The New York herald., 1869-04-13
FREE TRADE.
Mass Meeting in BrookIyn-Denunciation oil
the Protective System-Speeches oi the heS'
Henry Ward Beecher and Professor Perry.

Last evening a large and innuentiai meeting ol
| prominent citizens was held at the brooklyn
Athenaum Atlantic street, under the auspices OF
the Brooklyn Free Trade League, for the purpose OF
hearing Professor A. L. Perry OF Williams College,
upon matters relating labor, production and COM
, | merce There was also present large number OF
| ladies.
The Rev. Mr. BEEcHER presided and in opening
the proceedings sad-I have been requested to pre-
side at this meeting and introduce the speaker OF
the evening. 1t is hardly necessary for me, there
fore TO occupy your attention. at any rate for any
considerable time, with remarks Of my own, and yet
may be INDUCED with few Introductory observa-
tions When that very eminent man and statesman,
Louis Coshell was present in this country In 1852,
| among striking things which he said was this,
that while in Europe all thinking people were con-
sdering and discussing great principles he found in
| America that men were discussing politics
| and not principles. This was in 1852,
which was very near the close Of that
| era Of vicious policies under which the mercury
sank as low as II ever has done in
the history OF the country. We stood upon the edge
| OF tremendous conflict which might be SAID for
the last twenty years has been eliminating in war;
and those profound discussions which have filed
| all our hearts since the war. For the last twenty
America hes been busy not discussing policies but
| discussing fundamental principles regarding the
rights OF States and the duty Of nations. After two
decades OF years we coming back again to ques
| tions OF policy Already we laying down those
| discussions which have divided the community for
many years past. Men are beginning to tire Of
them, ana they are beginning TO feel for themes,
and they will ere long arrange themselves in parties
according to new associations. IL only
be maintained. He contended that together with
discussing events IN relation TO the civil State the
industrial condition Of the citizen should also re.
its most brief and succinct term the doctrine Of the
Free Trade League-complete. absolute liberty In
ernment is allowed to interfere with individual lib
erty only at the very minimum for it was the doc
liberty, SO while government should protect the
rights OF commerce 1t should not undertake to med
die with the administration of it. nor with the
e fsp' a. ss on Aapansf sar
one to say Il am the S, tar1 mans but the great ques
lon was one OF principle upon which the tArlr was
be administered. 1t might be said there were
only two parties whose interests at stake, for
longed 1t was mongre one. NaughterD. One Of
the two parties must necessarily go TO extreme.
He himself was drifting in one direction. Laughter
and applausel The two parties representing differ
ent principles were those desirous OF having the
tarin SO framed that 1t would tend to the fostering
and protection OF American industry, and the
party was composed OF those who believed that
tne t tar1 should be framed purely and absolutely
not attempt to protect and foster any particular
branch of American industry he was opposed To
the interference OF government and contended that
trade should be absolutely nee. 1t was urged by
free traders that commerce and free trade N then
owp nature progress more rapidly by individual and
unrestricted labor than by governmental interfer
ence. He compared the protective system TO pig
with litter the Strongest got possession of the paps
while the weakest squealed Government was the
worst system OF protection 1t had no instrument
to effect the object desired in the way OF free trade
The government could not meddle without political
| influence and wnere politics were mingled with
| trade the consequence would tend to curb its
on Lbery of rade wanted no
protective laws. II the government took care OF
trade the result would be very iucfuating policy.
Change was damaging to any trade In Its industry
| 1t would be Impossible for the government TO do
what Ii undertook to 90 regarding the protection Of
| trade. There must be DIVISION. One party might
succeed, but the other would counteract its infu
ences Feeble interests and weak voices would sui
fer heavily. having no political friends. He was OPP
posed to protective tatr, because it could never be
| sufficiently party. If high tariff prevailed COM
merce was so much crippled. Nations should not
| be debarred from trade IN this country. How could
exclude foreign sails and still expect TO ship
merchandise elsewhere. 1t unjust. 1t was
| simply sacrificing commerce to accommodate inter-
nal interests. The attempt TO protect the country
by prohIbtory tariff tended to denoralize people
| and debauch the government. He had been called
! to speak very Important topics. His name would
doubtless be familiar as connected with slavery. But
| he had now laid down the black man. Government
| had already put him on his feet, and when man
once put upon his feet just as he was tnen, could
stand he must fall tCheers He dilated upon the
rights Of the workingmen and small capitalists in con-
tradistincton. He himself. could not forget what he
grandfather was a blacksmith. His father was a
farmer; but finding he was not good Tor That they
| made minister OF him. Now, there was more TO
be feared from corrupt Legislatures and the bribery
| OF capital than from any other source. He then
generally took place in consequence OF the complete
| unscrupulousness OF some representatives. Some
men, weighed as far as their individual worth was
concerned would not sell for ive dollars but send
| them up TO the Legislature and they Will be worth
aese ope renresenaye sed the Votes ny
| thousand men. The reverend gentleman con-
: cluded BY expressing his sincere concurrence
| in the objects OF the meeting Long since he had
| been WING, and, following IN the suit OF Webster,
5 Calhoun and Cay, had been supporter OF pro-
tecve tariff but now his ideas In that respect
plause.l ae did not desire to occupy the time Of
( | the meeting by any further remarks Professor
Perry would address them on the subject
! Mr.. PERRY was then introduced and proceeded TO
had had the right to pO life w liberty and pr6y propery a
the right to the powers which God had
ras m e Ss, to Of e ,e1y free va. exercise Ss Of
use the powers which God had given us SO long as
! they did not conflict with those OF our neghbors.
He had the right TO take brush and brush his boots
or he had the right TO get shine from the bootblack
al the street corner and give him sinner for
the power directly he had TIE right to use II In
directly. He had az good right to swim across the
river as Leanderd did the Heliespont though might
be for different purpose. He had a right to swim
| across the East river TO attend this meeting pay
I across. He claimed that every man had The right
TO buy and sell, and In fact paddle his own canoe.
Inc rght 10 property was the right TO
sell, Tor there never was any right Of property,
cept by the right OF exchange. IL the fact that
he could give something away for Its value, and any
I interference with the right OF these things was an
fringement on the right OF property 1t was the In
terest OF the government to allow all exchanges TO
! | go Onto promote and foster them. There was a
, | system which undertook TO prohibit these ex-
r changes-undertook 70 say how they should buy and
: now tney should SELL as well as where they should
!. | buy aud where they should SELL and, would they
, believe III they called this protection. lie con-
! tended that tue system now pursued was waste ul
) | and destructive TO Industries Every honest
. | trader must come TO the CONCLUSION that certain
|, \ branches OF trade could live. some departments
n must fail In order to support the others. We must
4 tax our neignbors to carry particular parts OF
Industry Therefore, he submitted, the syste az IL
! | now stood was waseful wnen the honest prOsecu
Q | ton OF trade was pruhtless. our shipping was
|. getting worse every year, because, IN the