Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-06-17
To tie Editors of he Enouirer

| Ic me Editors ~ NE Enquirer
! GENTLEMEN ! address you on a subject OF
! great National interest with the more confidence
because believe that Virginia Is as much or more
int rested in its discussion than any other State in
! the Union and when announce the Tariff and
its operations TO be my subject, feel assured that
you and every Virginian, will unite with me in
the opinion, that she has deep stake involved in
/ the question. Much has been said, both by the
friends and the enemies of the Tariff, the eff
feet which II would have upon the leading interest
OF the country but i, is my belief that on no sub
.ect so deeply affecting these interests, has there
! been more misrepresentation IL may be that
rtan erroneous viewsin relation 10 the operations
ot this measure, ana that shall subject myself TO
/ the criticism OF The candid, well is the uncandid
| and interested, ia advancing my opinions, and
should shrink from the attempt, did it not appear
to me, that some known facts are inexpiicable up
any theory that has yet been prese ntcd TO the
public Ii 10 said, and confidently believed, by "A
large majority OF the people of the South that they
are ucst oppressively taxed by the Tsriif now in
operation, and that this oppression will he increas-
ed to cruel extent by the Tariff just passed, and
! II is impossible TO convince them by any reasons
that have yet been ad Nanced, that they are not
thus taxed, for the benefit of the North. That this
| opinion should prevail, and feeling of bitterness
towards the North should stand connected with it,
| is but an anticipated consequence. l should be
among the last to deny that the South has not and
is not no,o, suffering from the operation OF the Ia
riff, but lot in the way supposed by the people of
the South is the suffering confined to the
South, but pervades the whole country from Maine
to Georgia, and strange as know it will sound in
the ears OF the manufacturers, (icooNen) it is
vertheess my firm belief, that they have partici-
/ pated largely in this suffering.
When the tariifoi 1924 passed though there might
have been exceptions among the woollen manu-
facturers, know am safe in affirming that a ma
jority of them thought its provisions would give
ample protection TO the wooen manufactures OF the
country; while the people OF the South supposed
that foreign fabrics would be increased the con-
sumer, iust in the same proportion that the duty
hpa I,xrl
productions. Now, it is certain, that both Of these
large and Interested classes have been disappointed
in their expectations.
1t is fact, known to all who have sou ght intor-
| nation, thai the American woollen manufacturers
has become bankrupt under this tariff, and the
sumer has had foreign goods at a lower rate than
at any period oil our previous history. The ques-
ton presents iself how have these things come
| TO pass? answer, by an erasion Of The Tariff IF
1924. 1t is known TO you, gentlemen, that the GO
yernment has appraisers to pass upon goods
presented at the Custom-house iorthuy, who
todetermine whether the goods thus pi esented
charged at their g value at the place whence i'm
ported;" by this precaution the Secretary of the
Treasury, and the people, with few exceptions
think 1t impossible, evasion, and consequent loss
to the revenue oil the country can take place. At
first view this opinion is perfectly natural, but let
us draw little nearer TO this subject and examine
the foundation which this belief rests in which
the Secretary and the people trust, and whe-
ther 1t ]ustifies their confidence. will throw out
Of view the utter inpossibiy Of any mans deter
mining, whatever may have been his experience,
small difference between two invoices of Woollen
cloths; and come at once 10 the strong point on
which mainly depend, 10 sustain the position
have taken. You, well as all other at all in
the habit OF examining the operations of their
minds, know that no apprasements can be made
without reference to some standard in the mind
of the appraisers. Now, ask how is this standard
made in the mind OF the government appraiser?
Has he served an apprenticeship in Leeds? eng
land) Admit 1.-THE value OF woo!len cloths tor
instance, has changed whilst he was crossing the
Atlantic: then how is he to know the value of wool
len cloths g at the place whence iInpored'' does
he say that he Will resort to the invoices of Ameri-
can merchants, and make his standard from then
Admitting il might be safe TO do this, L ask where
are the American importers! They do not exist
except in sufficient number for their invoices to
make the ercertt0a to the overwhelming majority
OF the invoices OF foreigners, extending TO least
three ourths OF the whole (Chlsh make tie rude
presented for entry. Thus foreigners having Il
COMMON Interest TO put down the standard, the
duties are charged ad valOrein, make the standard,
and cloth which is worth Obs Sterling in Leeds,
& which could not be purchased there for less than
that by American merchant, is by the TO-
reign owner put down at lSs. 20s and pays 4
duty only that charge; and this too in despite of
the government appraisers, unless he VIII make
the American invoices, one fourth OF the whole
number, (and they are hardly much,) the stand
ard, instead OF taking majority the whole which
are foreign. The appraiser must take majority of
the invoices presented as the standard, or he and
British and other agents. swear 10 strange things.
III what have stated be true, the foreign agent
makes the standard by winch the government APP
praiser makes his apprasenent, aud the duty being
ad vaiorem, let the government make the duty
what it will while al vaOren, and ilic foreign
chant will cvade it, by putting down the sum on
which the duty is TO be charged. In this way, the
higher the duty increases, the better for ia. To-
reigner, who can the moro cfiectually destroy the
American merchant, who pays the tate upon what
his goods actually cost at the place whence
imported"
with this advantage in the hands OF the foreign
merchant, the American importer finds his bust
ness decayiug, without being able to trace the
causes. The American manufacturer is UNDER
sold at the door OF his mandatory, and thinks that
50 per cent on wooen cloths (the present duty }
10 saw nothing of the difference OF exchange,
mission for purchasing, and expenses OF inpor-
tation, is not enough to protect him. The people
of the South see their foreign commerce decay
feel strong discnntent-talk lightly OF dissolution
of the Union-aud have some general but vague
impressions that they arc sinking under the opera
tons of the Tariff, but hardly know how. Dry
goods come to them cheap, very cheap from New
York: 50 much so, that all their importing mcr-
chants have vdnished-dnd yot they say the tariff
has made goods dealt No, gentlemen, the tariff has
made goods cheap, to the cost of the American
merchant the foreign commerce OF all the states,
except New York, and the revenue Of the coun-
trv with the aid OF the HuciiOn System, il has
concentrated all, OF nearly all of the foreign com
=. merce of the country in New York, because, by
this concentrations foreign merchants best
make the standard a. before stated. Virginia had
foreign commerce IL years ago, bat where are her
importing merchants now But this IS not all New
: York has not only got the foreign commerce OF
the couutrv or rather foreigners residing there,