New-York daily tribune., 1843-06-30


Club, &c see First Page.
f1y- For Poem, Remorai Of the Hyandos, Hibernian
H,.mor, Pastoral and Primttire &c. see Last Page
D- The following letter from one Of the sound
est and most intelligent Of our heavy Merchants
expresses, we believe, the convictions of large
majority of our Mercantile community, both IN
the City and Country. We ask attention to the
facts it embodies, the fruits Of large experience
and careful observation. They put the necessity
and vast benefits of Protective Tariff beyond
the reach of cavil. We hope to hear farther from
the author. Ed.
A Merchant on the Tariff.
To the Editors Of The Tribune
Two valued correspondents have recently asked
my opinion upon the subject of the Tariffs
operation upon the different interests Of the
Country and as one Of them expresses wish
to publish the views Of resident of the City, |
have concluded, with your permission, to reply
through your columns.
Twenty years ago, through the influence OF
Gov. CLINTON, and the late BENIN. kNowER OF
ALBANY, became convert to Protective Tariff.
Frequent conversations with those gentlemen upon
the subject convinced me that no country upon
earth possessed the resources within itself OF be-
coming SO substantially prosperous and inde-
pendent as our own,-that in its length and
breadth it embraced every element Of prosperity
and when that prosperity was once secured by
permanent legislation for the protection OF our
own interests, none could be more favorably STU
ated to prosecute profitable Foreign Commerce.
Commerce is but the agent of the Home interests;
and, when they arc sound and prosperous, 1t twice
besses-the agent, and the employer.
Reflection had strengthened these opinions;
.ss si.<.ae-sesss,,st fur tn,sts pt year (1843) to
demonstrate their soundriess.
The last Congress, after mature dellberahon,
adopted Tariff of Duties which, while j, brings
ample revenue to the Treasury, fosters, to liberal
extent, American Labor.
Under the influence of this Tariff every interest
of the Country is rising from state OF unparalleled
depression quite rapidly could be desired; and
what will greatly dlsappont the opponents OF the
measure, the Importation of Foreign Goods the
present year will be somewhat beyond the wants
of the Country, producing Revenue from Gus
toms of some two or three millions more than the
estimate Of the last Committee of Ways and Means.
This is not mere conjecture. good fall
trade is anticipated, and the orders that have gone
forward for goods to arrive in July and August VIII
be found to be quite large enough. The OPINION
am aware has obtained, to considerable extent,
that because this city is strictly commercial its
citizens are generally opposed to a Tariff. Such
is not the fact. So far as my information extends
n large proportion of our well-inlormed Amen
can merchants are the friends OF a Protective
Tariff. A few, who are exclusively IN the I'm
porting business, the Foreign interest, which Is
large, and generally respectable as regards char
acter, and portion of the Shipping interest, are
the advocates of what is termed Free Trade.
Several of the most intelligent of the latter
class, however, have said to me, that they had
no expectation that we could preserve sound
and well.regulatcd Currency without Tariff.
Talk to them of Free Trade in ships, and they
will tell you they could not live without discrni-
nation.
Nor have the South so much reason to COM
plain of the present state OF things. No section
of the country is recovering more rapidly from
the terrible rcvulsion of 1886 and I, than the
States at the South and South-West. Cotton,
at the present price pays the planter better than
the agricultural products of the Northern and
Western States remunerate the farmer Of those
States.
In Alabama and Mississippi, ii Is estimated
that a good negro will grow bags of Cotton
At cents per pound, THIS would amount to l4O
to $50 dollars. To feed and clothe the negro,
costs from 60 to 65 dollars, leaving clear profit
from his labor of about so dollars.
Tie present value OF the negro is from $50 10
$50 dollars, and cotton lands which in 1886
brough, 30 to 80 dollars per acre, now sell from
s TO l2 The natural increase of stock, q mean
human flesh and blood,) i, is always estimated
will pay the interest on the investment.
The consumption Of cotton in this country the
present year. viii not probably vary much from
four hundred thousand bales, and thus far it has
been taken by our manufacturers at prices tha,
have paid the planter 10 or Is per cent. more
than that shipped to Liverpool or Havre.
And so of bread stuffs. For years past, the
safest and best market Tor Western Flour has
been the district of country In New-England de
voted to Manufactures and, although our mer,
chants have occasionally felt authorised, by ac-
counts from the o:hcr side, to ship Flour to Eu,
rope, the result has invariably shown that the
home market is more 10 be relied upon than the
foreign.
Under the present system, it Is fair to estimate
that the domestic market for the great staple o.
the South will increase some 10 per cent. per an