Is this credible? Is
this possible? It is, indeed, a most suspicious act of generosity; and
if you act wisely you will reject it.
CHAPTER XIII.
THEORY AND PRACTICE.
Defenders of free trade, we are accused of being mere theorists, of
not giving sufficient weight to the practical.
"What a fearful charge against you, free traders," say the
protectionists, "is this long succession of distinguished statesmen,
this imposing race of writers, who have all held opinions differing
from yours!" This we do not deny. We answer, "It is said, in support
of established errors, that 'there must be some foundation for ideas
so generally adopted by all nations. Should not one distrust opinions
and arguments which overturn that which, until now, has been held as
settled; that which is held as certain by so many persons whose
intelligence and motives make them trustworthy?'"
We confess this argument should make a profound impression, and ought
to throw doubt on the most incontestable points, if we had not seen,
one after another, opinions the most false, now generally acknowledged
to be such, received and professed by all the world during a long
succession of centuries.
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