Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-03-01
MAR rINsBURG. MARCH /. 1854.
.f,,norisl of d. Free Trade ConeentiOr,.-

We wish to call the attention of our readers
% one or two parsgra phs in the above nam
nd pamphlet In page 81 we find the fol-
lowing:
"Your memorialists are aware that it may
be urged that, whist the exports Of the SOU
them States have been increasing without
interruption, those Of the MIDDLE and nor
thern states, though fiuctuatlng in value,
have Tor forty years been nearly stationary
IS 10 quantity. Whenever the demand for
the arlIcies OF food, which constitute by far
the greater part OF those exports, ceased to
increase 10 the same ratio as the population,
i, became not only useful, but absolutely ne
cessary, TO apply 10 new objects portion
Of the industry OF those States. They must
otherwise have grown daily poorer, and been
deprived Of the comforts which they had till
thea enjoyed. The southern States might
be asked, In that spirit OF concession and
compromise to which they appeal, not to op
pose course OF Legislation, intended to en-
courage the establishment Of manufactures,
which mas become matter OF necessity IN
the parts oil the l. Dion less favored by ma
ture than themselves"
The above is statement ofthe arguments
IN "a, our OF manufactures distinguished for
its cleaSness, brevity, and force. The sub
seauent paragraph is, il we understand It
rightly, utterly false in point OF fact.
1.-The facts are admitted, aud the southern
Sites did not wait TOR that appeal. The
.cop,yrom,se took place, the concession was
made. from the time they consented that the
whole. or nearly the whole, amount OF the
publ,c revenue should be raised ny duties on
importation. Unable to compete With others
in nianulactures, 1t was clearly their interest
TO purchase those they wanted wherever they
mig nj De obtained on the cheapest terms,
AID that part, at least, oil the revenue
should DE derived from other sources. They
voluntarily yielded the point. anu submitted
cheeriuly to duties amounting On an average,
TO 40 per cent. whist they were wanted 10
discharge the public debt. That objectcouid
moi nave been effect. without resortibg To
direct taxation, had not the foreign trade sup
phed Inc means The taxed imports which
have paid the debt, have teen purchased
with tbe national exports; and, oil these, The
oppressed States have supplied two thirds
Now that the object mas been accomplished,
after the manufacturing districts have, during
forty years, enjoyed the Incidental but not
less efficient benefit OF that mode Of taxation,
when the southern States acquiesce IN the
continuance OF the same system, on scale
porperuonate to The exIsencles OF Govern
Inent, is 1t Just, Is II equitable, to asgraVate
instead oi nghtenIng the burdenf And can
this additional sacrifice be expected from
themP
"1he compromise took place, the concession
Was made, from the time they consented that
tbs ,choie, or nearly the ,chote amount Of tie
pu0ac revenue should be raised by duties o'i
smportatisn"
The writer Of the above cannot produce
the shadow of evidence TO show that ut the
time the duties on impor,ations' were laid
there was any thing like controversy. 'conlpro-
mise or concession between the northern
and southern States In relation to the matter
1t is mere fgment Of the imagination. ihe
mode OF raising the funds necessary to the
support Of government BY duties on in'por'
tatons, was adopted, not after cohtroVer'
sy upon the subject between the North ana
the South and in consequence OF compromise
and mutual concession between the supposed
parties, but because OF TIC oS''ouS ~o 80
disputable advantages Of that mode over e.
very other that could be suggested 1T
facility of collection was greater and the COS
less than auy other mode. Each lndiviaaa
and each State contributed exactly IN pro
portion to the rsspec tive consumption Oh eaci'
The contribution was 10 great measure vol
untary, for it was at the option OF every IN
divldual. by abstalniug from the purchase
the articles upon which the duty was ie'ieN
to escape the payment of the tax, HAD W.
very Identical sums which have been actua'
ly paid by the several States and the NOW
dpals composing them, and which we towafo
the revenue of the Union are in the habit
paying every day when we deal with mel
chants for articles Of foreign growth or mar
ufacture, and pay too without murmur @
complaint because we may pay or let it ;
b lone-had precisely the same amount bee
levied upon US in the shape Of direct take
and the process assumed the aspect Of con
pnlsion, we entertain no sort of doubt tn;
Besides an army Of tax gatherers to collie
the money. it would have required an arm
OIL soldiers to enforce the payment
so much for the lancied compromise b
'Weea the North and the South. and the i'm