Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-03-11
Free Trade.

At the banquet Of free traders, held in
New York City on the I'D Of November,
letters were read from, and speeches were
made by, several distinguished gentlemen.
Governor Hoffman. in his letter, said:
The results OF the recent elections are
most encouraging. But it is very import.
ant that the work Of instruction shall 60
on actively during the interval between
elections, when the popular mind is free
from excitement and distraction incident
to political canvass. l trust the League
of which you are members, which has al.
ready done so much effective work, will
continue its labors uninterruptedly and
with renewed zeal and courage"
General Mcclellan, in his brief letter
said:
"Wil you permit me to express my
cordial sympathy with the purposes of
Free Trade and Revenue Reform League,
and my earnest wishes for its early and
complete success 7"
John Quincy Adams, late Democratic
nominee for Governor Of Massachusetts, in
his letter, said:
eff VIC are ready to act in the same
spirit of lofty patriotism if we are pre-
pared to shake hands over supcrannuated
animosites if we, too, dare to waive tech.
nicalitics Of party to grasp the principles
of liberty the day is at hand when no
man shall be prescribed and no interest
subsidized from one end Of our land to the
other"
Hon. s. s. Cox, Democratic member of
Congress from the city of New York, spoke
as follows:
81 believe that no tariff is honest which
undertakes to take from one man and give
to another. I honor Gratz Brown, Gov
ernor, aud Senator Schurz, because they
have said in emphatic tones, Thou shalt
not steal" (Applause.)
"Thc idea runs further back than
slavery. l was never ashamed of the
words free trade. Does anybody want slave
trade? (Applausc) Why can we not
condemn the restrictions, the exactions Of
custom houses, when those who impose
them applaud them so loudly? l am a
free trader under the Constitution. IF
anybody wants to make anything out Of
that phrase, they may. (Applause.) Let
us raise our revenue. let us keep up our
credit, let us provide for all the legitimate
wants of the Government but let us keep
up the idea that there shall not be stealing
from one trade to benefit another Cap
plause.) Let our merchants buy ships
where they please. We converted the
President to that at the end Of last session.
The legislation Of last session, which Mr..
Wcllcs called a sort Of bcdcvilmcnt,"
was outrageous, surrcntitious-anything
you may choose to call it. (E1ear, hear.)
The little "tariff bill" was a scheme, a
fraud, and u device. 1t did not take the
duty from the ncccssaries, but it left the
duties on them, varying from forty live to
six hundred per cent. 1t is slavery, it is
robbery, it is burglary! (Great npplausc.)
81 like the words free trade l have
fought great deal for it. was almost
alone in Congress fighting these moral
tariffs bills-lxcus a nan laecR.lo! Laugh.
ter aud applau'c.) Wrote speech which
was published seven years after ia Aus
trulia, just under here. In that timc,
General Schenck being in the chair, they
allowed me to 80 beyond my time. They
said, "That young man is a thcorist; he
won't do any harm" daughter and ap
plausc.) Mr.. Dawes said he could answer
me. lie said, "You have learned this
from secession; jeff Davis has taught you
that" Bning little under the cloud
Just then, contented myself with saying
that l learned them from DR.. Wayland.
(Applausc.) But because jeff Davis says,
Two aud two make four" shall not 60
back on that and say they make Eve.
daughter and applausc.)