To judge of a measure, it is necessary that we should follow it from step to step, from result to result, until through the successive links of the chain of events we arrive at the final effect.

We must, in short, _reason_.
But here we are assailed by clamorous exclamations: You are theorists, metaphysicians, ideologists, utopians, men of maxims! and immediately all the prejudices of the public are against us.
What then shall we do?
We must invoke the patience and candor of the reader, giving to our deductions, if we are capable of it, sufficient clearness to throw forward at once, without disguise or palliation, the true and the false, in order, once for all, to determine whether the victory should be for Restriction or Free Trade.
I wish here to make a remark of some importance.
Some extracts from this volume have appeared in the "_Journal des Economistes_." In an article otherwise quite complimentary published by the Viscount de Romanet (see _Moniteur Industriel_ of the 15th and 18th of May, 1845), he intimates that I ask for the _suppression of custom houses_.

Mr.de Romanet is mistaken.

I ask for the suppression of the _protective policy_.

We do not dispute the right of _government_ to impose taxes, but would, if possible, dissuade _producers_ from taxing one another.