Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-16

be disposition. And l DO nope, sir, that that
GREAT resource will be cherished and dedicated
to some national purpose worthy OF the Repub.
lie. Utterly opposed as, l trust, Congress will
shew itself to be to all the mad and wild schemes
and to that latest. but nladdest x widest OF all,
recommended by line Sec'y. OF Tie Treasury for
suuandering the public domain, | hope it will be
preserved Tor the present generation AID tor poste-
rrity. az i, has been received from our ancestors,
, rich and b ,untifui inheritance. In these hal.
cyon DAYS OF peace aud plenty. and al overflow.
ing treasury. we appear to embarrass oursei'esiu
de1,isins visionary schemes for casting away the
bnunties with which the goodness of Providence
has blessed US. But. sir, the storm of war will
come. when We know not: the day OF trial and
diff. ulty will assuredIy come, and now is the
time. by a prudent forecast. to husband our re-
sources and this. the greatest OF them all. Let
them not be boarded and Rugged with a miser's
embrace. but literally used. Let the public
lands b. administered in a generous spirit. and
especially towards the States within which thev
are situated. Let the proceeds of the sales of
the public lands be applied in a season of peace,
to some great upjec'; and when war does come,
by susp aiding that application OF them, during
its continuance. YOU will be at once put in pos.
session of mean- for its vigorous prOsecuiion.-
More THAI five wears ago, when | first
took IN, seat ia this body. | was told. by the IA.
theirs of the Government. that, u we had any
thing perfec, in our institutions, it was the sys.
tenn for disno,ing OF the public lands, and | was
cautioned against rash Innovations in It. Subse-
ouent experience fully satisfied me of the wisdom
of their c%ounseIs. and that all vital changes in i.
ought to be resisted.
. Although it NAV be impracticable to say what
the exact amount Of the public revenue should be,
for the future. and what would be the precise
produce Of any given s'stem n imposts. we may
safely assume, that the revenue may now BIZ re-
duced, and considerably reduced. This reduc.
ton may be effected in various ways, and on df-
ferent principles. Only three modes shall now
be noticed.
LIST. To reduce duties on all articles, in the
same ratio. without regard to the principle Of
protection.
Cd. To reduce them on unprotected articles,
and augment them on the protected articles.
And Sd. To abolish and reduce the duties on
unprotected articles, retaining and enforcing the
faithful collection Of those on the protected arti.
cles.
To the first mode there are insuperable objec.
tons. 1t would lead inevitably to the de.tTuc.
ton of our home manufacturers. II would IS.
tablish a sort of Ted Of Procrustes, by whicp the
duties OH all articles should be blindly measur.
ell, without respect to their nature or the extent
of their consumption. And il would BE- derosa.
tory from every principle Of theory or practice On
which the Government has hitherto proceeded.
The second would be still more objec tiOnable
70 the foes of the tariff than either Of the others.
But it cannot be controver,ed that, by augment.
ing considerably the duties on the protected class,
so as to carry them to The point, or near TO me
confines of absolute prohibition, the object 10
view, of e~fecting the necessary reduction Of the
public revenue, may be accomplished without
touching the duties on the unprotected class
The consequence Of such an augmentation would
be a great diminution in the importation Of the 70.
reign article. and Of course in the duties upon it.
But against entire prohibition, except perhaps in
a few instances. | have been always, and still am
opposed. BY leaving the door open to the 70.
reign rival article, the benef, is secured of a sa.
lutary competition. If it BIZ Theoretically closed,
the danger is incurred of monopoly.
The third mode is the most equitable, and
reasonable, and it presents an undebateabIe
ground. Oh which had hoped we could all safe.
/, tread. without diff ulty. I, exacts no sarri.
can System; it comprehends none on the part OF
its friends. The measure before you embraces
this mode. 1t is simple. aud free from all COM
p~lexity. 1t divides the whole subject of imposts
according toits nature. 1t settles at once what
ought not 10 be disputed, aud leaves to be settled
hereafter, If necessary, what may be controyert-
ed.
A certain part of the South has hitherto com.
planned that it pays a disproportiOnate amount OF
the lmposts. Ii the complaint be well founded,
by the adoption of this measure It will be reiiev.
eel at once, as will be hereafter shewn. from at
least a fourth of its burthens. The measure is
in conformity with the uniform practice of the
Government from its commencement, and with
the professions of all the eminent politicians Of
the South. until OF late. 1t assumes the rightof
the Government, in the assessment Of duties. to
discriminate between those articles which sound
policy requires it to foster, and those which il.
need not encourage. This has been the invaria'
bic principle, on which the Government has pro.
ceeded. from the act of Congress Of the 4tb Of
July, 1889, down 10 the present time. And ha'
it not been admitted by almost every promiuen!
Southern politician? Has it not been even &C.
knowIetlged by the fathers Of the Free Trade
Church, in their late address, promulgated. from