The Arkansas banner., 1843-09-16
THE TARIFF.

by the astounding fact, that since the last tarif act. the revenue has constantly dlmln- ished. and actually fallen far below the wants of the Government, thus showing an mport- ant truth in political economy, that moder- ate scale of duties produces the mostrevenue.
 There never was law so short-sighted in policy, so injurious to Government and people, and it will doubtless undergo radl- cal modification at the next session of Con- gress. The ruin of commerce, the decline of almost every branch of industry, demand 1t, and he will indeed be a bold man, who can rise on the floor of Congress and advo- cate a high tariff.
 As the public lands have never paid the expenses of the land system, there are but two modes of raising revenue; either by im- posts, or direct taxation. Statesmen have generally thought the former the less odious, inasmuch as mankind lose sight of the in- direct tax in the price of the article, and if they do not, the payment is in a measure voluntary.
 In all ages, there has been an aversion to direct taxation, which could not be well overcome, if this were the only objection. The most fearfu.. outbreaks in England, have arisen from this cause; and although the ex- pertinent in America, would not be product i've of similar result, yet the practical diff culties of any equitable plan of direct taxa tion-the expenses of it-the conflicts be- tween federal and State authority which 1t would engender-swarming the country with new offices-confewing additional patronage on the Government, would, without looking farther, be sufficiently great evils to preclude the adoption of 1t, as a settled policy. In some extraordinary emergency, 1t might be resorted to for the preservation of the peo- pie; for salus populi saprema est ler. In truth, 1t is an adjunct of free trade, and of the latter 1t may well be said, that 1t is beautiful theory, but one which can never be adopted, save on the footing of reciprocity with other nations, an event that is not very likely to occur. For Us to set the example, would be to become the prey of almost every other nation; for 1t is vain to expect that they would change systems on which cen turies have stamped an impressive sanction. In the language of Mir. Madison, E'reeiprocity, or an equivalent for it, is the only rule of in tereourse between independent communities, and no nation ought to admit doctrine, or adopt an invariable policy, which would pre- clude the comtcracting measures necessary to enforce the rule.o
 A tariff for the purpose of revenue, must be conceded on all hands, to be necessary means of carrying on the Government At this precise point, the two great parties in the country diverge; the Democratic insisting, on principle, that a tariff for protection is destructive of the happiness of the people; he Whig, from interest, that the Government would not perform its legitimate functions, without extending such protection; the De- nocratic, that moderate duties should be im- posed, so as to raise barely enough revenue Or economical expenditure; the Whig, that here shall be high duties, so that there may 'e a~redundant treasury, and consequent distribution among the States; the Demo- ratic, that the impost shall be laid on the uxuries of life, so as to throw the burden on the rich, who are able to bear it; the Nhlg, that 1t shall be laid on the necessaries of life, so that it may fall almost exclusively on the poor.
 The tariff of 1S42, shows the Whig doc rine completely, and by carefully reading it over, the truth of the points of difference between the two parties will be instantly England has been considered as overshadowed by taxation, but the average 'f the revenue tariff does not exceed 20 per ,ent,, and duties, intended to be prohibitorv, 10 not exceed 3355 per cent. In France, the
 ( 1 ,er cent The tariff of 1928 averaged about l6 per cent Our present tariff, in some cases, caches the enornity of 15O to 200 per cent. Fake, by way of illustration, some of the absolute necessaries of life, and see how the treat mass of the people are robbed and 'lundered, by the wretched protective svs- em, for the benefit of few, who have the given to them by legislation
 The daty on SALT is s cents per bush I, or s dollars on the hundred bushels. This duty is 100 per cent, or twice as much higher than salt costs at the places from whence imported. Now here is prohibit- ny duty, which gives the monopoly to the lome manufacturer, and compels the farmer 0 lose at least half million of dollars 'er annum, to satisfy the rapaeity of the in this indispensable article.
 On BROWN SUGAR, duty of cents per