No. 151.] 313 



cents per bushel, whilst it comes in from her colonies at three cents 

 per bushel. This is to continue for a period of three years; when, if 

 she does not see fit to alter her law, it may come in from all quar- 

 ters at three cents. She admits beef and pork free. She must have 

 it to supply her immense armies and navies, and she cannot produce 

 enough herself. She admits butter at five cents per pound, and 

 cheese at 2^ cents, with discriminations in favor of her colonies. 

 She admits raw materials, such as compose her manufactures, which 

 she cannot produce at all, or not in suflficient quantity. For instance, 

 cotton, coarse wool, raw hides, wood for cabinet ware, dyeing mate- 

 rials, &c., free of duty. All her manufactures, which are not pro- 

 tected by her skill, she protects by statute; and this is the great ad- 

 vance she has made in free trade! It is British free trade. Her 

 emissaries are abroad in every land, and in every capacity, who fail 

 not to echo — free trade! Partisans, to our own local jealousies, and 

 demagogues, have united in the clamor for free trade; and the honest 

 industry, the free labor of the country, is to be shorn of its fair re- 

 ward, prostrated and ground to a level with the serfs of Europe. 



The reason assigned for this change cannot be satisfactory to the 

 laboring portion of the people. At one time, the revenue was said 

 to exceed the necessary wants of the government, and must be re- 

 duced. At another, it was not enough, and must be increased. Is 

 the tariff, which was proposed in 1845, and adopted in 1846, calcu- 

 lated to accomplish both these objects'? to work either way by turns, 

 as may be deemed most desirable? To my mind, it is a novel method 

 for increasing revenue; first, to break down the ability of a people 

 to consume, and then force upon them a double dose of foreign 

 fabrics. The idea that Wv2 are bound to meet the liberal legislation 

 of Great Britain with corresponding liberality, is unworthy an Ame- 

 rican, because there is not a particle of liberality in it. She has 

 legislated against her agriculture, and in favor of her manufactures, 

 by compulsion. We have legislated in favor of our agriculture, and 

 against our manufactures. If meeting her, means meeting her wish- 

 es, then have we done all that she desires. 



Great Britain, from her earliest history, has preached free trade. 

 She has sent her Adam Smiths into every land, and translated him 

 into every toiigue, but has never put in requisition any of his precepts. 

 Discrimination, restriction, and prohibition, has been her policy from 

 the beginning to this day. 



By the tariff of 3846, the idea of protection to American labor is 

 wholly repudiated. The rate of duties on foreign articles, coming in 



