Vermont Phœnix

Coarse Wool Jugglery.

The Locofocos are still swelling their throats about the low duties on coarse wool. The price of wool is not so high as it was last year, they say. Well, let us look a little into this matter. What confidence can Vermont farmers have in a President who has declared that "wool ought to go in duty free"? What confidence can they have in a party, a great majority of whom are for reducing the duty on all articles to the revenue standard of such men as R. J. Walker of Mississippi, the present Secretary of the Treasury, and who, for several years, has been one of the most ultra hard money, free-trade and repudiating advocates? But grant for the occasion, that there are a few Locofocos in Vermont, who really desire the duty increased on the coarsest kind of wool,—is there a man so stupid as not to know that their voice could never be respected by the majority of the party? Were not nearly all the Northern Democracy, a short time since, opposed to annexation, and are they not now almost to a man, in favor of that measure? Does not the democracy of New Hampshire and half of the party in New York go hand in hand with Southern free-traders in reducing the Tariff on every article? Does not the democracy of the South rule the democracy of the North? We do hope that Whigs, at least intelligent Whigs of Vermont, will not suffer this nonsensical coarse wool twattle to be crammed down their throats. They might as well ask the wolf to protect the lamb, as a Locofoco Congress to protect the wool growers.

As to the charge of a decrease in the price of wool since last year, it ought to be borne in mind, that the quantity of wool grown this year is vastly increased, which may reasonably account for the small decrease in the price. And here, in passing, we would direct attention to the assertion of the Windham Co. Democrat of last week, that the democracy 'are contending that the interests of the wool grower are not identical with those of the manufacturer' under the tariff of 1842. Well, neighbor, withdraw the protection from the manufacturer—stop two-thirds or all our large woolen manufactories—and flood the country with foreign cloths of all kinds, from the dearest down to the cheapest, and where would the wool grower find a valuable market for his wool?

Again: aside from the effects produced by unequal amounts in the different yearly crops, or clips, if you will—what would more tend to enhance the price of wool than an increased demand for the raw material?—and what would more increase this demand than the increased activity and extension of the woolen manufactories?—and what would more tend to increase the activity and promote the extension of these woolen manufactories than the protection afforded them by the present Whig Tariff of 1842?—a Tariff which your party are moving heaven and earth in preparing the way for destroying. We say—and any one, who will have the candor, and take the trouble to carefully examine the subject, will say, that the interests of the wool grower and the manufacturer are identical.

As to the idea which some Locofoco politicians profess to entertain, that the home wool grower is likely to be injured by a competition with foreign importers of wool, we believe it is all sheer nonsense. And if in fact there was really any truth in the assertion, the Locofoco Free Trade party would be the last resort for a remedy. No, neighbor, you can't secure the votes of intelligent Whig wool growers, by thus attempting to pull the wool over their eyes.