Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-11-02
The attempt to prejudice Irishmen

freedom by characteriZing it as " En-
glish free trade" and laying the de-
cline of the manufacturing interests
in Ireland at its door, does not seem
to pan out very well. The absurdity
of the claim that free trade ever injur-
ed the wooden, linen and other factories
of Ireland is apparent to any one at all
acquainted with history. The great
decline in these industries referred to
by protection speakers and news
papers took place nearly half cen
fury before the free trade party of
England was born. And the great
cause of their ruin, instead of being
free trade, was the policy of protection
and restriction, which England carried
out at that time to the extent of her
power; but which was successfully
resisted III this country, by the Ameri-
can revolution. These protective
laws were inflicted upon Ireland until
1910 and was not repealed until they
had almost ruined her manufacturing
interests. The following extract from
Walpole's " History of Ireland shows
how their repeal was brought about:
At the opening Of parliament, on
Oct. u, 1910. Grattan moved as an
amendment to the address, that it was
by free export and import only that
the nation was to be saved from i'm
pending ruin" Hussy Bnrgh suggested
that the words, " an opening of the
ports" should be substituted; when
Flood, who for five years had sat ton
gue-tied on the government benches.
and who had grown jealous of the
position Of the champion of the rights
of the nation, which Grattan had
achieved, broke away from the silken
chains of court favor and proposed
" free trade should be the crucial
words of the amendment.
Grattan accepted the alteration, and
the amendment WAS carried, with but
one dissenting voice. Next day when
the speaker and the whole house of
commons marched III procession to
present the amended address ut the
castle, the streets were lined with the
Dublin volunteers. drawn up i'll arms
under the command of the duke of
LeinSter.
Tie popular excitement was now
tremendous. The volunteers were
reviewed on King Williams birthday
on College Green, and two iield-pieces
were drawn in front of his statute,
ticketed, free trade or this" The
Dublin mob wrecked the house of the
attorney general, Scott, one of Towns
heads purchased patriots, who was
known to be hostile to the volunteer
movement. The house Of commons
itself was invaded, and the members
made to swear to vote for " free trade >
or :" a short money bill Tie speakers
carriage was stopped and the oath
rendered him. When the viceroy on
the 9th asked for the usual vote of
supplies for two years, the govern
ment was abandoned by the chief sup
porters. The house amid the greatest
excitement, voted Il six months money
bill by 1873 to 100 Talk not to me of
peace shouted IIuSsy Burgh. when
dcnouncing the restrictive English
statutes; " it is smothered war. Eng
land has sown her laws like dragons
teeth, and they have sprung up Ill
armed men.
Lord Bucklngshire, who was now
lord-lleutenant, wrote over to the min
lStIy llldI tDc IppGdi Oh the lGduC re-
Strictions must be immediate and
complete Lord Shelborne in the lords
and Lord Upper OssOry, supported by
Edmund Burke i'll the commons. NOV
ed Il vote of Censure on the govern
ment for not granting to Ireland what,
now it was too late, they had offered to
America. Lord North yielded and
brought in three bills of repeal, the
substance of which was to allow Ire
land free export of her wool, woolenS,
wool flock and glass, and the free inn
portation of foreign hops; to remove
the prohibition against the carrying of
gold and silver coin from England into
Ireland, and to permit her TO trade
directly with the "I4evant sea-" and
the English colonies upon the same
terms as Great Britain. The bills were
rapidly passed through both houses,
and copies were forwarded to the vice
roy. The concession was received By
the Irish with the most eNtravagal1
gratitude. Dublin was illuminat6T,
bonlircs blazed, aud guns the of both
garrison and the volunteers rivaled
each other in firing feuX de joie.''
From the above it appears that the
first vote ever taken in any legislative
body on the question of free trade was
taken i'll the parliament of Ireland one
hundred and four years ago. and that
to the genius Of the Emerald Isle are
we indebted for the term free trade"