Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-05-13


lars. estimate the whole amount OF imports at one
hundred and ten millions, on an average, Tor five
years; the first two years may fall short OF that
amount the three last will probably exceed the esti-
mate. or this one hundred and ten million, deduct
from three to five millions of coin, and fifteen millions
of articles which should be free ofduty leaving about
ninety millions upon which duties should be assessed.
| We have then ninety millions upon which we can
asses thrty-two millions annually, which would give
about thirty three and third per cent. The difficulty
now arises, how shall the duties be assessedl Shall
1t be horizontal duty of thirty three and one third
| per cent ad vaorem on every thlngl or shall we
adopt the principle of discrimination and specific
duties? From considerable experience in these mat
ters have no doubt whatever the expediency, nay
| the necessity of adopting The latter Discrimination
was adopted in the first tarffestabshed, and should
not, must not now be abandoned Specific duties are
far safe and convenient in most cases, than the
ad valorcm system. All practical merchants agree in
regard TO the utility of specific duties. Our own ex-
perence should not be lost upon us. The revenue |
| am confident, would be much larger under specific
duties equal to twenty-five per cent, than ad va orem
duties OF thirty five per cent The effect Of ad vaorem
duties has been to pac the foreign mportations of
the country in the hands of foreigners; great pro-
portion of the ad valorem goods imported from Great
Britain are ronght to rs by British subjects, and nine
tenths of all the ad yaorem merchandise imported
into New York from France is imported by French
men. SO it is with ad vaorem German goods. I
de IN il essential that there should be specific duty
upon boots and shoes. Under the tariff OF 1899, you
had specific duty OF one dollar and fifty cents per
pair on boots, and thirty cents shoes. Now there
have been, under the reduction of the Compromise
Act, large quantities of Fren h and German boots i'm
ported the best French boots st four dollars, and
The German three dollars; under an ad valorem duty
you will find these bOos nvoced from France at So
and perhaps al 81 so, and from Germany al So. Il
duty of thirtythree and one third per cent would not
give you the protection that wo Id ena lie you to pay
the laborcr any thing like the wages he has been in
the habit of receiving of course ii his wages are ma
eriay reduced he and his family mus, be deprived of
many of the comforts they have usually enjoyed.
Besides, You degrade the character Of our now indie
pendent a'orlng people, when you reduce the wages
of labor 80 low as not to allow them the means ofed
ucating their children, and clothing them dccentlv,
that they may attend public worship and The Sunday
school on the Sabbath. We should exert al our efforts
TO elevate, and not depress the laborlng classes We
live under popular government, founded on public
opinion and it is to the intelligence of the people we
are TO look for its stability and pernlnency
Sir, am for universal education. have no fear
of the peuple learning and knowing too much Our
government cannot will not stand but with an intel
ligent and moral population Shall we compare and
place IN the same scale the free, Intellectual, indus
trous me hancs and working men Of our country,
with those half paid, half starved, parish fed people
of Europe! No, sir. my indignation is excited when
hear it sad that the reason why W. cannot COM
pete with the old countries in manufactures and the
mechanic arts, is because our labor is too hgh-we
must bring down he labor, il is said, TO the European
standard, and then we shall go on very well. Sir /
do not desire TO compete with foreign labor hope
never to the time when labor can no obtained at
=
weaver obtains from 5. IS 10 81 per week. Farmers
may be hired for 20 to % cents per day, and most
kind of mechanics in proportion: paid of course ac-
cording to their skill and employmen,s Most arcl
of subsistence, too YOU must remember, are double
the price they are with us Upon the continent of
Europe labor is st i lower Can we, shall we thr.
open our great country to the productions of all the
world, and maintain free trade which is all on one
side? Not country in Europe will take an article
from this country that they not Obliged tn receive
either for reven or their manul lures Cotton they
cannot al present do without although effort is
making, and fear uccyssiul one, by Great Brtnin
TO supply herself with the common qualities from
India. Tobacco is taken for revenue with duty
from 300 to 500 per cent Flour pork beef in short
all our great staples, with the exception of cotton to-
bacco and rice, are prohibited, and every article thu,
completes in the slightest degree with their own la
Dor. And yet they have the assurance in England TO
wrs books and pamphlets, and 10 make speeches,
and send out reports from the British House of Com
mons upon the subllnated beauties of Free Trade
We have seen their plans from the time of Mr.. Hus- .
klsson and have had an abundance of theories up TO
the last report of Mr. Hune-and it has all ended in
promises. Not step has been taken TO ameliorate
he restrictive system of Great Britain nor do be-
lieve that there any prospect Of a change that will
be of the smallest benefit to U.S. The corn laws it
has been often said, for the last fifteen years. would
be repealed Has il zen done! No. Nor will they
lie ieprd cd, nutlifi-d, 10 admit foreign corn
without the price reaches about 81 per tushel with
the duty l am tired Of this everlasting speculation
upon free trade. Ii means nothing. 1t IS ideal;
men. 1t is a transcendental, uto ian doctrine that
has no practical result My friends, we have in this
country bu one course TO pursue, and that IS, to look
TO our country and 10 the special care of our
labor-let protect it-and with the protection that
paernal government is bound to extend 10 this all
important interest have no fears for the prosperity
of our glorious republic. have very much at heart
the success of this question, which is soon, think, TO
agate the whole nation-and fee its importance to
such an extent that sincerely believe that nothing
now will save the country from almost fatal bank
rupicy bit tariff, embracing the principle of dis
elimination and ecic duties-and unwilling ms
always have been to appear in public, am ready to
spend aud be spent in this cause, which believe to
be that of the coun,ly's best good-and would will
ngly, it should be found necessary, buckle on the
armor and canvass cur good old BAY State from the
shores of Cape Cod to the hills of Bcrk shire. am
uraged, however, in looking to the future, from
the fact that there are indication that the people are
taking the matter INTO Their own hands. ! was
highly gratified to learn q f.w DAYS ago-after an
eclipse OF five and twenty years-thnt bright spot
could be seen in New Hampshire where Influential
gentleman, long in the public service who has lae
been devotlng Inns, II 10 agriculture, and editing
most excellent agricult Iral paper, has changed
ground, and has well urged that the cst way to
courage agriculture is - give is products home
market by protecting home manufactures. New
York, Pennsylvania and OHIO, too discussing the
subject with great spirit and alb lily. | hope that
strong expression Of public opinion vii produce the
result much wish.
Mr. President am admonshed by the cloc, that
have already consumed too much of your valuable
tme and will only add that welcome the members
of this Convention 10 our city on my own account,
and feel assured that may include the whole popu.
laton, who am certain entertain the same sentiments
that you and do upon the Important questi n which
has brought you together
l cannot but express the hope that national con-
venlion will be held composed Of the representatives
of the working men Of our counry--and let them
come together without party feeling. My friends il
is time discard our political and party chickering's
There is crisis in our affairs which demands of us
this sacrifice upon the altar Of patriotism. Let us
know other party than that ofone for our country
without reference TO party leaders, OF what con-
sequence is to you me, who administers the gov
eminent, provided it be well administered For my
self shall 90 for the country, and care not who may
be the chief executive of the nation, if he be honest
capable, and fai'hfuI to the Constitution.
THE CALIFORNIA;.
Much Importance was attached, and very