The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-02
From the Journal Of Commerce.

| From the Journal Of Commerce.
| Mn. CLAY's REsoLUTloNs--Th resolutions offered
| I'm tho United States Senate on Monday last by the
lion. HENRY CLAY. father OF the Protective System,
| provide that hereafter scale of duties imports
shall be established sufficient To raise revenue oil
2G 900 900 per annum that in laying these duties
"the principles of the Compromise Act generally
| should be adhered to; and that especially maximum
rate Of ad valsrem duties should be established from
which there ought To be little departure possi-
ble" This Ac', il is we'll known, provides for uni
form rate Of duties on all articles Of import viz ~
per cent ad valorem. Uniformity in the rate, is one
| Of its leading principles" The Law for the distr
button of the proceeds from the sale Of public lands
| (amountng on an average 10 about $3OO0O00 per
annum,) Mr. Clay proposes to contnueln force. o
do this however will require new act OF eglsla-
ton, of the sections of said Law provides that
| in case the duty any article of import shall be
| raised above 20 per cent then the Distribution Law
! shall at once become null and void. Whether ma
orty of Congress will consent TO its reenactment ID
very doubtful II passed at the Extra Session,
not as we have reason TO believe on the ground oil
its own merits exclusively but because il was part
of a system OF measures which could only be carried
in the gross As il will now stand Disconnected from
| the Bank Bill the Bankrupt Bill, and all other bills
| except the Tariff some Of he influences which be-
fore operated in its favor will be withdrawn, and on
the oihe- hand il may be presumed that all the high
Tariff will 90 for II, as part of the machinery
necessary secure the LAYING OF heavy duties. For
it is obvious that If the three millions of revenue nom
public lands is divided among the States instead OF
being applied heretofore to the support Of Govern
ment the deficiency thus created must be supplied py
| an increased duty on imports, Hence 1t may etaken
for granted that the opponents OF high duties iheiu
ding most or all of the Southern States, will resist
the re- enactment of the Distribution Law with all
their might AT least two of those States VIZ: South
| Carolina and Alabama have leglslated on the subject
in advance; and declared that IN no will they le-
ceive the quota of Distribution money which may De
| assigned 10 them; believing that the Law which ui-
| reefs the distribution, is Unconstitutional ana unjust
| The discussion of Mr. Clay's resolutions comes up
in tie Senate on Wednesday next and 1t Is sale 10
predict that thenceforward the topics embraced III
Them will be the absorbing theme for the remainder
! of the session. a uniform duty of ~ per cent on
all imports except specie, if levied, as heretofore,
according to the valuation of the goods at the places
whence imported, would produce nett revenue
after deducting drawbacks and expenses OF collec-
ton Of about 100000, 900; and every addition OF
per cent to the 20 would add another million to the
| nett revenue. The expenses of the Government Tor
the last eight years have amounted on an average to
full So, 900 900 portion of this expense has been
occasioned by the Florida war, which we trust will
some day be brought to end, but by that time II is
fair to presume that other extraordinary occasion
of expenditure will arise, which will keep the doll
lars moving. After all the rerenchment and econ
| omy which can be expected we are Of opinion that
the expenditures of future years will not fall below
S25, 900 600 The presumption is that they Will ex-
coed that amount But if we say S25,O0O,O0O, and
add 50 900 900 for the gradual payment of the exist
ing debt, and 80 O0o,0,0 more for contingencies, as
Mr. Clay proposes to do then we shall require unl-
form duty of % per cent on all articles OF import eN-
cept specie, in order to meet the above demands
This is on the supposon that the Land Distribution
act should be continued in force But II that act
should be repealed, as we maintain that 1t ought to
be, then should require uniform duty OF 20 per
cent If we reserve only one million for contingent
cies, which think is enough, (nstead of two, as
| proposed by Mr.. Clay,) then we shall require uni
| form duty of % per cent This will be sufficient
protection for nearly all the branches Of domestic
manufacture, except tea and coffee, which we may
as well leave to the home industry OF the Brazans
and Chinese.
! Mr. Clay estimates the future annual expenses OF
the Government. at only S22,000,0OO. We do not
see upon what basis he calculates reduction oil
So 100000 per annum from the average OF the past
eight years and reasoning from all experience, we
are persuaded that his estimate too low Retrench-
ment has been the watchword as far back as we can
| remember we have always been gong to Terench
every new Administration especially, was to Introduce
economy in every department of the public service
but in point of fact, our expenses, with occasional
fuctuatons) have been steadily increasing, as the
nation has increased in wealth and population, and II
they do not continue to increase in time TO come It can
hardly be expected that they will fall 80 600 600 be-
low the average of the last eight years. In the above
calculation have allowed for reduction of So 900,
/ 600, which we suspect is quite as much as Will be
| realized.
1t is to be borne in mind that according to the Com
promise Act the duties, after the Both of June next
to be levied upon the home rduation This is an
important change, and if carried into effect will prove
we apprehend very inconvenient one. The ~ per
cent upon the home valuation which 1t levies upon all
goods without discrimination, after the date above
| mentioned will be equal an average 10 at least
% per the foreign valuation which has hereto
fore been and ls now, the basis of assessment We
would propose therefore, that in order TO get rid Of
! the home valuation feature (Which would be attend
ed with immense inconvenience IN practce) 70 pei
cent upon the foreign valuation be substituted in
lieu OF 70 per cent upon the home valuation as pro
vded in the Compromise Act. Then repeal the
Distribution Act, and shall have annual net
revenue of 1926 GOO 900 from customs Cor the support
Of Government, and say SO 100000 from the public
lands to apply towards the extinction of the public
debt and for " contingencies" So far as the Go
vernment is concerned, then, there is no need o
disturbing the Compromise, Act The alteration
which we propose, is not designed to diminish The
revenue levied under it, but simply to change the basis
of valuation
The question then arises will the Tariff men bt
satisfied with 25 per cent duty" protection II they
please to call it soor will they battleto higher rate
There are very few articles which now bear hghe
duty than 25 per cent, while the great majority, in
with our manu- fractures, at less duty than *
per cent. No woolens h. ghe than p per cent ex
cep fanncs and baizes woollen cloths are "a PEE
cent and several articles of cotton as low as z
per cent Have the manufacturers any objection t
the dutys being raised these articles to % per cent
This would be the effect Of the Compromise Act, with
the slight modification we have suggested
E,ro,n me- Sam