Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-03-11

February. which presents some curious views oil
the reduction Of the duty on sugar.
The anti-tariffites of the South propose the re.
duction of the duty, and call that &" nobly sacri-
fcing their interests to the principle" They
say sit will be speedily and severely felt through
out the South; that ''he duty has created an i'm
mense diversion of the planting interest from the
cultivation Of cotton;" that sit has made the fall
of Cotton more gradual, g. ''sustained the price
of slave property and yet, they say. they are
encouraging their Representatives in reducing the
duty on the importation oft, although the oonse-
quence will be, besides direct and total ruin to
nine tenths of the Sugar planters, to turn from
fifty to one hundred thousand laborers, and count
less acres of land, the best adapted to such pur-
pose, back again to Cotton. And thus, Carolina
and Georgia mean to sacrifice themselves upon
the altar Of principle and patriotism.
But let the article speak for itself:
sour friends in Congress are at this moment
preparing blow for us, and nobly sacrificing our
interests to our principles: we are encouraging
them in it, which will be speedily and severely
felt throughout the South. One Of the reasons
that the wretched policy of the General Govern
ment has not been more pal pably oppressive is,
that the duty which it has placed upon sugar has
created an immense diversion Of the planting In
terest from the cultivation Of cotton into that chan
mel This has made the decline in that article
far more gradual than it would otherwise have
been, and sustained the prices for slave property,
by creating constant demand for it in the sugar
countries. Let the duties be taken of from sugar
and the consequence will be, not only total RUIN
to nine tenths Of the sugar planters, but VIII,
by rendering it no longer profitable crop, turn
from fifty 80 an hundred thousand labOrers, and
countless acres ofland, the best adapted, perhaps
in the world. to such purpose, back again to the
cultivation of cotton. What follows? not only
further depression in the cotton market, but a
most serious decline in the value OF slave proper
ty The shock will be felt almost instantaneous
~ Throughout. the whole Of the slave-holdins
States. from the Potomac to the Sabine. Thus
it is that the South, in proposing and advocating
this repeal, is calamity sacrificing herself on the
altar of principle and patriotism.
1T is from these very considerations that we
expect to see this proposition to repeal carried.
Deeply enraged as the monOpolizers are against
the South, they will be glad to take any step des-
tructive to her interests, especially when she her
self urges it. The Colonization society, that
founding Of the american System" twill rejoice
at the decline of value in our slave population,
and the publicly announced desire of Henry Clay
to render 1t useless, will aid IN bringing about this
result. At the same time, the system itself will
by no means be endangered. The article of SUI
gar never came intrinsically within Its pale, and
was not contemplated, until finding themselves
too weak, the Tariff party we're compelled to pur-
chase the votes OF Louisiana, in the Senate. 1t
was then engrafted on it bv express contract, as
we are told, with one Of the Senators Of that State;
and now that they are strong enough to be indie
pendent OF it, nothing but the fear that sendingit
by the board may excite an alarm among others
of their auxilaries, new recruits, will prevent
them from doing So They the Tariffites, the
manufacturers s. non StdUe-hoiders-havet to pay
portion of this duty upon sugar. equal to their con-
sumption, and that, too, for the support of agrl-
culture and slaue tabor. This it is not their nten
ton to do, longer than it cannot be avoided; and
hence the prospect of speedy repeal ofthis duty.
That such repeal would be clearly against the
pecunmry interests of South Carolina, cannot be
doubted, and whether it be expedient in US to
urge it, by ITSELF is at least questionable. II there
is any probability that it would make any I'M
preston on the main body of the American Sys-
TEN, it should be urged by all means; but lift is
perfectly certain that it will not, as we sincerely
believe, this much-vaunted method of attacking
the Tariff in detail, even if partially successful,
may cost more than it will come to. Our scheme
is the reduction of the whole system of duties
down to the revenue standard, asking nothing
more, and receiving nothing less"
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