The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-02
THE FREE TRADE MoHEMENT.
GREAT MEETING IN NEW YORK.
The Resolutions.

On Wednesday last thirteen hundred Of the
most prominent citizens of New York issued a
call for mass meeting to be held on the next
evening In the hall Of the open Board Of Bro
kers, TO protest against the present unjust and
intolerablc tariff Legislation Of the country, and
to advocate strictly revenue measure. The
signers of the call were men OF oil professions,
and of beth political parties. Could we re-
publish the list, which il headed by Brown.
Brothers & Co. and Duncan, Sherman &
Co., our readers would see that it comprises
an enormous proportion Of the wealthiest and
most influential citizens OF the financial and
political metropolis of the Continent. This
nnanimty of sentiment may be taken as fair
illustration of the general opinion of the coun-
try on question which is now exciting popu-
lar attention TO an unusual degree. The meet
ing was most imposing demonstration. Jack-
sou S. Schultz, Esq, presided, and among the
vlce-presidents were such prominent gentle
men as Samuel J. Tden, John j. Cisco, Will
son G. Hunt, W. B. Duncan, John Bigelow,
Stewart Brown, Henry Grinnell, &c. Speech
es were made by William Cullan Bryant, Jack
son S. Schultz, Mahlon Sands, VIM. Allan But
Ter and Charles H. Marshall, and letter was
received from Henry Ward Beecher regrcttlng
that previous engagement prevented his be-
ing present to speak for free trade.
The following resolutions were read and
adopted:
Resolued, That with the settlement of the po-
1if;n NJ nDr inn
it has become the primary duty Of American
statesmen to devote themselves to q reform
In the financial policy Of the Federal Govern
ment.
RESOLVED, That the impolitic and unjust tariff
system which has been imposed upon the Uni.
ted States, has greatly impaired the prosperity
of the country; has added enormously to
the burdens necessarily created by the war,
and has borne with especial severity npon the
poorer classes, by increasing the expense of
living. While claiming to "protcct American
industry" it has. in fact, fettercl and Grip
Piled the industrial energy OF the nation.
1t has destroyed the prosperity Of those great
branches of manufacture which were for
merly engaged in the production Of articles
for export to South America, the West Indies,
China and India; it has proved rninonS equally
to the wool-growcr and the manufacturer of
woollen goods; IL has so increased the cost OF
iron. coal and raw materials rs to impose
needless and oppressive burdens upon all
American industry engaged in manufactures:
1t has added enormously 10 the expense OF
railroad construction and transportation; it
thu: defrauds American labor by needless OBJ
strnction to the exchange OF its products, and
It adds 10 this oppression by enhancing the
price Of every article which the American Ia
borer may wish to purchase in exchange for
the products of his toll.
ResolUed. That the present tariff has Destroy
ed our shipbuilding interests, while our an
from competing with the English, the French
and Ihe Germans in the ocean-carrying trade.
Our shipownars need no subsidies, but they
have riwht 10 ask for the abolition of legisla-
ton which places them at an irretrlevable dis
advantage, compared with their foreign rivals,
by preventing them from purchasing ships in
the cl:nl-es; market.