The New York herald., 1868-05-27
FREE TRADE LEAGUE.
Taxation for Revenue Only-Addresses by
David Dudley Field, Rev. Henry Blanchard,
George Opdyke and Others.

Revenue OHiy-AO0rc09eB
David Dudley Field, Rev. Henry Blanchard,
George Opdyke and Others.
The Executive Committee OF the American Free
Trade League held q meeting last evening at the
hall of the Historical Society, Second avenue and
Eleventh street, for the purpose of discussing q
reform the principle Of taxation for revenue only
David Dudley Field presided.
REMARKS BY DAVID DUDLEY FIELD
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD the first speaker, re.
marking that the objects OF the society were to
encourage freedom in trade. The purpose Of this
meeting was to discuss the application OF the princ
pies Of the society to the system Of taxation. They
believed in taxation for the purpose of revenue only
1t strange that taxation should be perverted so
as to take from one citizen to give to another citizen
instead OF to the State and that the constitution
should be perverted to divert channels Of trade
compel men to seek emplOyments which they do not
desire and to favor particular branches Of business
Taxation should be imposed fer the purposes OF reve
nue. only. The first reason for this was that the
power to tax was q power given to rase
0 her. and that to use 1t to advance particular
interests in any other way was a pervei-
sion. Suppose in the levy of incomes the tax on
the income of merchants should be quadruple that
on the farmers, the injustice would be apparent.
Besides we nave great deDs ncrea i1r an monor,
toward a just system of finance In order That the
debt, principal and interest, might be paid. The
try should be laid for the purpose Of revenues only
This was the main object Of these meetings
REMARKS BY REV. HENRY BLANCHARD.
Rev. HENRY BLANCHARD said he believed the sub
ject matter of this idea was very inn ortant one. lie
People did not believe finance could be elevated to
the dignity Of a moral question. But Drs. Chalmers
and B sthune and Archbishop WhaieIy had not con.
sdered political economy as beyond the sphere OF
their moral Consideration. He had himself come out
Of college believing that protection was the true doc
trne, but lately he had heard arguments that altered
his views Dr. .Atklnson's work, the advo'
eacy Of free trade by New England nuia manu- nIs
opinions. opinions In looking at the Atlantic ocean
he saw that our manufacturers were protected
by God. Seeing the skin ana "a inventive genius OF
ton by Congressional laws. The streams and rivers
protected them. Four-nfths OF American manufac-
turers only needed or asked for any protection.
AConnectcut Senator had recently travelled through
his State and inquired Of manufacturers II they
negative. Another matter that had engaged his at
tenon was the reduction OF wages here to the atus
mans condition there was, after all, not so bad. BY
labOrlng month there he could pay for years
OF MS Bn M nere was too great
ritories were open 20 the enerpIisins; THIS
over here shoals OF poor workingmen, who
underbid the American aborer. SO that tho
fostering OF great manufacturing interests here
to the detriment Of American labor. He believed
the largest Drained men were not in The halls OF Con-
ing what the people needed. II they protected men
beyond their liberty of aboring where they pleased
they transcended their authority. 1t would be sad II
God left these matters to the agency OF men. When
he read Mills and others aud thought through the
subject, the more he saw that this was religious
question. The spirit or selfsnnes5 in the small class
was against the interests OF the many. Free trade
had a right to exchange its products freely. Adam
Smith, by his thought alone, revoutonized whole
Parliament and an entire nation. Therefore men
ought to pursue this Study specifically and thor
oughly. The manufacturers should be brought into
convention to discuss and understand the advan-
tages OF perfectly free market He for one was In
favor OF taxation for revenue only.
DANIEL @. ROBBINS q merchant, remarked that on
drugs the average duty In Europe was less than two
and half per cent; In England 1t was less than two
per cent; in France less than two and half end in
the German ZOverein less than two per cent In our
country the duty twenty per cent, while II
dries were included IL would be twenty-five per cent.
REMARKS BY GEORGE oPDYKE.
GEORGE OPDYKE was called upon to speak on the
subject, but simply remarked that there was no men,
Der OF this association more firm In his con-
viction Of the wisdom and benefcence OF the
policy Of free trade than himself, or Of
the injurious effects OF protective policy Free
protection was only an obstruction to their just
operation. Our tariff should be go modified as to
make Its leading principal the collection OF revenue.
foreign commerce, and our people had greater apti-
tude for maritime commerce than any other nation.
CHARLES MoRAs held with Golding smith that moth.
ing has value for educational purposes that does
The Importance Of free trade was diminished by
urge revenue tax; but 1t was their duty to invesi-
gate how to diminish that burden Of debt which
lies on the people at large. To do this the prnci-
pies OF taxation must be examined, The tariff must
be abolished entirely that our industry might be de-
veoped. The enthusiasm for free trade was now
gone, as great thinkers had settled that question
before.
Dr. LEAvrrT remarked that he believed 1t right
never to buy abroad what you can Just as well pro-
duce at home but when 1t cannot be as well pro-
duced at home there was just reason for buying
abroad. The meeting then adjourned.