The Portland daily press., 1869-04-15

PORTLAND.
Thursday Morning, April rs, 1869.
Free Trade.

Free Trade.
ADDRESS OF HENRY WARD BEECHRR BE-
FORE THE BROOKLYN FREE TRADE LEAGUE.
Monday evening Mr.. Bescher appeared in
his new role of an advocate OF free trade. He
said:
When that eminent man and statesman
Louis Kossuth was here in 1852, among the
striking things he said was, that while in Eu-
rope people were discussing great principles,
men in America were discussing policies and
not principles. That was in 1852, when was
germlna ating that corrupt policy which at last
eliminated in the war. Now, after a decade
OF years we are coming back to the discussion
OF principles, and all men arrange themselves
IN new parties: but care should be had that
they be so arranged as that the great princi-
pies OF liberty shall be preserved. The doc
trlne OF liberty should be extended to more
than the civil state-it should apply to COM
merclal interests also. Absolute freedom in
trade and commerce should be the rule, and
II restrained at all it should be only in pro-
portion OF the minimum. As in the mini
mum only does government interfere with
social rights, so should it be the doctrine in
relation to commerce that, while Government
protects the rights of commerce it shall not
interfere with its administration except at the
minimum. The question is not tariff or no
tariff. The question is the principles on
which the law shall be framed.
There are but two recognized parties on
this questionable one for the protection of
American industry, the other for income, ir-
respective OF the protection of American in
dustry. But there is also third, though less
active party, that to which he belongs, and
which is known as the mongrel part; and as
he has come from one extreme there is little
difficulty in telling whittier he is now drift
ing. Men whom he knew as extreme pro-
tectionlsts are fast becoming skeptical as to
whether the interference of Government
does not in the end weaken and demoralize
rrther than strengthen and consolidate. Trade
and commerce in their very nature are better
without government interference.
As the tree growing thickly surrounded by
others is stunted and dwarfed by that very
contact, while the lofty oak standing alone
throws out its sheltering branches far and
wide, so commerce fourishes best when left
without shelter and protection, free as the air
which God hath given. Government does
not possess the tools fine enough to foster
these interests, and it is poor way to let her
meddle with them. The Government should
not meddle with them, because she cannot do
50 without the exercise of strong political in
nuences. One party supplanting another
leads to perpetual mutations. Give us any
platform ANY laws, but let them be perma-
nent ones Let the road be. over hills,
through morasses, or winding through for
ests, we can always travel with ease if its
course remain unaltered, but under political
influences the rule must always be fuctu-
ating and the change ever damaging. Though
public officials had argus eyes, they could not
equally protect all-the strong might receive
protection, but the weak would suffer. The
interests of all could be no more effectually
protected than litter of young pigs, the big
one OF which usually gets the breast and the
little one squeals. So the swollen and mighty
powers of commercial interest will be fore
most and most successful, while the subor-
dnate lahors of industry, being without po-
litical influence, must bear the oppression.
The interests Of commerce are no more to be
left unprotected than is home industry. The
hoe, the plow and the wheel are no more
entitled to protection than the mast, the
yards and the sails. If we ship nothing to
foreign nations, will they ship anything to
US? Shall we tell them we have all we want
what then? We, with 5000 miles of sea
coast, are going to manufacture all we need.
What then becomes OF our shipping?
The attempt to regulate the interests of
commerce on the principles of high tariff
tends to debauch the people and embarrass
the government. This question is now COM
ing forcibly before the American people, ]
have laid down the black man, now that the
government has put him on his feet, and
when he has been placed on his feet and
guaranteed all the rights and privileges which
l have got then, If he cannot stand, let him
fall. That great question at an end, others
arise now to take their place. / abhor sleepy
men, and in every community there are ques-
tions to keep the people awake. The mis-
chief now to be most feared is that which
arises from the organization of gigantic es-
fqhliShmQOfc in nrnnaifior f0 ipdiuidrroI Ia
Dor. A laborer myself, born of laborer, who
was the son of laborer, whose father was a
laborer, it is not strange that my sympathies
are with labor. My great-grandfathers fa-
| ther was saddler, and his son was saddler.
Ny grandfather was blacksmith, and my IA
ther farmer, until they found him worthless
| for that, and made him minister. In this
nation to-day we have more to fear from
bribery than from any other source. Every
man is bound to labor to purify the govern
ment, or we are swamped. The government
cannot afford to permit these corrupt influ-
ences to grow in her midst, for bribery is
battering ram which she can never with
stand. He believed there were men in the
nation who could not be bought, but they did
not 60 in regiments. No man could tell how
he would feel if offered 100000 for his vote.
| Some there are who, If put up at auction,
| with all their powers, mental, moral and
physical, would not bring $5, while as legis-
lative member he will sell for $150O00, and
| why ?--because he holds within his control
the decision OF 10000 men. Protective tariff
is bringing to Washington just this class of
men-a class more potent for evil than any
| ever born in this land.
| Mr.. Beecher then went on to speak of hav-
ing belonged. to the Wing and High-tariff
party, with which he voted as long as there
was Wing party in existence, and even
| down to within few years he was high
tariff man, but the more he thought of it the
more he slipped, so that he had been brought
not only into "a state of conviction, but had
strong hope on the other side. He has had
his pet theories on this subject, but now there
seems nothing in prospect for him but bank
ruptcy of his former theories. Many he now
meets. also, who once thought as he did on
this subject, are beginning to think there is
something on the other side. Our fancies are
now all the other way, but we are not pre-
pared to decide absolutely. This is the time
for every citizen to inquire what is his duty,
and earnestly struggle for its faithful per-
formance. Mr.. Beecher concluded by intro
ducing Professor Perry in few compliment
| 70 ru ron, rlo