, 1866-01-13
THE OTHER SIDE.
Letter from a Member OF the Free
Trade League.

II
Thursday Last. sienlnp himself 81 protect1on u
was in evident pe1p!exity Of mind. 1Ie sp-
pears to le uncertain what course to r,,rsue.
whether to r,dicu1c, controrert, or himself
cnb,ace the principles of the adyocatay of
revenue as opposed 10 protecting duties.
ignorance Of the views Of those he
draws his pen against, he spasmodica,Iy, and
on different lines, sallics out to f5nd what no
sItIons are really occupied by the Reformers.
With one foot insecnrely planted On the pro-
lection platform, he Is In the attitude of
reaching ont tho other foot to plant 1t on the
platform Of anti-protection. When coatro-
r.rs,1,xt reeor4s n rid;cn1. and ,,,srnnr.sen,,.
.,a. ~ :. s,rr.~. ,,ors a.. .s,h.h1, ~ =.
lon' :. - ~ "Hye mo.o tuan plouHut" ~. lo
cannot nna af afEsnnen1s Hhefe"ltn 10 assall haS
Protection u places the names
m onnos,te s,de< or common no,;t,c, ,nl
o,l,H3 " 9ppoe. 'tues " .ommen poA.le, aIo
platnly th4nks tnat nc nss !endeseo tnc Wnoie
movement ridiculous l cannot but think,
this circumstance happy one. II
is an e1ldence Tint both political par
l'ss nola iocn'ica' opinions On ln's eao-
subject; at any rate. that powerful
section, existing alike in the two great par
lies of the day. have consented IA art In h,r.
monv for once and ars ~ rs,o,~sa ~ - ~ ~or,- ~ -, ~
49,, -, ~ ' -nN. 81 A'. ~ "o'A ~ ~
lne emanclpatlon oi tne "h11e laborcr. Inc
meeting at Morse's Exchange Afforded the
to effect thi. ausnicious allIsnce. Party ma
nht,o-u :. ,aw.-f,,,, b,t *h.t +. .h.y,s T..
- 0u' .@' - suv1lu oo
ever employed 10 cocfce lis adne1enta INTO
the support OF 50 vicious system Of custom
duties as il now crippllng the country, would
be matter for profound regret, Our m,rnia.
cent seet.on o. me Union Is o1scf1mlnatea
against As lnonstfles oepfesseo-alnost sus.
pended-by this system. The reform sought
could be achieved by mere party enterprise .
and II left entirely to that. the fortunate pnr-
ty that shall Inscribe anti-protcction and
antl-uonopo1y notices on Its banners, will
sincere wish Of the promoters Of the League
that this sort Of controversy be avoided.
Certain it Is that proxhnate free trade prfn-
cipIes ought to prevail In the Northwest, and
that speedily and, therefore, is 1t not highly
desirable that intelligent minds Of ali parties
should direct thels forces together toward
the common end The danger that menaces.
and that, BY HARMONIOUS action, could
be averted now, and the advantages
We mny gain In short timc, 1t would be a
calamity to postpone for i've or ten years,
by disagreement ns to methods, BY petty
jcalousies, md selfish intrigue.
Protection exerts bis powers OF ridicnlc,
again, In Offering objections 10 tho name OF
tie League. That the name Of the League
cd Tuesday night were moderated to . de-
mnnd for tarid for revenue, Is, to bis mind,
an Inconsistency that should paralyze any
further etfoft In this direction. The League
has It's objects, the nature OF which would
not thc changed By change Of shibboloth.
