New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-02
REc0NsFHUa3IoN AM FaEE TRaDE.

than this one. The New York Evening Post
refers toit as q curious and melancholy
symptom Of the arrangement Of our affairs,
and the entire pre-occupation Of the public
mind with the problem of reconstruction, :
that, though ten days have now elapsed since
the secretary Of the treasury made public a
most important project for the reform Of our
system Of internal and external taxation, not
a single journal published in New York, with
the exception of the Evening Post, has even
in the most cursory way noticed or discussed
that plan.
The Post says very truly that the various
industries Of the country have nov, for some
years been burdened with the worst tax sys-
tenn known among civilized nations a
| system faulty as 10 its method, and devised
expressly to perpetuate the heretical and per-
nicious system Of protection which, carried
| to the extent to which it has reached in the
United States, is enough oparalyze industry,
land ruin commerce. That these effects have
not already been produced must be attri-
buted to the fact that the reeuperative and
elastic character of the social forces is
such as to save us from the destructive
consequences Of even the worst legislation.
Yet very deleterious consequences have al
ready sprung from this odious and ty yrannical
| system Of repression and interference. In the
| words Of the Post, 'swith unprecede high
wages laboring men still do not live SO com
fortably as when they apparently made fa1
less money; with real labor famine, we see
strikes all over the country; our foreign com
merce is crippled; many Of our most inpor-
! tant home industries are disabled and Ian
gushing; the people are suffering and grow
ling constantly more discontented; but few
manufacturers are making their hundred per
4 cent. per annum, while tie sound and health
fnl progress Of the country is stopped. .
The Post then goes on to declare that these
facts conclusively prove the urgency of an i'm
mediate settlement Of the reconstruction cues
4 tion, because, until that question is decided,
and out Of the way, nothing else, however
important, will enlist public attention. We
are assured, moreover, that the people of the
| Northern States mean to insist on the adop-
ton Of the constitutional amendment and
hence it becomes sound craftsmanship in the
view of the Post, for all parts of the country
to be guided by this demonstrated fact. sI
the Southern States adopt the amendment
this is the manner in which the case is put be-
fore us ssand thus help to clear it away from
the arena of politics, the nation is not likely
to. forget what it viii owe to them and they
will benefit in common with the whole eoun-
| try, and indeed in much greater degree than
any other part in the reforms which Will then
Immediately be carried, but which are now
indefinitely postponed.
We believe that this advice is kindly and
sincerely given We believe that the Post is
honestly anxious to cooperate in overthrow-
ing that baleful system Of repression and in
reference which now burdens the energies
and deadens the enterprise Of the country.
Nevertheless, the counsel is unwise, and it
ought to be rejected. For two reasons, if not
more The ratification of the amendment by
the Southern States would not settle the ques-
tion Of ( reconstruction After such ratif-
cation the problem would Be just as conpli-
Gated as it now is There is not an outspoken
organ of radical opinion in the country that
has not declared that the Southern States
shall be excluded from the Union until they
consent TO remodel their State Constitutions
to suit the ideas Of the advanced leaders
of the radical party The doctrine is
now promulgated that State governments
must be organized on one general plan CON
forming to the peculiar theories Of the radical
parties. The Post may suppose and may say
that this doctrine will not and cannot prevail
in the party to which that paper is attached.
But it can prevail, and it will prevail,
simply because immutable law com
rnands that result. We do not say that
it viii finally prevail in the country but
it viii assuredly dominate in the Republican
party, because it is the logical consequence
and ultimate expression Of the doctrines and
even Of the modes Of thought of that party. |
The very same set Of ideas which lead to gov
ernmental interference and repression in
trade, that is to say TO ayiolation of the laws
Of political economy, are the ideas which lead
to governmental interference and repression
within the States. The essentially despotic
doctrine that the laws of trade must be assisted
BY Legislative devices, is precisely the doctrine
tt4o9 e4S 1pACSS
the Southern States, are not sufficient for the
solution Of social problems and that the IN
reference Of another section is required to
set those things right which. without such in.
reference, would inevitably go wrong. The
radically false doctrine Of protection in |
political economy IS eonnate with the equally
false doctrine Of protection to Southern
'slogalists and negroes. In the one case, the
intent and effect are to enrich a special class
of manufacturers, ct the expense of general
industry and, in the other case, the in
tent and effect are to place political power in
the hands of q special class Of politicians, in
Of the general public opinion Of the
States within which this protective system
is to be exercised
The attitude Of the Southern States in re-
lation to all these questions is consist
ent and logical They are opposed to the
whole doctrine ofgoyernmental Interference
the whole protective" system; not to a
part only. but to the whole In this respect
they stand nthe ground occupied by Meckle,
Spencer, Mil, and the profoundest and
most advanced Of the age They believe
5,sti, 4Laan ;35,,st,,;1,,y ,,So,, -. i s4l II