman
ship eyinced in his letter 10 DR.. Coleman.