A name Is title of convenience, not m
arbitrary ruler Of proceedings. would 10
Constitution, being thoroughly imbued with
the spirit Of liberty, stroEe earnestly and
with tedious patience Tor form Of words rs
prelude to that immortal Instrument, that
should wildly express the radical Idea OF lib
crty. They must have starting point, alter
which the administrators would necessarily
cnnct practicable laws. and the nation make
The title Free Trade League has precisely
tAis signifcance! It stands for radically cor
rect Idea OF commercial intercourse between
manktnd. we are LOT Free lfada As against
Protection. because the lesser evil Is more &c
ceptAble than the greater; and because that
portion of the tariff which ls levied for pro-
lection, cannot possibly be levied for revenue
and contributes none to the treasury. As
Wfllfam Cullen Bryant justly observes, reve-
nue. Is derived from the goods which come In,
while the object Of protection Is to keep the
goods out. a fair and necessary tariff for
revenue u all that Is contended tor. The ex-
listing tariff is protective, and its apologists
lection on pfotec!ion-burden on burden
Osss on Pellon- Virtue In a man with an
ugly name Is just as admirable rs in another
having the sweetest-soundIns coguomcn In
the world. Protection" will never be able,
BY directing attention to the name Of the
League, to break the force Of arguments made
In It's sessions Perhaps, however, in the hope
tion, y the members may be induced to change
The name, making It more nicely descriptive.
I would suggest this as q substitute: A
League to Resist the Taxation of Thirty Mill
ions OF People to Further Enrich One or Two
Thousand Manufacturers. -
In reply to the sole positive assertion ol
+" Protection" to wit: "thc present tariff L
for the reason, he adds, that 1t produces q
greater .eveuue-I observe, TINT the best rev.
epue tariff Is not that which produces the
largest amount of revenue, but the one that
gives to the Government exactly as much a.
It needs. The false presentation of this algu'
mcpt, In such apparent confidence, by i" Pro
tection.n lacks afl vitality, and wifi not have
feathers weight, until he shall show that
the excess Of revenue obtained under the pres.
ent tariff Is not mainly raised from importa.
tion of articles for consumption by the work
Ing mass Of the people, and which arc not
largely manufactured IN this country. He
should, before asking popular acqnlescence In
bis dogma, be careful to demonstrate that the
excess he speaks Of, was not fecced from the
average class and the poor, who wcar coarse
fabrics, and indulge In fewer reanements Of the
table. Besides, il the " Denocratic Admins
tratfon Of Buchanan" could get along on S5o,'
100000 obtained from importation, WIFI
almost no domestic reEenre), Is ! !,
not, IT, such confession Is neees
sary, rather notifying That the present
Administration cannot pay expenses With
{150,Ou,OU-"or three Times as much'-de'
rived from the same source, Win the oe#lld
ering sum, received from the excise, aoded
Through q protIneted ano awtnl Wa5, lhe
maintained tts credit. Peace Is now ours, ia be
enjoyed, God being merelful TO us, Tor many
years. Whatever, therefore, may have bee1
the anomalous Workings OF protective ta1n
law, conepired with by e1t1aoEdluary clscam
stance, why increase, h6 me monopo1stf
now c.amor to nave increased, ,taAatlon u tne
peacc1n! per1od upon "nlca We nafe sntelEa
above What proved amply eanlclent curing
1oqf 5eats ". u .x.,.L,.+ 1s.,1
5uL 1o.on h,,as;I., suns Iu,i, ~ ~
enoeaFor 70 ans"el Mmspfe1acany. Wm ~,
H .1ioa s ~ rGor a. ~ NJ ran,ae
Will be fecailed oy me 1eaaet, py ny repifasS r.
1s1. " no. , eon.smRsaaGu ~ - tePs1. ~ "a,
imports on nt;G, nsn Gai A. nu'' ~. ~ 'hrs ndo1 ip.
nectlon, 1oeeeuI;n ~ u9ee a. "Vs enas. H.,
slano tne ,.us.. mv 1nta,eau-.s u - +h; M
description Is mol possibly @ as, S.a pssa, pFosaes.,
1ng onttsss oua W. - Ppsctins1ir s - !; 1aTp
fIee LIAue ~ ,s seG taae e. e. ravenna 1ehsnst. e
y inna '1 hetrcrn Chicaro and NeiT,