The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-09-20
LfNcHBuRG. SEPTEMBER ~ ,o5,
THE TARIFF

The TARIFF. -
we never have been So decidedly a.,
the increase OF what are called ,,a,.-.
"eS on tore'cn fabrics ssare the genefsD,y o..
di'iduais N the Southern States. All
wenad been, our opinion would have md.
radical change, ere now, from the ina -.
facts winch ought not TO be disregarded ~.
cannot be controverted. Much more ro,..
made about the proposed increase of tho
on Woollens than is in our opinion war;,
by the effects which .e may reasonably a,..
pate will be the consequence of tina, ING.
In ascertalniug what these effects will he
must argue from such facts as exper;enco
rushed. Ifthese facts conflict with ,,ro
Vorlte theory Of political economy l.t 81,
nevertheless be weighed with cand,r W.
the presea' excitement Of feeling in relsto, :
the elect on of President shall have bccn ala.
ed, I'VE fear not sooner) We may hone ia 9.
this question examined in the tone and tcm,...
which should distinguish discussions on all -.
litcal questions on which men may henos,r. -
fer, hut which never can he the case wber,,..
sures are lost sight Of in our devotion 10 p,,n
! Itaprears, from superficial view that # =,
article 81 importation, tsay cloths. for instance,
should sell, after it had reached the ,o,,
tiers Of our merchants for dollar per ward
when free OF duty. it would necessarily com
mand two dollars per yard, if 100 per cent ds
ty should be mpos on II. But this is Moth.
fact. The New York Advocate iueenoesIv Il.
illustrates the taIlacy ofsGch 'upposon By ca.
ting several instances Of thu .c,ual opperation or
nv increase Of duties ON articles Of impo,tat;o,.
We shall take the liberty ofborrowing these i.
lustraiions as being more fnrcible than apy ar
gument based solely on the theoretical maxmso f
political economy can possibly be-
" At the time the minimum duty ofabou, 6 -
cents per yard was imposed on pam coarse cot.
tons, they cost p cents per yard" Thee, ac-
c'rdiug TO the theory of hose who assume the
position that every increase Of duty is so much
added 10 the cost Of the article upon which that
duty is imposed. which the consumer pays, the
price Of cotton would have risen - 81 - cents
But, did they rise to tn ipricci Have they, notion
the contrary. gradually declined in price from
that time to the present period Can they MOI
now be bought for less than 10 cents per ward I"
And if so. is there any truth in what, as we h,
fore remarked, appeared on first glance, to be
a very plausible theory A theory whict.
when presented in its naked character to the
people, at once carries their judgments captiyeY
It not our purpose, for we are not capable of
showing h0W il is thai an increase of duties does
not add to the price winch the consumer has 10
pay for the article upon which they are impos.
ei. It's sufficient five prove by ncontestjbe
facts that such is not the effect OF these duties
But, lct MS cite another illustration.
When cut nails cost from u 10 - cents per
pound. duty was imposed of 6 cents per H.
Did the price advance to II or 20 cents per ID ?
. Did not the cost of the article decline They
can now be bought for from to cents pcrba.
And yet, in despite of this indisputabIe fac,
known TO every man conyersant with such mat
tiers, and within the reach Of every individual n
the Union. we hear its stated that every in.
crease ofduty is a tax on the consumer
We have met too, with the following facts,
which We cannot lay before our readers without
soliciting for thema dspassionate consideration.
In England the annual proceeds Of her manut
failures cotton, wooden linen & leather amoure-
, 5,U0oo00 sterling. The cost of the raw mate
rial IS ~ oo0,co0 sterling, and the fain sval.
ne by manufacturing the raw material 1913 600.
! 900 sterling. Now SUPPOSE that ENGLAND rould
acquire from her own territory This whole raw
i material would II be her wisdom 10 NEGLECT her
own agrculturiSt and send this p 600 OOl
sterling abroad. TO stimulate the aprtul,ur. ofo.
ther nations Or having on hand the raw.
material, will she send them three Thousand
lhHeS across the ocean, and pay for thetranspor-
! 'a'loh, ana re-transporiation, and 90 000
SIerlIng beside for the manufacture and drain
! herself 10 bankruptcy Of her circulating medium
! TO pay the annual debt Z Could England nj this
rate have sustained her navy upnn every wave,
and stood collected in her strength against the
| assault ofthe civilized world and Al length have
| subsidized one half oft 10 fight her battles and
| conquer Tor her universal peace England bet.
/ Ter understands the way TO wealth Bv protect
! M her agucultme, commerce. md manutac-
tnrrN, she has laid under CONT button the world
! around her, and made observation-disclosures.
/ National industry is national wealth. Thatpo
! ICY winch secures productive employment 10 The
! greatest portion Of the population of a nation
| conSu'S her highest prosperity But this can be
accomplished so ofectually, bv no means, as by
making the manufacturers of the nation the Gus
TONERS OF The farmer and the farmers the cuSto-
! mers nt the manufacturer, five would bcindepeo-
dent IN realty, Of other nations we must en-
courage agriculture by the steady demand Of
home market. and secure uthin ourselves the
capital which results from the manufacture Of
! onr own raw materials. The foreign ma ket is
always precarlous q partial from the vicissudes
ooi peace and war. plenty aud want, as well as
| IRON 'estlIetlons upon imports endessly varied
| oy nations to protect from foreign competition
the industry OF their own ssbiects. inthis man
her, foreign nations exert an efficient legislation
over our substance. aud raise or sink the value
OF our property, often from fifteen To fifty per
cent such state of uncertainty. aud suhjecton
10 lpTPinn Capv;ra -, II,