The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-19 00:00:00

pares an invoice of the goods, not at their actual value.
but at the very lowest rate necessary to escape detection
In this manner the dishonest importer and the foreign
manufacturer enjoy a decided advantage over the honest
merchant. They are thus enabled to undersell the fair
trader, and drive him from the market. In fact; the ope-
ration of this system has already driven from the pursuits
of honourable commerce many of that class of regular and
conscientious merchants, whose character, throughout the
world, is the pride of our country.
The remedy for these evils is to be found in specific du;
ties, so far as this may be practicable. They dispense with
any inquiry at the custom •house into the actual cost or
value of the article, and it pays the precise amount of duty
previously fixed by law. They present no temptations to
the appraisers of foreign goods, who receive but small sale-
ries, and might, by unervaluation in a few cases, render
themselves independent.

Besides, specific duties best conform to the requisition in
the Constitution that "no preference shall be given by any
regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one St ate
over those of another." Under our ad valorem system such
preferences are to some extent inevitable, and complaints
have often been made that the spirit of this pmvision has
been violated by a lower appraisement of the same articles
at one port than at another.
An impression strangely enough prevails to some extent
that specific duties are necessarily protective duties. No'
thin can be more fallacious. Great Britain, glories in free
trade, and yet her whole revenue from imports is at the
present moment *collected under a system of specific dutie:,.
It is a striking fact in this connection that, in the commer-
cial treaty of 23d Jan., 1860, between France and England,
one of the articles provides that the ad valorem duties which
it imposes shall be converted into specific duties within six
months from its date, and 'these are to be ascertained by
making an average of prices for six months previous to
that time. The reverse of the Proposition would be nearer
to the truth, •because a much larger amount of revenue
would be collected by merely converting the ad valorem
duties of a tariff into equivalent specific duties. To this
extent the revenue would be increased, and in the same
proportion the specific duty might be diminished.
Specific duties would secure to the American manufac-
turer the incidental protection to which he is fairly enti-
tled under a revenue tariff, and to this surely no person
would object. The framers of the existing tariff have gone
further, and in a liberal spirit have discriminated in favour
of large and useful branches of our manufactures, not by
raising the rate of duty upon the importation of similar
articles from abroad, but what is the same in effect, by ad •
mitting articles free of duty which enter into the compo-
sition of their fabrics.

Under the present system, it has been often truly re-
marked that this incidental protection decreases when the
manufacturerneeds it most, and increases when he needsit
least, and constitutes a sliding scale which always operates
against him. The revenues of the country are subject to
similar fluctuation. Instead of approaching a steady stan•
dard, as would be the case under a system tof specific du-
ties, they sink and rise with the sinking and rising prices
of articles in foreign countries. It would not be difficult
for Congress to arrange a system of specific duties which
would afford additional stability both to our revenue and
our manufactures; and without injury or injustice to any
interest of the country.
This might be accomplished by ascertaining the average
value of any given article for a series of years at the place of
exportation, and by simply converting the rate of ad valorem
duty upon it which might be deemed necessary for
revenue purposes, into the form of a specific duty. Such an
arrangement could not injure the consumer. If he should
pay a greater amount of duty one year, this would be coun-
terbalanced by a lesser amount the next, and in the end the
aggregate would be the same.

I desire to call your immediate attention to the present
condition of the Treasury, so ably and clearly presented by
the Secretary in his report to Congress ; and to recommend,
that measures be promptly adopted, to enable it to discharge
its passing obligations. The other recommendations of the
report are well worthy of your favourable consideration.
I herewith transmit to Congress the reports of the Secre-
taries of War, of the Navy, of the Interior and of the Post-
master-General. The recommendations and suggestions
which they contain are highly valuable and deserve your
careful attention.

The report of the Postmaster-General details the circum-
stances under which Cornelius Vanderbilt, on my request,
agreed, in the month of July last, to carry the ocean mails
between our Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Had he not thus
acted, this important inter-communication must have been
suspended, at least for a season. The Postmaster-General
had no power to make him any other compensation than
the postages on the mail matter which he might carry.
was known, at the time, t hat these postages would fall short
of an adequate compensation, as well as of the sum which
the same service had previously cost the Government. Mr.
Vanderbilt, in a commendable spirit, was willing to rely
upon the justice of Congress to make up the deficiency;
and I therefore recommend that an appropriation may be
granted fer that purpose.
J should le great injustice to the Attorney-General, were
Ito omit the tnention of his distinguished services, in the
measures adopted and prosecuted by him for the defence of
the Government against numerous and unfounded claims to
land in California, purporting to have been made by the
Mexican Government previous to the treaty of cession. The
successful opposition to these claims have saved to the
United States public property worth many millions of
dollars, and to individuals holding title under them to at
least an equal amount.
It has been represented to me from sources which I deem re.
liable that the inhabitants in several portions of Kansas have
been reduced nearly to a state of starvation, on account of
the almost total failure of their crops, whilst the harvests in
every other portion of the country have been abundant.
The prospect before them for the approaching winter is well
calculated to enlist the sympathies of every heart. The
destitution appears to be so general that it •cannot be re-
lieved by private contributions, and they are in such indi-
gent circumstances as to be unable to purchase the necesse,
ries of life for themselves.

I refer the subject to Congress. If any constitutional
measure for their relief can be devised, I would recommend
its adoption.

I cordially commend to your favourable regard the inte-
rests of the people of this district. They are eminently en-
titled to your considerati,n, especially since, unlike the
people of the states, they can appeal to no Government
except that ofthe Union.

