The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-11-29

Tint at which they could he imported at
moderntc revenue duty. Unless this is
sn, It fails Ia accomplish its drsi,sed o,-
ject, and IL entirely useless. Theinevit-
able consequence is, the Temptation 10
rlande stine imporin'ion /; and the facili-
ties whicI, are afforded by our widely rx.
tended inland amd ocean frontier, give
ilnpuniiy I" the snuggler.
On the several Interests ofagriculiure,
| navigation, commerce. the mecimnicarts
and even ON manufactures themselves,
this system operates with an injurinis i'm
fluence. Spenking with reference i, that
portion of agriculture which is cmpIoyed
in the production Of articles which must
he exported to a foreign market, il Is ob-
vious that any considerable dirninuition
Of commercial capital, by its transfer to
other empIov,nents. must have n c,den-
cy to diminish their price. II IS +, the
Southern portion of the Union that this
will be most extensively felt. Tile do
mes'ic market will consume n portion Of
its great staple, which is comparatively
small, aud the immense residue willseek
~ vain for foreign market, If the nan.
ufactnres Of other nations are, in effect.
aud permanently, excluded from our
ports. Thus stnte of things may not at
once occnr. The necessity of having a
supply of the raw material faf the rn-
ploymrnt of her manufactures, may i,,-
duce our grent cusi'mer to submit. for ~
time, Z" system of purchase instead Of
exchange; but she will be urged. by the
strongest considerations, to seek that
supply from those who will receive her
manuf ctnres in return. lf this system
be rendered permanent, and pushed ,o
the 'rohibitory extent tn which it seems
inevitable Ia tend, the fate ,f the COTTON
planter is, therefore, irrevosably sealed.
Nor Is he alone affected bv this system
of protection. The farmer of the Middle.
States will feel ITS influence in the iil-
crease Of the price of labDr, as we'll as ni
every article which he buys; and ifthose
in the manufacturing districts should find
an improved market for the produce ol
their farms. the consideration just stated
will operate to diminisl, their profits
and the benefits which they cnj0v, from
the increased Investment of capital iu
their vicinity, will he purchased nt the
expense -of those interests from which
TINT capital hns heen transferred.
When we direct our ntten.ion To the
Influence of the Protecting System on
the navigation of the country, we might
give the subject a peculiar interest, bv
dwelling on the fact, that n ship is the
proudest and most successful Of our
manufactures. From mn early period of
our history, down Ia the present hour.
we have becn conspicuous for cur skill
IN ship-buildlng. Adverting to il ms an
art, We have, by the elegance nf our
models, and the minuieness of our finish.
raised it from mechanical, to one oi
the hne arts. We have applied tbs
principles of a c"rrect taste tO naval
architecture, and have, therefore, pro.
luced the same mastcrly result in this,
as the application of the same principles
had produced ia the other arts. We
might, then, with perfect fairness and
propriety, press the inconsistency ofthai
policy which seeks the prosperity nfma,,-
uiactnrrs, by loading with burdens iha,
branch ofthem which has flourisl,ed with
hut l'tile aid, and is necessarily subject
{" exclusion. from the Jealousy of foreign
nations. We might connect this topic
with our Navy, aud our naval glory. and
thus enlist in our behalf the semsibiiif,es
0f pntriutisin. But we waive these nd
vaniagcs, aud, without entering into de-
tails, content ourselves with adverting to
the positive diSc,.uragements to ship
budding, occnsi"nrd by the Tariff II
1923. Dy that Tariff. iron, hemp, duck,
and cOrdage, are subjected tn duties
which would bc, in effect, prohibitory. IL
these articles were not of the first necrs.
sty, and their importation Indispensable.
The quantity of these articles which en-
ter into the construction of shin, with
the labor hestowed ON them, constitute
"ne-lIaIf of it's value, aud the duties upon
them. impose upon a new ship of FIVE
hundred tons, dry. direct tax, li,tle
shnr, of two thousand dollars, which is
pnid in advance. We say. dry. direct
tax, for it is nor, ms in cases of consume
BILE articles. repaid by the consumer.
Neither is il rcpnid by the freightcr, for
tho ,pte "f freight depends on foreign
com pen;ion. and the foreign ship, cheap,
because mnsHrdened. settles the price.
The eff.cts Jsftte Prosectiye System
,,von. cotnaerce is general, can only be-
satisfactorily illustraisd by details. II is
nn iinp"rtant task, and will he faithfully
perii'r,"ed by these to whom It Is c"nfided.
The dimi,,,ui"n If imports--a total want
or partial scarcity "f some arti,;lrs--an