Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-09-15

ont, II was found that CT. scyeruc from Com
nerce could not bo productive it Wa
| then thought proper to double the Dl-
| lies, and to resort to Direct Taxes, Tx
| else LAWS, &c.-On the return OF peace in
| 1915, such was the revenue on Imports from
| the double duties, and in 1916 and IL, from
| the new Tariff, that il was considered unne-
| cess:uy To continue longer in operation, the
odious Laws imposing Excise and Direct
Taxes, and they were again accordingly re-
| pealcd. In 1918, Imported goods having be-
come very abundant,) our Imports, and there
with our Revenue, became diminished
Since then, the efforts to restore The cir
| cula,ing medium TO 4 metallic standard, nave
produced so gcHeral and universal a distress
as still further to diminish our Imports and
thereby to lessen our revenue still more, not
because goods have become abundant, but be-
cause consumers cannot afford to purchase,
| and merchants find it difficult to collect, So as
to make the necessary remittances.
In TINS state or things, the Secretary of the
Treasury, when called on to state what VIII be
the effect OF imposing an augmentation TO the
import duties, replies, that s.nug Cling VIII be
the consequence, and that the revenue Will be
thereby diminished, and hc mas the common
consent OF the nation to this opin on, TOR the
duties as they now stand, arc nc;lrly dou dc the
rates fixed previously to the war of 1871.
Notwithstanding full view of ali these
things, the iavourites of the restrictive system,
blind or indifferent to the consequences that
must follow the adoption of their measures,
bring in bill for the imposition of excessive or
prohbitory import duties, and to support the
revenue now lanGuishinr and wlich viii be
thereby ruined, what do they prop1sc Truly
nothing!
Here one is naturally lei to pause, and con-
slider what can be passing in the minds of the
authors of these measures Can they coatcm-
plate the ruin of Commerce and Navigation.
which have for thirty years past, nearly alone,
sustained the revenue, rs nothing' Can they
contemplate large augmentation of the M
tional debt, which for walt of the revenue
from commerce, must inevitably follow. as no
thing Can they contemplate 1t as nothing, to
destroy system of nnpost, congenial to the
feelings free pcoplc, and by means of which
an ample revenue has hitherto been collected,
without murmur, to maze way FIR the intro
ductlon OF an odioi is system Of excise laws,
which, If imposed without absolute ncccs sity,
can only be enforced, it IS to be apprchcndcd
by military autholity Can they contemplate
1t rs nothing to throw out OF employment your
most deserving merchants, & Introduce in their
stead SmugglerS, to furnish the necessary sup
plies of imported goods For, such must be
the consequence, unless it is made hignly ne
nal in our citizens to purchase or use imported
goods at all Can they regard it as nothing TO
ruin the shipping interest and ship owners, and
to throw out of employment large portion of
your most cntcrprizIns seamcn, through whose
means Our naval prosp erity and - Dry have been
so highly advanced Can they regard as no
thing the immense sacrifices to be borne by the
great body OF the people, on this sudden chan re
of things, which would intailibly greatly en-
nance the price of III foreign productions, at
the same time that it would tend greatly to
reduce the price of all our exports, Eo,s as thea
noso are :? For, who can DC SO blind or infa-
tuated as to believe tn It, when we declare we
shall import nothing, fjrcign nations will con-
tnuc freely to receive our products, or indeed
that they will take any tning from us which
they can procure elsewhere?
VIII not Europe impose an extra duty en-
our cotton, our provisions and all our most va
luable staples Perhaps indeed, this State NAV
retain some demand Tiom abroad for her to-
bacco, as China receives our custom for her
teas, which arc raised where else This
nation has advanced with most rapid strides
under liberal and enlightened policy to n
pitch of greatness, which has truly astonished
the nations of the earth and shall we now for
momentary check III o 1T prosperity, (Which
equally bears on other nations at this timc,) a.
bandon our nigh destiny and adopt n Chinese
policy Surely, gentlemen in their zeal to
promote independence have forgotten that the
great author OF nature mas placed man in
state Of dependence on his fellow men for the
greatest comforts of life, and that the nation
who shuts out al foreign intercourse, rejects
civilization in the highest degree, and MANY of
the ehiefcst bounties of Providence. And
for all the f1ghtful sacrifices which arc to fol-
low on the introduction OF the prohibtory sys-
tenn, what are we promised III exchange =
Why that manufactures and manufacturers
shall prosper throughout the land, and that
peace shall prevail But who can assure us
that even the least OF these blessings VIII en-
sic Without sudden introduction of an
host OF foreign manufacturers, it would take
years before the people of this country will ma
nutacture every thing for themselves their ge-
mus happily for them, being more devoted to
agriculture, navigation, ard other pursuits bet
teradaPted to enlarge the mind and promote
their happiness And in the present state of
things, can 1t appear desirable to introduce into
this country, muldtudcs Of the unhappy manu-
tacturers OF Europe? Can it be SUPPOSED that
these turbulent spirits nowinflamedto the high
est degree from the miscries they have long
endured, and who are only restrained by a
strong military force from open violence, can
all at once return to habits of industry and be-
come peaceable and inoffcnsive citiLens3 The
experiment viii at least be dangerous. But in
guarding against foreign WAY by the prohibitory
system, which will indeed prevent any COLI
SONS from commerce, who does not see that in
place thereof, we arc to incur the greater dan
gers OF dssentions amongst ourselves and civil
war! by arraying from conflicting interests, the
people of the north against the south, those of
the east against the Observation-Disclosures a
gainst ag1iculturists. Give us cheap bread
(cry the manufacturers or we cannot work
Give us a certain fixed price for our grain, say
the agriculturists on the other hand,) or VIC
cannot purchase your manufactures, and pay
taxes, &c.
Surely we ought to profit by the lessons OF
experience, which every day declares in the
most legible charactcrs that a reslr;cti,.c GO.