Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-01-07
Rll.EsLll . L.RE.3 lPRRSS
From the Richmond Wing.
EFFECTS OF A TARIFF ON THE
NORTH AND SOUTH.

"A 'b'S'o iCNOi nun Il DOStOh SCth'C-
man, touching the effects of TarifT--a sub
jcct which is again beginning to attract great
public consideration. The views of the wri-
ter may pass with the reader for what they
are worth, and with some in the South, who
have been in the habit of considering Tariff
the deadlest foe to Southern interests, they
may be considered next to reasonable. But
this shall not deter us from cndcavoring TO
put into the possession of our readers the
ablest views on every side of every great
question Of public concern.
In no State Of the Union has it been more
fashionable to denounce Tariff as every
thing monstrous, than in Virginia. Here it
has long constituted one of the hob-goblins,
which that cold mischicf-maker" of the En-
quirer has paradsd before the public, to tor
rify all Of weak nerves and still weaker in
tellect. lie had got the knk into his own
head, probably honestly, probably not--and
he could never get over it. Ii is part Of his
system, when once he has taken up fallacy,
never to abandon it, and when it has taken
hold upon the public mind. il then assumes
ila slnctty of Romish image. 1t is too
holy 10 be touchcd-to question It's divinity
is little short of sacrilege. Along with sew
eral other kindred absurdites, he has en-
rolled the Tariff in this holy category. He
will not think twice on the subject himself,
lest ray of light should penetrate to the
benigltcl region Inhabited by his last gen.
Grafton readers.
We, of late years have devoted some time
to the investigation Of the system of impos-
turc, so artfuIy constructed by the indeiati-
gable political cheat, for the deusion of man
kind. And among other subjects we have
had our attention drawn to the Tariff. We
saw it stated, broadly and roundly, that
Tariff was unconstitulional-we looked to
the Constitution itself, and found there the
assertion fatty coniradictcd-for the power,
full and unqualified, is expressly given to
Congress to impose duties. In fact, the
constitutional right of Congress, in this par
ticular, was never questioned until the late
Judge Barbour, in some Of his abstract va
carries, stumbled upon it. 1t was capital for
the so-caled Virginia School-and it has
been used in that way to the present day.
The constitutional difficulty removed, we
have looked to the effects of Tariff upon
the North and Soutll-so far as we could as
certain and understand them. We have
seen that all the predictions Of the wisest
heads, previous 10 the Tariff Of 'l6 and '2S,
have been falsilied by the results. Mr. Ran
dolph, one of the most sagacious men tina,
ever lived, affirmed that the increased tariff
would destroy the revenue, and render re-
sort to direct taxation necessary to the sup
port of Government. Mr. Clay and Mr.
Webster both admitted the probability of
such result. And yet in few years, the
great difficulty was TO dispose Of the immense
surplus revenue! Those articles, which it
was supposed, the increased duty would ex-
clude altogether, or render very dear, were
bought cheaper than ever. And during the
greater period of the high Tariff, the whole
country, the South as well as the North en-
ioyed degree of national prosperity, I'M
preccdented in the annals Of any people,
The Tariff may not have been, and we do
not suppose it was, the sole cause of this
palmy state Of national affairs. But tina, it
did not exert bancfu influence is mani
fest; and that on the contrary, it was a po-
tent auxiliary in the creation Of national
wealth, is greatly corrohora,ed by the blight
which has come over us siace its decline,
almost to the point Of admitting articles free
Of duty.
As to tho operation of a Tariff upon the
South, and Virginia, particularly, we confess
that we have not been able TO discover its
injurious effects. All the articles we con-
sumod, were obtained as chcaply, (and many
of them more SC, } after the Tariff as before.
In what then consisted the injury? And on
the other hand, what benefit does Virginia
derive from the onc-sidcd free trade at pres
ent existing? Are her products favored in
foreign countries, because Of the admission
of theirs into our ports1 Let lie duty upon
eur Flour, amounting to prohibition, anc
upon cur Tobacco, 3 shilings sterling tho
pounl, answer. The cotton Of the South il
tho only staple of much importance, which
is received abroad-and the signs indicate
that that is only ADMITTED temporarily, unit
the production of that article in India, nov
rapidly on the increase, shall be sufficient t
supply the English demand.
There is no subject so complicated, an
the effects of Which are so uncertain, as tina
Of Tariff Of duties. The effects of an in
crease or diminnton Of duty on any article
have not once in ten times been anticipated
So far from it, in nine cases out Of ten, ju
the opposite effect from that predicted hi
ensucd Take one striking example I'll
Tariff was increased upon Coffee, the pri'