, 1884-03-16
Free Trade Banquet.

NEW York, March l5.-The Free
Trade club gave its sixth annual dinner
tonight. Horace White and Manton
Marble were among the guests. Letters
of regret were received from Senators
Bayard, Pendleton, Beck, Charles Francis
Adams and Henry Ward Beecher. Presi-
dent Everett and S. Wheeler welcomed
the guests, especially Speaker Carlisle.
When the president finished his remarks
he said Carlisle would respond to the first
toast. The gentlemen at the table APP
plauded loudly when Carlisle arose and
every man in the room stood up and
cheered again and again. The sentiment
to which Carlisle responded was: Our
Federal Union" After making the
acknowledgements of the reception he
said: II am obliged always for the OPP
portunity of saying a few words in re
Spouse to the toast which is designed to
me. The formation of a union peace
fully add voluntarily which made
such radical changes in relation
between the several states themselves and
between them and the general government,
was undoubtedly one of the greatest po-
htical achievements of modern times. 1t
is, L think, safe to say that in no other
part of the world could such Il change
"a bNOh pNdSeluhN mlduC AZ llldl llIllC,
and perhaps it is equally safe to say it
could not have been made here twenty or
thirty years later. The old federation
possessed no means of sustaining itself.
In fact, it had no power to impose taxes,
regulate commerce or administer justice.
1t had but one of the essential depart
ments of real government, the legislative,
and even that was defective and almost
impotent. Each state has a right to i'm
pose duties, subject only to the condition
that they should not interfere with the
duties entered into by the United
States with foreign countries or
states. There was no limitation
whatever on the power of any state to
impose duties upon the products of any
other American state brought within its
limit for consumption. For the purpose
of protecting its own manufactures the
state Of New York had the full power to
impose any rate Of duty upon Philadel-
phia goods, and New Jersey possessed the
power In respect to the products of
New York. If free trade is what it is
and every one claims if it enables them to
the natural disadvantages and
to secure a higher degree of transporta-
ton, 1t must be admitted that the arrange
ment existing under confederation was one
ought never have been disturbed.
This free trade was established by the
constitution not only for trade between
the states then existing, but between all
states that might thereafter exist us mem
bers of the federal union. Most all will
admit that the wonderful transportation
to this country is attributable largely to
that provision and more largely than
TO any other one thing. What a
different picture this country rep
resents from what it would have
presented if the policy of restriction and
protection had prevailed among the states
as it has prevailed for so many years be-
tween the United States and. foreign ma
tons. Under the liberal policy estab-
llshed by the constitution, our means of
internal communication, and transportation
is increasing. The free commercial inter
between the states has promoted
the development of our national resources
and fostered agriculture and manufac-
lures.