Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-09-23
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
TUESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER ~, is4s.
4 Horizontal Tariff.

L MS IL inc project OF tnoSe Ot the bCmocratC
party, who opposed TO Free Trade and Direct
Taxation. These Democrats have not the nerve
of the Chivalry. To march directly mp to the
breach, insist aboshing the Custom Houses,
and coming directly upon the people for taxes to
support Government. But they are grcvously nj,
icted with constitutional scruples, and while they
can't GO Direct Taxes, they support something. in
reality, even more odious: TO wit, Tariff which
makes no determinations, but imposes the same
duty upon all articles. L; is unconstitutional they
contend, 10 put unequal burdens on the people
The Congress has no right TO tax the rich mans
silks and wines 100 per cent. and the poor mans
salt and iron only 30 per cent. This is horrible
injustice; and the remedy they propose for it is 10
impose uniform duly upon the whole-say 10
per cent. salt. &c. and the same on silks, &c.
This, on paper, and in the abstract. looks well.
But it is rather queer to hear such doctrines from
the ardent admirers of the dear poor people
What! the rich mans Injuries to pay no more tax
than the poor mans neceSSarieS And this the
creed of the real Simon Pures of the Democracy
Strange this may appear, il is true. 1t is
highly probable that many of those. who denouncc
a Wig Tariffs discriminating Tariff, and cry
aloud for "Hori.on'ai Tariff" are profoundly
ignorant of the nature and consequences of the
measure they desire. They have heard their lead
crS say that horizontal tarifas opposed to Wing
Tariff, is the true Democratic panacca they.
therefore, insist on Its adoption. We are the more
disposed TO conjecture that ignorance of the effects
OF such Tariff prompts to its support. from the
fact, that many of these gentlemen. who desire
an equal ana uniform Tariff on all things, are
loudest in their denuncations of the Wings for
putting any tax at all upon SALT iron, sugar coffee
&c. They would not thus expose themselves. If
they were aware of the fact, that the Democratic
Horizontal Tariff would impose much higher tax
upon these mecessaues, than the discriminating
Wing Tariff. Both would propose to raise the
same amount of the revenue, i. e. Just enough for
the support of Govcrnment-say 20 millions
The Wing Tariff would raise the greater portion
of this amount from luxuries-which are mainly
consumed by the rich, who are able TO pay for
thcm-and by n tax discriminating in favor of do
nestle industry against foreign. The Democratic
Tariff would raise it by expressing home industry
to support foreign, and taxing the very means of
subsistence to the labOuring mass, equally with
the supertiuities OF the wealthy and luxurious
The truth is. the Democrats are involved in the
grOsSest contradictions and Inconsistencies, in re-
gard to this whole matter of the Tariff. They
affect TO abhor, above all things. the British PEG.
pie, and style themselves the Anti English party,
and their opponents, the british Wings and
yet, many of them would abolish all dutics-cer-
tainly all such as operate protection OF our own
manufactures from the competition of England
and would subject to Il complete commercial
thraldom to Great Britain. Again, they claim to
he the exclusive champions of the laboring poor
and we have Just seen, that by their boastcd tariff
they would tax the poor man out of all proportion
with the rich man. They pretend to be the friends
of industry but they would Cypress that, and en-.
courage luxury. The fact is, that the Wings ha
wing occupied the only true American ground ON
this question, and they, under the influence of fac
ton, conceyng they required To occupy a
position directly opposed to the Wing position.
were forced to occupy false one-which has led
to all their difficulties. and will lead TO as many
more.