Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-06

when imported into the United States, pays five
cents duty; therefore, the pound Of taliow pays
SIX cents duty. Now, this mode CT reasoning,
If not convincing, is nj least convenient; but, il
IS something like tina. Of the boy, in the story
book, who counted his chickens before his eggs
were Matched. Every passblc case may be
supposed; pair of silk stockings may be p.r-
chased IN France for oGc dollar: imported into
me United States, pay / . cents Gut,, be eXpc--
ted to Madeira. exchanged ic: gallon of vine,
which, when irlPortcd would pay n duty OF one
collar; therefore, according TO this reasoning, a
would pay 81 10 duty. Any estimate CT cal
culation, founded on such basis as this, NAV
and probably would, fail.
| Ii IS said, by The IneInorialists Of New York
and l3altielore, that all tal!ow, for a long time
past, introduced into this, from foreign countries,
has been attended with loss to the importer.
If 1t be SO, it would certainly be for the adyan-
tagc ofthc importer if the Importation was pro-
libited. And il it be so, the prohibition of inn
portaton would certainly be advantageous 10 the
nation; for, five import at loss, the loss is to
the nation as well as to the individuals who i'm
port We buy of Russia much more than we
sell to her. Therefore, that branch Of trade is
not to be particularly favored. The same can
not be said of oil; for, although the whale fshe-
ny may he prosecuted at a loss to the ship-own-
er, and the seaman may be inadequately remu-
nerated for their labors, yet the gam Is the re-
suit of labor-of labor which takes from the
ocean mass of useless matter, gives it n va
lue, brings it into active operation for the use
and comfort ofman, or as an article Of commerce,
or mean OF exchange. The loss is to the indi-
vidual who engages in the tishery-the gain is to
the nation.
The tallow chambers say, that candles are
nearly pushed out OF use by the excessive I'M
Portaton OF oil. 'lt (say they,) not probable
that there is more than tenth part of the can
dies used in our country that there used TO be
and we judge from our own experience, that
not one twentieth part the quantity is exported"
They certainly must have been in the dark
when they made this estimate. There never
has been over $4,000 barrels of sperm. oil con-
suined in one year in the United States. OF
this quantity, after deductng for light houses,
the lighting ofstreets, and what is used for WOO
and in manufactures, $4,000 barrels may be
left for the use of families, shops, &C.; allow 6
persons TO family, 100000 of people give
one million and two thirds of million of families
those who use oil will average ten gallons to a
family; 1000 barrels will, therefore, supply but
0,OO0 families, leaving nearly ST., 900 tam-
lies to use tallow candles; this shews that only
| ) lie per cent of the families use oil, leaving
Cd 9 per cent OF the families to be supplicA
with light in some mode if the assertion of the
tailow chambers be true, most of our pcoplc
must do without light.
Equally are they mistaken, las think, J as to
their numerical superiority over the whale fisher
men. During the last year there were in the
United States, about so ships employed in the
| sperm-whale fishery, and SO in the right whale
| fishery; each Of these ships manned wth.42
hands-say 4400 seamen in the whole.
The whole population, directly interested in
the whale fishery, cannot be estimated at less
than 10000. The tallow chambers say, that
s'imported tallow is not fit to be manufactured
into candles for expectation, or for home con-
SUMPTION" or course, IT can make no difference
TO them, SO far as the manufacture of candles is
concerned. But, they say San increased duty
will prevent its manufacture, and limit the ex-
port" Its evident that they wish to keep down
the price of taIow, and therefore their interest
is at variance with the interest of the growers
of cattle.
Should it be admitted, that all the evils which
| the tallow chambers apprchend would be real
ised, yet they ind a remedy in the drawback
and the allowance ofthc drawback reduces the
protection TO whalemen to almost nothing. / dc
not know but that ought to move that The sec-
ton which allows the drawback should be stick
en- from the bill.
They obtain, by that section, IS per cent. of
the duty on the export of the article. am a.
ware that much may be said about the frauds
which may be practiced on the reyenuc-I do
not pretend to deny but that frauds may be COM
mitted every article embraced in the bill is liza
bic othe same objection; if the whole commu-
nifty are rogues, there is no question but that ma
ny frauds may be successfully attempted; but if
these tallow chambers are, what they represent
themselves to be, land do not feel disposed to
question their asscrtions,l but little danger on
this score is to be apprehended-ift they are not,
they ought not to receive the benefit of the draw
! back.
| An increased dutv IN tallouy would moro i'm
| lnediately promote the interests of the grow ers
of cattle; by the farmer the effect would be felt
at once, while the benefit to the fishery, though
equally sure, wcIid be more remote.
| The interests of the whale fishery, and Of ag-
ricuiture, are inseparably connected; this con-
nection will clearly appear, if the following cir
cunstances are considered. Nothing is used
in the construction of the whale ships but what
is obtained from tho farmers, with the exccp-
ton of iron, duck, and cordage.
The timber is obtained from the woodlands of
the farmer. The plank are sawed at his mills.
His teams are employed in the transportation OF
! the timber and planls--a transportation frequent
/ ly of twenty, thirty, or forty miles. A ship go
ing round Cape Horn requires from 100 to $50
barrels of beef and pork, $50 barrels of flour, a
considerable quantity of peas, beans, cheese,
butter, rice. corn, &c; supplies not drawn from
a small territorial space, but from wide coun-
| try. Stave, and hard piuc-boards for heading
are obtained almost exclusively from the South,
particularly from Georgia and the Carolinas.
| In the construction Of the ships the services
OF numerous class of mechanics are required,
/ viz:
Ship-wrights, ship ioiners, caulkcrs, rigeers,
| block-nakers, sail-rnakcrs, blacksiniths, boat
builders, painters, &c.
| All these mechanics are fed by the farmers.
Another branch Of mechanical industry not