Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-10-29

nr is a r]ation's welfare; nay, it, boror--ias VI
E. existence! Either alternative laai5 to Il
in same resuIt-anarcby !
/ BE it as it may, Of what avail tothc author
- Of such evils would be their appeals TO congl;
tcncy and principles Inconsistency and prjr
cipIes carrying destruction with them!
Pari passu with the above temporary PR
ject, a Revenue Bill is III der discussion j
the House of Representatives. This Bill ar
pears also destined TO carry with it The dietrj
button proviso; and has, besides, TO meet tb
opposition of the free trade advocates, OF whom
the President is supposed TO be a disciple,
Why this distribution provIso, which is
matter of policy, has thus been incorporated
in a revenue bill, which, in the present con
iuncture, is a matter Of existence, is the hes
known to politicians, in whose hands the des
TIMES of this once-happy country now fine
themselves.
BY this mode Of action, the difficulties to te
overcome have been doubled. The friend OF
free trade deem their favorite theory depend.
emf upon the repeal Of the distribution act.
The friends of protective duties attach to
that distribution the pcrmanency and welfare
Of our manufactures.
Between these conflicting opinions, the
country is going down with a %friglltfuI rapid
W. H''' - F''iI ~ w bt'it Eptii - sud
NV, whilst they are suffering the substance
to escape them, For what is their relative
position?
Both parties agree that a revenue adequate
to the wants of the Federal Government must
be raised through duties on imports.
These wants are estimated by the Secrcta-
ny Of the Treasury, and the Committee Of the
Ways and Means, at 1927, 900.
EUorr rpo mus cnpcoIo fb,f ,Jutior " ~
amount Of $4,000, 600, iudiciously dis'ribu-
ted, would insure protection to all industry re-
curing it.
If then, twenty millions Of duties suffice fG
purposes of protection, and encouragement =
orr home manufacture and the necessity Of
raising a revenue Of $27,0OO,0O0 through the
only mode proposed, to wit: Duties on Imports
be conceded by both parties, what can be
the object Of agitating the constitutionallty of
protective duties, or the theory Of free trade
Necessity settles the question for both parties.
Can it be alledged by one party, with the
least scmblnnce Of truth, that the distribution
Of The proceeds of sales, derived from public
lands, is necessary 10 the permanently Of the
system advocated by the friends of protective
duties, when it is in proof that hardly two mil
lions annually can be relied upon, from that
source whilst tWenty-seven millions must
be raised fer the maintenance Of The Union;
to wit :-acvan millions more than The amount
required n insure the protection they contend
for!
Can it be seriously said, by the ether party,
that they hcve The least hope of seeing their
~faynrjte free trade theory advanced | J the re-
peal Of the Distribution Act. whilst, as before
seen, It is ir proof that 1927, 100000 are re-
quired hY this Government to carry on its con-
rtituticG3I powers, to wit: seven millions
more than the amount necessary to an acct
dental protection of our home LABOR?
Why, then, blend together these two qucg-
tons of revenue end distribution, and leave
their solution to chance, when the stake is the
existence of a nation?
Were the friends ofa protective tariff to ap-
peal TO the people, and to say:
"By conserving to repeal or suspend the
distribution act, we can now obtain a tariff eff
f~ectuaily protecting cur home. labor against
foreign labor, lifting, at tbs sane time, our
common country from its present Frustrated
and degraded position, to its former exalted
and respected rank among the nations OF the
earth-you, Of Louisiana, may, thereby, lose
from $4,000 TO S34,G90 per annurI, for some
years to come but the Tariff will guard your
staple commodities against debasemant by 10
reign labor, below their cost OF production;
YOU will receive annually 92,0O0,000 more
than vou now receive. If we persist in our
present position, however just we may think
it 10 be, You are lrretr.evably ruined. II we
abandon it, you are saVed.'
Can any one doubt the response!
And were the friends of free trade to say to
their constituents
"Ihis is is the picture OF your country"
G,-.,, ~, ,~-,ra re thn EaInro1tc+ AT q |
time when the Contcderated States found
themselves in precisely the same situation as
the present Government - i
ave may, indeed, with propriety, be said
to have reached almost the last stage of ma
tional humiliation. There is scarcely any
thing that can wound the pride, or degaSe
the character, of an independent people, which
we do not experience. Arc there engage
ments, to the performance of which We are
held by svery tie respectable among meu?
These are Subjects Of constant and unblushins
violation. Do We owe debts contracted for
the preservation of our political institutions !
These remain without any proper or s~at!stac-
tory provision for their discharge. Have we
valuable territories for the possessio4ef a TO-
reign power! These are still retainsS to the
prejudice Of our interest, not less than Of cur
rights. Are we in a position to resent or re-
pei the aggression! We have neither troops,
nor treasury, nor government. Is credit an
indispensable resource in time of public dan
ger? We seem to have abandoned its cause
as desperate and irretrievable. Is commerce
of importancc to national wealth? Ours is at
the lowest point of declension. Is a vlolen mt
and unnatural decrease in the value Of land,
a symptom of national distress! The price
of improved land, IN most parts OF the country,
is much lower than can be accounted for by
the quantity of waste land in market; and can
only be fully explained by the want of private
and public confidence, which are so alarming
ly prevalent among all ranks, and which have
a direct tendency to depreciate property Of eV-
cry kind. Is private credit the friend and pa
tron of industry? The most useful kind,
which relates to borrowing and lending, is re-
duced within the narrowest limits; and this,
still more from an opinion ofinsecurity than
from a scarcity of money. To shorten the
enumeration Of particulars, which can afford
neither pleasure nor instruction, II may, IN
general, be demanded, what indication Of ma
tional disorder, poverty and inslgn1ficance,
that could befai a community, so peculiarly
blessed with natural advantages, as we are,
which does not form part OF the dark catalogue
of our public misfortunes!1
"Now. to e~xtricate the Federal Government
from its present degraded condition-to re-
deem our character as d nation in fine, to
save our Union, we have to consent TO the
Distribution Act being carried into effect, and
to create a revenue of S27, 100000 per annum,
to wit:-Sl 80 per each individual of the
nation"
Again, l say, can any one doubt the