Frederic Bastiat Quotes
Slavery and tariffs. These are the only two issues where, contrary to the general spirit of the republic of the United States, law has assumed the character of plunder. Slavery is a violation, by law, of liberty. The protective tariff is a violation, by law, of property.
Frederic Bastiat, 1801-1850, French Political Economist, The Law, 1850
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Providence, a large shipping center, not only shipped Southern Cotton, but was the home port of some of the major slave traders who brought and sold slaves to the South.
Baron Brougham and Vaux
The Mormons were in Missouri at the time. Phelps was warning the church members essentially not to get involved with the slavery issue. The Mormon Church tended to support the institution of slavery at that time although Mormons themselves did not own slaves. However, we should remember that the Mormons themselves were a very persecuted group and Phelps and other Church leaders probably didn’t want their members alienating the non Mormons more than they already did by their existence. This was very similar to the Roman Catholic Church leaders at the time. The Catholics were also a persecuted minority and the Catholic Bishops often supported slavery—especially in the South to try and avoid hostility from the power structure and the majority. Some individual Mormons and individual Catholics were much opposed to slavery. See {629158} and {629154} for more on the Mormons and slavery. Later, Smith altered his early view.
The prophet warns the Jews about wanting a king.
Note that in the beginning of the 20th century, the Democrats were the free traders opposing protectionism while the Republicans advocated strong protectionism to protect American companies. By the end of the 20th Century, both parties had flip flopped and taken the other’s position.
He was making a generalization based on his historical study of nations and societies.
Claude-Frédéric Bastiat was a French economist, writer and a prominent member of the French Liberal School.
