Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-13
No. lOa.--yOLUME XXXVH.


The gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Jenlfer, asks
will | notresort 10 measures Of retaliation;
answer, not, as matter Of cours. then. There
is plai6 rule Of common sense which governs this
question: No nation IS justified in adopting
OF retaiiFion, such as are proposed, without almost
moral tanty Of being thereby able to force the offend
ing nation into its terms.
The taxes and restrictions imposed on the consump-
ton Tobacco in foreign countries na;cs more injury
on their subjects than on We can bear the lesser
injury more easily and longer than they can the
greater. Taxes laid citizens for the consump
ton of their products, operate directly u.s. and but
indirectly those against whose taxes we propose 10
rctalate. The burden TO Us Of such taxes may be IN
the proportion OF five dollars for every dollar it
takes from them, in the reduced consumption of their
products. If, Sir, in suhecng ourselves 10 taxation
there is not positive certainty Of sncccssn remor
IN the taxes of other nations It would BE- madness 10
attempt 1t. 1t would DC equal TO the folly OF cutting
off the to spite the face. Gentlemen seem 10
have overlooked tins consideration. They have not
attempted demonstrate the mode of operation which
g,ye The least probability of success. In at
tempt to do go, difficulties wcu'G have-tnct them
the THRESHOLD and thcencd Ct each step Of their pro-
gress.
The attainment Of the object BY the proposed means
of coercion, is well nigh mprac;cable from the nature
of things Select France if you please the first ma
ton to be brought INTO terms We chiefly take silks and
wines from her in return for our cotton, and to-
bacco Lay heavy discriminating duty on French
II
duty. What III be the consequence; We il, in
the operation OF the present duty Of ten per cent on
all silks from be yond Cape Horn, a the Cape Of Good
Hope, leaving silks Lom other quarters free. THIS
duty is evaded India silks are broug ht TO England,
cnored a little and shipped 10 as free goods Re-
verse the case, and the result would be the Laya
heavy reallatory duty French wines. II would cost
but tribe 10 place the casks or bottles German,
Italian or Spanish labels the VINE might be sent by
one Of those countries and come To us tree OF the dis
eliminating duty. Similar results might attend retail
aoy duties other articles, the production Of other
countries. Your remedy would tempt cvaslons aud
Frauds and drive the trade INTO circuous channels 1t
would also its ann, and would be trul.less OF
revenue unless you are prepared to enforce u, by
system OF customhouse espionage and penalties, in
consistent with our institutions.
We have been proceeding upon the presumption that
Congress will indulge gentlemen with their expert
nien,s III regard 10 tobacco. Are there difficulties
here. The bill reported from the Committee of Manu-
lectures few weeks ago, proposed To lay duty on silks
from India Of ~ per cent and other silks ten per
cent Was this intended to operate on India as a re-
tallaon for not using tobacco 1T all; Suppose you al
tempt change the discrimination against France, will
Won not tie in tins House hy conflicting INTERESTS
1t is not France alone that you complain Of, but o;
other nations in greater degree; and IN fact OF all
Europe in some degree or other. Ii Is not article
only that is hurdened by foreign Legislation In the
report the Secretary OF State the restrictions and
duties of foreign governments before referred to- you
VIII many articles oppressiVeIy as wen
bacco. | will select two: The duties on our bread
snls in England France, and some other countries,
amount almost To prohibition. The gentleman from
Kentucky, Mr Trpett, stated that the duty on wheat
England about forty per cent but Sir, the duty
in that country amounts To prohibition except when
larre masses Of her population absolutely starving
L pon such occasions we may ret high price for
IRAN bnt the market is generally iuctnatlng that
any farmer miller who relies on European markets,
is likely Ia b. ruined.
