Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-05-20
THE TaRIrF QUESTIONING. wi

Let us here express tile hope that in tins struggle
the people may forget that they are eu.ens OF me
u S, and have higher duty 10 perform ',an 20 gun
temporary advantage for some kind OF industry.
great effort has been made TO enlist all the selhsneas
wbich belongs national character; while poiiti-
clans have been equally busy in conveying inc I'M
preston that the opponents Of protective tarh were
bent on deriving labor of lis just reward. by these
very men the true question carefully kept from the
pubc eye That question ls:-ShaH erery k'nd q IN
dustru be permitted to enjoy It's o1a natural adrantaSeS
or shall some be taxed for the benefit OF others,
We are glad TO general a movement by all
kinds of artizans There 10 be but one exception
TO this remark-the farmers This class OF citizens,
content 10 earn their bread before they eat IT. do not
seem to be aware that it is equally the duty OF Inc Go-
yernment to protect em as 10 protect the shoemaKers'
papermakers gIassmakers carriagemakers and the va
rous other manufacturers who are so Jealous IN their
efforts Should the farmers call national convention,
form "Home League, and lay before Congress the
value of their products and the number OF laborers en-
ployed would at perceive that they should not
be overlooked The safety of the aborer IS, however,
that so many classes of manufacturers, with greatly d.
versed interests, have already moved in the matter,
so that like some posons, Which taken in small guam
titles destroy life but in larger doses are innoxious,
they contain their own andote Each will combat the
too high preensions Of the others, and thus facilitate
the settlement of this difficult question.
We ought also TO consider the effect which tarih
and paper currency have each other. The
ground the proectioniss have always taken 49, that
a tariff preventing importations ehectually excludes
any demand for specie. If it did stop importatlons,
then to be sure there would be no demand Tor spe
Gle; but here we believe they mistaken. Max
ing no allowance for smuggling, which, however, is
commission business in Paris at least, as appears
by the curious document lately sent from that city
10 our Congress, it will momentarly diminish i'm.
portations then the demands our banks for spe
Gle censc and there is check to the amount
of their issues Money is easily obtained, prices
RISE business assumes more inviting character and
promises a harvest which can never be raped
This rirfyng process goes until the point is reach
ed-and will be sooner or later-when the nominal
val NC of goods is SO enhanced in the country that TO-
reign goods can be brought here and sold for profit
Now the influence Of the tariff is reversed and instead
of nordng any relief TO business, it hurres on day
of fearful retrlbuon to all business men, First, the
banks are called on for specie to pay ~ the goods
which an inflated currency, like trade wind gulf
stream has waited TO shores. Now the banks be-
come unable TO take ordinary business paper, and here
commenc the panic and distress which the coun-
try has already seen, is follow increase of
the tariff. Such the origin Of the commercial dill
fculties of 1870 1893, and 1920.
Although have not glanced at the major part OF
the arguments in favor of free trade, we Will now
give summary of our views, and close our Lengthy
article Entire freedom in business we regard as es-
sental to the moral and intellectual advancement OF
the race. Freedom in trade We do not regard as an
abstraction which be reduced to practice, but
rather dirnc a,c for every violation of which there
is penalty. Our duty, then, IS pian-CTge Inc Go-
rernmcnt 10 adopt more liberal policy.
We do not advocate immediate free trade, because
our past policy has been different; the wants ofthe Co.
vernment are imperative, and must te supplied; the
people are to ta1ation the tariff has led some
classes of our people into manufactures which, in its
ABSENCE might prove profitable; therefore, i'm me-
diaie change in our whole policy is not desirable
But we do insist that il is the duty of Congress TO keep
in mind that the tariff should have distinctive rercnue
character. In isproper, SO long
the great object of the ,arrerenue,-is not lost
sight Of the laborer should receive special consdera
ton. Notindrec,ly, through spindes and looms alone,
but in tangible form. In other countries, and TO
some in this the aborer has been the rietn of
protection.
The wool.growers may have supposed that they
were the objects of especial care; yet the law has adj
mitted duty free, oil wood costing less than eight
pound al the place from whence it came! BY the
aid of fraudulent purchases, false Invoices and the ia.
ciIites which exist for smuggling, the law has been Of
very little practical utility The growers ofcattle, too,
have been obliged TO sell hides at free trade prices
duty having ever been imposed on this article.
In every movement, whether moral, intelle ctual or
political desire that the claims Of the working classes
may be regarded, in words alone, we have too
often witnessed but in manner which shall render
them Independent, virtuous and enlightened