408 [Assembly 



The time was, when it was avowed in the British House of Parli- 

 ament, that " not even a hob-nail" should be made in America. The 

 time isj when our country is able to manufacture articles for domestic 

 supplies, and an increasing export, of an equal or higher grade than 

 any that can be brought in competition. The same spirit which was 

 thus avowed in the British Parliament has attended all our future pro- 

 gress; and it now offers us " Free Trade''* — by the late navigation 

 law of Great Britain. It offers the trade of her Island; less in size 

 than, several of our States, and especially the State of Georgia, and 

 in this offer it withholds a reciprocal commerce with all her colonial 

 institutions, spread in every quarter of the globe, and which consti- 

 tute the material part of her Empire. For such an offer, she gravely 

 calls it " Free Trade,'' and will claim to have access to this country. 

 to be admitted into the many thousand miles of its coasting trade, 

 with the right of free voyages even to California, and into the gold 

 diggings. It is a trap, if not to catch flies, at least like the artificial 

 fly used by boys to catch fish. She seems to fancy that our govern- 

 ment will be caught by the term " Free TradeP It is the hope of 

 my heart that our government will be wide. awake, and better under- 

 stand the great and growing interests of this nation. We have the 

 right and are able to demand a thorough Equality. In our youth, 

 we have borne our part in all the improvements of the age, and a full 

 share in the advancement of the civil institutions of the world. 



The United States have a better carrying-trade, than all Europe 

 combined. When " Free Trade" is granted to the vessels, then 

 comes " the tug of war." The readiness of England for conflicting 

 duties and countervailing regulations will not be forgotten. When 

 our laws estabhshed a nursery for American Seamen, and gave a 

 Bounty on the Fisheries, to create a carrying-trade, how long was it 

 before duties were provided by England, prohibitory on Fish from a 

 foreign country, and duty free coming from a colony. These regu- 

 lations render it necessary for a British vessel only to touch on her 

 return voyage at a colony, and thence home, duty free. Tbus our 

 Bounty on the Fisheries was turned to a carrying-trade and nursery 

 for British seamen, and with contiguity to British ports, explains the 

 surplus of Foreign " Entries" and «' Clearances" appearing at the Port 

 of Boston. 