Our extensive coast from New Brunswick TO Texas
is lined with lneAhaus'ibe forests of timber. The duty
in England on our timber is two pounds fifteen shil
lin-s the fifty cube feet, and 10 oppressive cx
tent lumber, slaves, and shingles Cutting oil, IN
great measure, abundant resources from the sup
PLY Of an immense demand for ship building, houses,
and other objects Now, Sir is II expected that Con-
grcss representing all these interests will consent TO
commence with tobacco without including breadsiuhs,
timber and many other articles. II general system oi
retaliation adopted, what will ii lead 10: An unmIti-
gated system oil high taxation. The protective tariff
men viii BIZ ready 10 avail themselves OF strength from
this source Most or all, Of the protected articles Of
manufacture viii BE- Obliged 10 be used III tins general
scheme Of retaliation You may succeed by means Of
combination Of interests i'll having taxes LAID on, bnt
you would seldom get two interests tongree al the same
time in taking them off, in Of relaxation by
foreign government regard 10 tobacco or any one
article No, S.r let keep out Of thus conne1ion The
tobacco interest be comted into general system
of increased taxation 1t is TO be used the pretex
for adding burdens on the many without nope o siar
ing the benefits of the few.
I'm REGARD TO foreign countries there not one alone,
but all IN some degree are to be operated against why
do gentlemen speak much OF injuries from inc rcla.
tons Of France Austria has similar restrictions France
fakes seven Thousand ogsteads Of tobacco and Austria
not AS many hundred The latter is great tobacco
country, with nearly the population OF the
former. In fact instead Of France being first to be
of she is among the last II IS all Europe
you propose 10 war against and in this who shall
= In IN Ip
the sufferers Why, Sir, foreigners will laugh nj you
for merely entertaining such proposition iiad mol
respect Tor The many gentlemen who advocate the po-
licy, would say 1t absurd and ridiculous IA inc
extreme.
1t has been said that MIR Jefferson, when Secretary
of State in 1893 did IN report TO Congress, sanction
the policy of retaliation Tor exorbitant duties on our
products foreign countries 1t was under different
and at a time when the principles OF
free trade had scarcely begun 10 relax the memorable
restrictive systems OF that period. Those who adduce
this authority, should he governed By Mr. Jefferson
better authority, after years of experience and rfec-
lion He had been minister in France from 17e:i TO
took lively interest in the tobacco trade, and
was well informed 10 all lis bearings He was Pre-
sent Of the United States from l-Ol 10 l-G9; the con-
dition the tobacco trade became worse hut st not
one word heard from him, regard 10 retaliation on
this account, account Of any other foreign inter-
nal tax our productions. II Mr. Jefferson VAS mere
now il is presunabr that he would give you stronger
reasons why You ought 10 resort 10 H. than prevail
cd with HIM through the whole period Of his pres'-
dcncy
II sou enter the proposed policy, It will be the
first time II has been adopted IN the history Of the Co
vcrnmeni.
IIlcr. Mr.. Jcniftr read from act Of Congress,
witch he sad enacted similar retaliatory duties
The section just read refers 10 different subject al
together Several other acts have Ike PROVISIONS
By these acts tonnage duties, and duties en- TIE car
goes Of foreign ships coming INTO our ports were
laid 10 coLntcract injury to our navigation, rom me
discriminating duties laid upon our ships and hef car
goes in foreign ports These ncs could PC mace 10 AZ
feet the offending nation directly, without tie power 81
evasion and are very different cases from ihe present
There is no, in all tie statutes Of the Government, one
winch was intended TO operate az retaliation against
h ;,,orn,l ,,,es or restrictions Of foreign Govern
men,s on our productions. Equal commercial pr'vi-
leres Of our citizens in foreign lands, and equal eS
e,,,ions fer the cargocs of SHIPS have been pecu
lr SUBJECTS IF regard. The nnnre Of the remedy can,
IN these cases be effective We have their citizens and
their ships operate upon, instead oil our own. aEa
not sure in the zeal 10 accomplish benefits for
cree and nayiracn the interests of agriculture have