Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-05-02

dusry.
Tie committee have proceeded to the discharge
of this duty with thorough conviction and under
the deepest impression that all interests Of the peo-
pie, in every portion Of The country, and hat all he
people ofMe country in erery section Of IT, are alike
entitled 10 equal notice andregdrd by liz Legislators
and that, in framing laws which nre 10 operate on
all the people, even prejudices should not I've en-
tirely overlooked, when disregard of them might
weaken the attachment Of any portion of the peo-
Pile or any section Of the country TO our inestilna-
BILE Union.
The result of their inquiries is, The necessity Of
discrimindt in The imposition VI duties. They
believe in the first place, that discrimination is
necessary for the purpose Of revenue, which is
the greu aud primary object in the adjustment OF
the tariff They believe, with the Secretary Of the
Treasury, that it cannot he regarded as wise, by
any portion OF the country, as u permanent sys'
| TEN OF policy, TO augment the amount OF revenue,
when further exigencies require such augInenta
| ton, by rnsing duties on all articles, including
those of absolute necessity, TO e full extent OF ~
PEI cent, Tor TO any other particular rate ana pre-
serving that limit, ut the same time, rs fixed bar
rier against higher duties on amy nfcle whatever.
Ii is obvious thui, if the duty he raised above u
very moderae rate, on articles of small bulk and
great value, The object will be drientcd. They will
be struggled, aud wholly escape the duty and il
is equally Obvious that other articles will bear n
higher ,hnn the ordinary rate of duty, and thus
yield greater revenue.
But this is nor all. The committee have come
TO decided opinion in favor Of discriminating
duIies from other reasons also, such as must CON.
mend themselves To every patriotic citizen They
believe that discrimination IN the assessment of
duiies is necessary to the prosperity OF every branch
of industry, and is essential, not only TO the pros
perity, but to the very existence Of some Of our
most important manufacturing aud mechanical
inleress--such us have been protected and fos
tered 10y the policy of our laws, such are most
essentially and extensively connected with the In
hor and industry Of our country in all its branches,
aud some of which have hitherto been considered
MS Of The highest importance as national interests.
Believing this they could not fail to recommend u
bill based principles which, il their opinion,
nre necessary 10 the very existence of such in
teresls. They do not propose TO raise revenue
than is necessary for economical administration
OF the Government, but they do propose TO do this
in such manner that while, in their opinion, il
will not bear unequaiy and opp essiveiy on any
part of the community, but on the contrary, will
render the hole nation more prosperous in peace,
and better prepared for il viii cx:end its nro
tecling shield eyer ,he labor aud industry OF the
coun':J. Their object has been to assrss duties
on imported articles in such manner that, while
II sufficient revenue will they hope be provided,
the uct shall afford reasonable encuurag cement to
our own producers OF the same articles and shall
stimulate their enterprise and reward their indus
Try, ny SO oSCuTlnS W tucln OuT OWn
that they may, al least enter them in fair compe
,ition with foreign producers. They have esrec-
tally considered the condition and wants of those
branches OF industry whose products ure, in great
measure, the result oil labor, as The Chief cause OF
the difference in the cost of producing manulac-
tured articles here and in Europe is the difference
in the wages or value of labor. Bur, in discriin-
naiing in the rate of duties, they have not disre-
garded the interests OF the revehue; on the con-
trnry, they believe Tint more revenue will be col
lecled by the present bill than would be received
under Il lower rate Of duty, especially if the duty
was dd ualorem; and they have not made any duly
which will he prohibtory, unless the market is
now wholly supplied by our own citizens, under
the operation Of existing or former laws.
The provision Of the compromise act which re-
qnires that, nler June next, all duties shall be ad
calDren, was, us observed by the Secretary Of the
Treasury III his report, Il great change IN the sys
TEN of inposs, as it has been heretofore regarded
us the dictate of prudence and the teaching oflong
experience, that, for The prevention Of frauds aud
the cury Of tho revenue, duties ought as far as
practicable, TO he made, not al ralorem, but spe-
cific.' The committee are still of this opinion,
and in this they are confirmed by the opinions OF
many Intelligent merchants and manufacturers,
who all concur in the belief that specific duties
afford the hest security against frauds, from which
the Government and our own importing merchants
and manufacturers have suffered severely
They have therefore retained specific duties; some
nnouhi to more uud some less than thirty per
cent. al ve!nrem. In the aggregate, much more
will IN their opinion, he received, than would be
by an nd vaorem duty OF thirty per cent, or in
decd any other uniform ad valorem duty"
Protection The established policy and nOe necessary
"The arrangement of duties in such manner
THAT while they would yield n sufficient revenue
they would promote the productive industry THE
country, especially Us applied 10 our infant man