, 1841-04-10
From The n II. Gazette.

ackuoaled- ed must accrue 10 the Treasury
from the proposed distribution of the Land
revenue, Messrs. Clay and Webster propose
- law duties on wines and silks. This is
verv much like the Log Cabin cry to catch
popularity, ind cover their insidious move
uIentS towards Il resusciiat!on of the protec
tive system. They suppose that wines and
silks are articles usually considered Injuries,
ebout which the poor and middling interest
care little. and that they shall he called. par
excellence, the exclusive friends of the peo,
pie for Proposing u Tux them. But It's no
60. The people don't al wines nr silks
taxed for the purpose Of giving away the
proceeds. Besides, those articles are now
cheap. and a mechanics wife or daughter
would like a silk gown. by the way of Il
{. meeting GO" as we'll rs other folks. though
Mes>s. Clay and Webster may think tow
cloth or factory calico would better become
them. The mechanic and the farmer. would
ais, like a silk vest. and 10 wipe his face on
Il silk handkerchief. and rs long rs these
things may he had cheap. why not! And
what will they gain by having them taxed II
the proceeds are to he given away 10 paw
the debts contracted BY the States for Yves
tern r,l roads and canals.
Ani wines too! There are thousands ot
miii!i,I in'eres, men, who think it quite as
agreeable 10 drink "a little wine for the siom-
ach's sake" Us to drink hard cider out of n
gourd she I. They have been paving hi@h
duties cheerfuily for half a century. 10 clear
of old debts, and many Of them know whit
il was to give ten dollars n ward for an or
binary broad cloth coat. 40 cents for coffee.
and 'nr scuchong tea $3.50. And wine
heaven save the mark-nade of %InCwond
cider. and whiske v-hrandy, with a little
"S'rssfsni2G.' al three dOlIaIS 4 gallon. And
Is for silks thew were out OF the question tor
anv one in ordinary circumstances. But
Row that the national debt is paid. and the
dl,ies reduced 50 that these matterSar are cheap.
why not keep them so. give the mIddlIng IN
terests an opportunity in 4 moderate way to
eniov the use Of them!
But some may aigue that 4 duty on wines
will help to make people temperate. This is
very much doubted. and for one we have no
ielefin the soundness of the dcctrlne.-
Neither Mr.. CLAW nor Mr.. Webster. we IAN
CIV will ever drink a glasa of wine the less
for the duties. II may serve as it has for hall
century past. 10 prohibit the use oi wines To
the poorer &middling classes. and doom them
10 the use of whiskev and other low priced
ardent spirits, which are deleterous and Of
ten destructive To the constitution. Our
opinion is, that if pure wines could he intro
duced into this country. SO as TO be drank
cheaper than ardent spirits. we should be-
come a temperate people. Take of all the
duties from wines and let people have them
SO cheap rs TO destroy the business Of man,
uiaciuring them from poisonous materials AT
home, and it will do more towards making
PEOPLE temperate. than all ahstinent societies
that ever existed in this country. The mass
of the people are willing and disposed to tie
temperate but not to be confined exclusively
to cold waier. While writing this, we have
free introduction of pure French AMI Italian
wines into our country, which are SO much
in accordance with our ow notion OF tenn
perancc that we are constrained 10 make the
foil wing extract:
81 rejoice as a moralist, at the prospect o'
n reduction of the duties on wine. bv our ma
tional legislature. It is an error to view Il
tax on that liquor as merely Il tax on the
rich. Il is a prohibition of its use To the
middling class Of our citizens. and Il cnndem'
ration OF them 10 the poison of whiskev,
which is desolatinG their houses. No nation
IS drunken where wine is cheap; and none
sober. where the DEAFNESS of wine substitute.
ardent spirits as the common beverage. i
is, in truth. the nnlv antiiote To the bane %
whiskev. Fix but the duty at the rate o
other merchandise. and we can drink wine
here as cheap rs we d. groI: and who vii
not prefer it? Its extended use will carry
health and comfort ~ Il much enlarged circle
Every one in easy circumstances las thu
bulk ot our citizens lre) w,l prefer II !" th'
p ,ispn in which thew are now driven bv Oh
government. And the treasury itself vii
find that a piece for a d"zsn.iS more
than a eroat for Il single me. This rciorma
ton. however. will require time. Our mer
chants know nothing Of the infinite varlet!
OF cheap and good wines to be had in Europe
and particularly in France, in Italy, ant
Grecian islands: as they know little. also, "
the variety of excellent manufactures an
comforts to be had any where out oil En-
gland. Not will these things be known. n"
the course called for here, until the n1tIvt
merchants of those countries. 10 whom the,
are known, shall bring them forward. exiib
e. -