Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-27


this important business from foreign competition
"Resoioed That the present Tariff is partial and
equal to farmers, wherein provides that the duties
railroad iroD shall be refunded when the rails
tnally laid, and does provide that the duties the
scyhe and the sickle shall be refunded 10 The farmer
when he shall have applied them to the grain.
"And whereas, large quantities of potatoes, grain,
butter, cheese, pork, wool hides, and other articles
annually imported from foreign countries into the U.
States therefore,
"ReSoirtd, That is not the interest or the duty Of
the farmers 10 submit TO BE- taxed, build up
merce and manufactures, unless they also be pro-
eced the full enjoyment OF the home market for all
our great agricultural staples
But it may be replied that the present bill remedies
some Of those complaints, BY raising duties higher, 10
protect few Of those articles Of agricultural origin.
In doing that, however, mere appearances seem 10
have been consuled because, in reality, the farmer
is placed much condition by the whole bill,
than he would be without IL under the existing laws
Ihns the duty on eight agricultural products from
abroad has been raised by the report of the committee
in the other House, over the Sscretary's bill, few
cents per pound, barrel busel butter cheese
Indian corn, flour, lard, meal, potatoes and WOOL
This looks on its face very kind, well protective.
But none Of those articles, except wool and cheese,
imported TO any great extent likely TO be dan
gerous rivals 10 domestic products Of the same
name; and the duties, old and new, on the whole of
these, would probably be less than fifty thousand dol
lars year But, at the moment, the duty on
SALT which farmers obliged to in The largest
proportion, has, by this bull been increased from its pre-
rate of % per quite so per per hushe
There has thus been added the price of what the farm
ing interest of,ha article, hafa million
of dollars Vast kindness-to bestow fifty thousand
dollars with one hand, and take back with the other
Ten times the amount! Admirable proecon-to
eve them by higher protection, equal TO ab.ut fifty
fifty thousand dollars of new duties, but al the
moment 10 burden them by ones, arti.
Gle alone, near five hundred thousand But the
cret in respect to this last article is, that the in
crease benefits the manufacturers Of it. For the
same reason, an increase was proposed on several
other manufactured articles, aud one material
lowered, TO aid the soap makers, though produced
by the farmers here. | concede, however, that this
bill, after struggle, has been made TO i'm
pose duty on hides, which is favorable 10 agrcul.
ture. But it is very small, and is neuralized-
indeed exceeded ten times overly the increased
tax on iron, cordage coons, linens, glass, and vur
other articles ofextensve consumption among farm
ers nde pendent OF salt Indeed, the very imposed
hides, professedly for their benefit, is another excuse
for high tax on leather and shoes, which farmers
sumo SO largely and the duty wool raised some pro-
iessedy TO aid them, also couneracted by higher
duty several kinds Of wool!ens and worsteds. THIS
is specimen of the ridiculous round which such
forced, unnatural hot led system, is obliged TO rum
and if single material from agriculture, entering
into manufactures, is visited with higher duty,
ayowtdy TO protect the farmer you proceed at 10
pick his pocket again OF more than the amount, by
raising more duty still more manufacture he uses,
and sometimes on the very manufacture made from his
raw material BY the vicnusncss Of such system,
the English have discovered that the uacurer
escaping his fair share of imports, that
Parliament obliged, in order render the whole
burden OF taxation more equal, 10 impose excise duty
several articles Of domestic manufacture. From like
circumstances, if pass this bill unainended there
will be many duties nearly prohbi,ory for The bene
fit Of the manufacturer; and The rest Of the Tariff, on
which the duties paid, will fall much more hea-
vy other classes That the deficient revenue will
continue, If o., ,-renses are not reduced, and the
from other sc-, .---.;"s more equally the manu-.
iacturer
In that event, as the revenue will have been injured
for the benefit of the manufacturer, what more suitable
mode of obtaining the deficiency, Than one which will
fall him in equal proportion, and thus tend
equaze the benefits and burdens OF all classcs
The English laws much rallied at, were, IN one
view, at home mode Of making the manufacturer pay
something 10 the farmer for the high protective duties
he had obtained Of his products and
for the burdens, flung chiefly on the agricultural in
teesi, 10 maintain the starving paupers among manu-
lacturers, when deprived of employment by some OF
those reyulsons 10 that branch Of business
Indeed the far reaching sagacity of Hamilton saw
that, in ordinary cases. The manufacturing States
would consume less of fore gn imports in proportion to
their numbers aId wealth, than the agricultural States
and, hence he urged il rs argument why the Gene
raj Government should have the power, when taxes
became high, impose part Of them other property,
in order TO make The manufacturing sections bear, as
they ought, more equal proportion Of the public bur-
dens.-[ Fed No. 80
Do not gentlemen sec, also, that, in respect 10 re-
venue on imports, this system kills the goose that
lays the golden egg lf manufactures are increased
by it, sufficient TO supply the home market, SO that
rwcr articles are mpored-and, if mos: Of The free
articles are, oso, materials for manufacture, and
Weld revenueit follows, inevitably, that much Of
The incomc heretofore derived from imports, must gra
dually disappear-and, fiscal system OF axation II
will, in time, prove Jti0 dc sc-desiroying itself
Then, for most Of our revenue, would remn'n only
the expensive unpopular, and deprecated alternatives
of excise and direct taxes.
There is another illustration, somewhat striking, Of
the partial operation Of the general structure OF this
bill upon agriculture. The highest duty, in list of
sixteen articles cordage, unarred and another OF
so per cent cordage tarFed These articles ustd
extensively only in navigation, but on every farm
and in almost every log Cabin The next IS coarse cot
tons from 2 the mons,rous rate of $40 per cent
wanted for clothing and bedding whenever ship sails,
fort is manned, plough driven, COW MIXED, or
laborer sleeps In this munner, the whole list might
be run through, and all above 81 PER cent with the
option of two three, and all bu like number,
between so and So per cent, would he found among
The leading neccssaries ofe--incuding, besides what
have been named, several species OF iron, wooens,
salt, sugar, coal, wares nolasses, paper, linens, &C.
How wre,chedly must the discriminating policy be
exercised, when, in Republic, the numerous masses
taxed their greatest necessaries, from gu TO
40 per cent while wines, the luxury of the few and
afnent, pay only about 80 per cent--loregn delica.
cies in fruits about The same-and silks, generally but
30 or 4o per What deserves further notice 10,
also the fact, that among the articles which, in Eng
land pay only the moderate duty Of 20 per cent,
are the universal ncccssaries Of iron and cotton
while here they manufactures of tobacco. In the
free list are, also, gOid epauees and The poi
sonous nuz romica; while there it is salt-the healthy
inmate of every dwelling from the hut TO the palace,
but much the most extensively consumed in agrIcuI-
ture.
Again: OF the nine or ten articles in another table
before me, which in England have heretofore yielded
twenty Of twenty parts of oil her gross
nue. from IMPORTS Of them is grain; aud, without
commencing the policy Of the laws generally, it
has been much protected, either directly indirectly,
in favor of her agriculture at home. Three Of the
other eight protected in the way for the agr
cul of her colonies; WHILE among ten highest
no, one agricultural article; aud TINS not OF
them is protected, either directly indirectly And