Middletown transcript., 1869-05-01
re Old Dsmosratlo Doetrlns revived.

OcmOGENtAc
Strange things happen now-a-days-in
politics, religion, literature, science, art /;
but the strangest thing which has crossed
the field of our vision and challenged our
wonder and amazement, is the recent
springing up of pure and unadulterated
democratic truth in New England, lin
BosToN, the head and heart Of New Eng
lam Whether the plant will fructify and
increase in that "stony ground" remains
to be seen. We find the subject thus ad-
verted to in the columns of that able jour-
nal, the Baltimore Gazette -
Reform League, based upon the principles of
Free Trade, has just been organized at Boston.
1t numbers amongst its members some of the most
| Influential men in New England. ltopposes spe-
cial legislation of every kind. 1t announces its
belief ia the propositions that every man is enti-
Led to the results of his own labor to sell at will
| in the nearest market and buy in the cheapest !;
that Government interference with the industrial
efforts of the citizen is an infringement OF his nat
ural rights that reciprocity of trade gives to
each nation, under system of mutual exchange,
the greatest results from the least expenditure of
toll; that all raw materials machinery, fuel and
lumber should be admitted duty free; that such
customs duties as it may be necessary to impose,
should be levied for revenue exclusively and not
for protection that Il currency OF real value
should take the place of deprecated paper, and
fnaly that Government appointments should be
made on the sole ground OF fitness and not as the
reward of party services.
III New York the Free Trade Lea rue has also
set vigorously TO work in vindication of these doc
triues, and at the West and Northwest, they are
: ALREADY accepted with ardor by the Chicago Tri
bune the Cincinnati Commercial and host o
: minor journals. At Brooklyn, HENRY WAR;
, BEEcHER has openly repudiated, at Free Trade
meeting the heresy of high protective tarif
! which he has held and maintained so long Th'
New York Tribune snaps and snarls at the new
movement, sedulously avoids the publication o
3 the speeches made and of the resolutions adopt
, ed, but no longer charges that the League is in
stigated by British gold.
i All these things point to change. The or.
for reform comes from the Republican ranks
Il The new converts to this old Democratic doctrine
are observation-disclosures of them Abolitionists q
e the deepest dye They are beginning to discove
u that protective tariff works with shocking inc
It quality that it interferes with the rights of la
Dor enriches a few, impoverishes many, break
C down our commerce with foreign nations, an
v checks domestic industrial enterprises.
: These are the lessons which they are learnin
|, -tardily, it is true but not less surely. TIL
n evils of which they now complain have bee
wrought Dy their own partyi anu, III no
Ii measure, by themselves. The enormous publ
,r debt which has furnished the excuse for so muc
reckless legislation, is owing in great part TO Ii
n policy which they have supported, and the co..
ruption they have fostered. Now that the bul
then upon tire r.Jple is so great that.they stagge
is under it; now that they mutter here and thel
ominous words of discomfort, and are demandin
some prompt and certain mode of relief; eve
le Boston begins to cry out; ''We must protect Il
laborer. In so far as we tax his tools, his fue
r his food, his clothing, VIC tax the process i
h which he earns his wages. We must promo
the policy of non-nterference. We must defe
ne copper tariff bills Moorhead tariff bills wool an
ne wooen tariff bills, and demand of Congress
revenue tariff bill enacted with the single idea
be obtaining revenue at the least cost to the cor
III munity."
These are brave words, and they Indicate tha
at least, some members of the Republican par
are sick unto repentance. If they are sincere
their good intentions, let them prove their since
y ily by first restoring to the people of the Southe
We States the rights Of which they have been depri
:, ed Let them use all legitimate means to rel
n state them in a prosperous condition. 1t is
hn that section that all the great staples of CONNER
: option, sugar rice and tobacco-are produce
to and these constitute main reliance in any
ha TEN of exchangeabe commodities. As for abs
lue free trade, the enormous public debt Ii
r. made that an impossibility. Under any circul
&c stances the taxes for alone must be heav
and the most that the Reform League can hope
n, do is to put stop to special legislation and
~ tightening the burthen of taxation prepare
'i' way for a resumption of specie payments. If
full succeeds in doing this, it will have accomplish
a good work