The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-04-06
The Free Trade Movement.


! meeting to bo held on the next evening
in the hall of the open Board of Bro
kcrs. to protest against the present un-
just and intolerable tariff legislation of
the country, and to advocate strictly
revenue measure. The aigners Of the
call were men of all professions, and
of both political parties. Could we
republish the list, which is headed by
Brown, Brothers & Co, and Duncan,
Sherman Il Co., our readers would
sec that it comprises an enormous pro-
portion of the wealthiest and most
influential citizens of the financial
and political metropolis Of the Conti-
nent. This unanirnity Of sentiment
may. be taken as fair illustra tion of
the gcUcral opinion of the country On
a question which is now exciting
popular attention to an unusual de-
gree. The meeting was most i'm
posing demonstration. Jackson s.
Schultz, Esq, presided, and among
the vicc-presidents were such prom1-
nent gentlemen as Samuel j. Tidden,
John J. Cisco, Wilson G. Hunt, w.
B. DUNCAN, John Bigelow, Stewart
Brown, Henry Grinncll, &c. Speech
es were made by William Cullan, Bry-
ant, Jackson s. Schultz, Mahlon
Sauds, VIM. Allen Butler aud Charles
H. Marshall, and letter was receiv-
from Henry Ward Beecher regretting
that a previous engagement prevented
his being present to speak for free
trade.
The following resolutions were read
and adopted:
Resoloed, That with the settlement
of the political questions of slavery
and reconstruction, it has become the
primary duty of American statesmen
devote themselves to a reform in the to
financial policy of the Federal Gov
ernment. H.l.aa aa
Resolved, That the impolitic and
unjust tariff system which has been
imposed upon the United 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 upon the poorer classes, By
increasing the expense Of living.
While claiming to "protect American
industry" it has, III fact, fettered and
crippled the industrial energy of the
nation. 1t has destroyed the pros
perity of those great branches of
manufacture which were formerly en-.
gagged in tue production of articles for
export to South America, the West
Indies, China and India; it has prov
ed ruinous equally to the wool-grower
and the manufacturer of woollen
goods; it has 80 Increased the cost of
iron, coal and raw materials as to i'm
pose needless and oppressive burdens
upon all American industry engaged
in manufactures; it has added enor
mously to the expense of railroad
construction and transportation it
thus defrauds American labor by
needless obstruction to the exchange
Of it's products, and it adds to this
oppression by enhancing the price of
every article which the American la
borcr may wish to purchase in ex~
change for the products Of his soil.
Resolpsd, That the present tariff
has destroyed our shipbuildiDg inter
este, while our unjust laws prevent
the American shipo~ner from conpe-
ting with the English, the French and
Germans in the ocean.carrying trade
Our shipowners nced no subsidies,
but they have right to ask for the
abolition Of legislation which places
them at an irretrievablo disadvantage,
compared with their foreign rivals,
by preventing thom from purchasing
ships in the cheapest market.
! The Grand Jury of York County,
in their presentmcnt to Judge w. M.
Thomas consider the circumstances
under which Gov. Scott sent mill
tary company into York, aud conclude
as follows: I'LL 4'gs ,HH ~
"We, therefore, present the mill
tary company com mandod by John Il,
Faris, under the authority Of the Cover
nor Of South Carolina, as unnecessary
for the preservation Of, and danger
GUS to, the peace Of this County; as
wholly incompetent to enforce the
laws, in case their aid were needed
for that purpose (; as a nuisance to The
township in whichit is stationedj az
an unlawful and unjust burden upor
the County, on account Of tho ex'
pensc thereby thrown upon our citi,
zens, which amounts TO largo sum
as violation Of the Constitution o
these United States, which guarantees
to every!State Republican form o.
Governmont---a form of government
which cannot exist where tho consti
tuted civil authorities may be SCI
, aside, at the pleasure Of q Governor
who is amenable to no tribunal pbu
his own sovereign will and the lives
liberties and property Of citizens arr
placed in the hands of . military or