JAMES BUCHANAN.
Washington City, Docember 3, 1860.
After the Message had been read in the Senate,

Mr. Clingman moved that it be published. He though
it fell short of investigating the crisis now before the Go-
vernment. The President elect was known to be a danger-
ous man, because his avowed principles were irrepressible,
with the view of making war upon his section of this coun-
try. The present position of parties rendered Congress
powerless, and his party would eventually control the Go-
vernment, the Supreme Court included, and by a sectional
majority absolutely control the whole Goveinment. His
section might begin a revolution, and he did not think the
States had acted precipitately. If such occurrences as had
taken place during the last 15 years had occurred with anY
foreign nation, they would have been at war. In his
judgment a number of thd States would secede within 60
days. In South Carolina the submission party was very small.
He thought the wisest thing for Congress to do was to.
divide the public property as fairly as possible after paying
the public debts. His people were not terrified ' they bad
more territory than the colonies had when they began the
war with Great Britain; they had four times the population
the colonies had. The imports last yearreached 30,000,000,
And 10 per cent. duties gave 3,000,000. Northern gentle.•
man said that Southern institutions were a disgrace to.
the national family ; they wanted them removed, and said
it was a sin. If they separated, then their consciences
would be clear. He agreed with the President that there
was no right delegated to the Government to employ force
towards a seceding State. The most offensive aggression
would be a levy of tribute. If the separation of all the
slave States took place quietly and peacefully they would
but carry out the policy of the Fathers of the Revolution.
Mr. Crittenden replied. He had hoped that Congress
would come together as Union men and friends. He had
hoped for the preservation of the Union he had so long lived
under, and rose on purpose to express a hope that the ex-
ample of the gentleman preceding him might not be fol-
lowed. They had better not have come there at all. This
Union was worthy of great sacrifices and concessions. He
looked forward with dismay at the idea of disunion, and
with fear and trembling. They must search for means of
reconciliation and restore harmony to the country. He
hoped there would be no angry debates. North Carolina
had always carried the olive branch of peace.
Mr. Clingman approved the desire to preserve the
Union. He would be sustained in what he said by a
majority of the people of his State.. North Carolina was
next to the last to come into the Union. but when the
Union ceases to protect her she'll bid the Union good bye.
In the House of Representatives, after the read-
ing of the Message had been concluded, Mr. Sherman
moved its reference to the Committee of the Whole. Mr.
Boteler, of Virginia, however, desiring to present a resolu.-
tion, the motion was withdrawn, and the resolution re id.
It provided that so much of the Message as relates to the
present perilous condition of the country be refer/ ad to a
special committee of one from each State, with leave to re-
port at any time. Mr. M'Clernand, of Illinois, moved an
amendment, rehearsing the causes of difficulty, and pro-
posing that the committee be instructed to report by bill,
or by amendment to the Constitution, and more particularly
as to whether any further legislation is necessary to insure
a more prompt compliance with that provision of the Con-
stitution relating to the rendition of fugitives from service
or labour. Mr. Boteler, however, declined to accept fir.
M'Cleinand's amendment, and also one bffered by Mr. Sher-
man, proposing that the committee be limited to 15. At
tho'suggestion of several members Mr. Boteler modified his
resolution by striking out the words ,6 with leave to report
at any time," atter which Mr. Monis, of PennsYl'
vania, proposed an amendment, which was also rejected,
pledging the members to sustain the Union at all hazards.
The ground of objection to this resolution was that Mr.
Boteler's resolution was distinctively before the House.
After various other suggestions, none of which Were
thought available, a vote was taken on Mr. Boteler's pro-
position, and it was adopted,-145 to 38. Before the veto
was announced a number of Southern members who had
not voted gave their reasons for declining, 'which were
generally that their States had called conventions to con-
sider the same questions proposed to be discussed by the
Committee, and that the people would decide them for
themselves. Mr. Miles, of South Carolina, went further,
however, and declared that kis State was out of the Con-
federacy, except as to the mere form, and that therefore
her delegation took no interest in the question.

B 1 It. T H. 8.
• ,
ABBOTT.—On the 17th inst., at 12,Wilton-streot, Belgrave
square, the wife of Charles Stuart Aubrey Abbott, ESql
prematurely, of a daughter.

DU CANE.—On the 17th inst., at 13, Victoria-road, Ken"
sington, the wife of Captain E. F. Du Cane, Royal Fn"
gineers, of a daughter.

MARILIAGES.

GODZREY—CHAPMAN.—On the 18th inst., at St. Bride%
Fleet-street, T. 11. Godfrey, of Mormngton-cresceaty
to Jane, third daughter of the late Thomas Chapman,
Esq., of Bucklershury, city.
STOKES—GIHOLMA.—On the 28th ult., at Gibraltar, by
special license, Gefrge Stokes, Esq., of the War De-
partment, to Mica Adelaide Augostina Giholws•

DEATH r'.
BAILEY.—On the 17th inst., at 13, Lineopes-inn-fields,
George Bailey, Esq., Curator of the Spam° Museum,
aged 69.
GEORGE.—On the 15th inst., Josiah George, Esq., for
many years a magistrat.: of. Romsey, 1-famptshire.
HARMAN.—On the 15th inst., at Cnippenha.m House, near
Slough, the Rev. T. Harman, aged 66.

LONDON rented and rublished DY 3IURDO YOUNG, 01
No, 112, Strand, Printer, at THE 011 N Office, No. 112, Strand.
in the Precinct of the Savoy, Jo the County of Middlesex,
Weduesday, Decenaher_l9, 1800.