Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-13

price and leave still greater fund tor The reward
Of wages The reduction of the cost OF cultivation,
and of the exactions of the Government, would have
the same effect paying less for the capital and would
have the effect of making still greater difference IN
the fund to pay wages. Taking The aggregate of The
whole and comparing the elements that enter INTO the
comurtaton | feel assured that with sound curren-
DIV and low duties light taxes exacted on the part
of the Governmental the only element which IS against
us is The rate of interest," but that our advantages III
other respec,s would more than countehalance III and
that we have nothing 10 fear in open competition with
other countries in The general market OF the world
We could have our full share with the most successful;
while, at The same time, the exuberance OF the home
market relieved from oppressive burdens, would oe
vastly increased and be more eiecually and exclu-
syely commanded by the productions Of our own
manufacturers than possibly be by the unjust IN
constitutional, r,nnopolizing, and oppressive scheme
proposed by ills bill
time nd ofpreat LEGACY 10 pass from the ar,fcisl con-
dition in winch country hes long been placed IN re-
ference to its industry, by mistaken and mscllievous
system Of policy Sudden transitions, even 10 better
habits or better ons hazardous unless slowly
effected With this Impression, have ever bf en- averse
to all sudden steps both TO the currency and the sys-
lem of polcy VIII oh is now the subject of dehbera
,on bad rs bell them both TO be; and deep as my
conviction is in &c of sound currency and low du
ties am by no i. disposed to reach, By sudden
transition, the points to which | firmly believe they
be reduced, viii Tue necessary "uHe
Of The Government by proper management of our
finances.
But, as pcrncious the prohbitory or protective
system may be the industrial pursuits of the conn.
try it is still its politics and morals. That
they have greatly augmented within the last fifteen or
twenty years. that there are less patriotism and purity,
and more faction, sel6shness, and corruption; that our
public affairs are conducted with less dignity, deco
rum and regard to nomy, accountability and public
uh and, finally, tha lie faint has extended to private
as well as public morals, is unhappily but too mani
fest to be denied. II all this be traced back, the ultl-
mate cause Of this deporabe change will be found to
originate mainly in the fact, that the duties, (o to
speak more plainly, the taxes on the imPorts) from
which the whole revenue is derived, are SO ia'd,
thu, the most powerr portion Of the communiiy-nOt
in numbers, but inluence-ure not only exempted
from the BURDEN tu, in fact, according 10 their own
corce ption, receive hounties from their operation
They crowd our tales with petitions, imploring Con-
gress TO impose taSeshgh tnses and rejoice a. ,hs,
imposition as the greatest blessing, and dep'o.e their
defeat the greatest calamity; bile other portions re-
gard them in the light as oppressive and g,s n.
candor and good of The friends of this bill
whether these facts do not furnish proof conclusive