The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-06-08
NeW i ORR correspondence.

ID be brought into the contest for the next pre-
sdency, and as have limited at President Tv-
leI's opinions on that very important topic, per-
mi me to oiier some views respecting il, which
have presented themselves aftera deep consde-
ration OF The true policy to be pursued in refer
ence, not TO what has been, but what now is,
and what we may reasonably anticipate for the
future, IN regard TO our home industry, and our
foreign trade.
Let me premise that am lhoroughgoinr
advocate OF Free Trade. believe il would be
much better for mankind if each country of the
world were permitted to introduce the produc-
ton oil every other country, without charge
upon them Of duty, or impo,t Of any kind and
Tor the reason that if this were allowed, the in.
dLslTy OF each would be applied to bring.lo per
lection the various productions of its peculiar
soil and climate, ia manner, that The surnus
oil each might be exchanged with the other TO
the best possible advantage Of all. This would
be Free Trade" for this, our own country, is
as well adapted by nature as any other. We
have, indeed, tried this experiment, and have
found II TO succeed admirably in the CONNER
| cal intercourse between the several States of
the Union; and can see no reason WHY il
| would not succeed with foreign States were il
| possloie oy Congress OF Nations TO introduce
1t; but II cannot be while the system obtains of
collecting revenue for defraying the expenses of
tae respective governments through the medium
oil a Tariff Of duties TO be paid on articles of
importation; and think it will be admitted that
| The day is far distant, if it ever shall arrive,
when the system will be abolished /; aud this
must be SO obvious as 10 render II unnecessary
TO go into any course of reasoning to establish
H. IL this be question settled beyond dis pute,
as | shall consider it, the next question that
arises naturally is, not what is the best
general system, but what is the best one for
as 10 pur-ue2 And this question appears TO
answer itself, for as real free trade cannot in
that case exist it follows that each country, ac-
cording TO It's own zeal or SUPP osed interests,
will adopt ITS own tariff of duties, and these will
undoubtedly affect us in different degrees. OF
course all our foreign trade must, of necessity,
become conventional; and no country on earth
is in better condition to enter into such n com
pact with any other than the United States, for
The reason that we have all the real necessaries
and comforts Of life within ourselves. Now
there arr two ways of arranging our tariff either
by commercial treaties with other nations, or BY
taking into consideration the trade we have
with any country and deciding for ourselves
what duties we will exact for the introduction
Of IFS products, and how far it is desirable TO en-
courage their importation.
| take il for granted we are now in a stua-
ton to make tariff the object of which shall
be TO provide ourselves with an adequate revenue
for the economical pu poses of the Government
And, | think, with this view of the subject,
surposing the latt, mode TO be the one adopted
that President Tyler in his messages TO Con
grcss upon the subject. has taken the true
ground, which now quote in bis own words
revenue, right to discriminate as to the articles
which the duty shall be laid, as well as the amount
necessarily and most properly exists"
And again:
$50 also the Government may be justified m so
discriminating by reference TO other considerations
Of domestic policy connected with manufactures"
Nothing can be more equitable TO foreign
countries and TO the various sectional interests
Equitable, because founded upon the mmuta-
bic principles Of justice, and a well satisfied
that upon them tariff can be framed that will
give satisfaction to every interest in our widely
extended territory, and our varied objects of
pursuit
Without going into the much disputed intri-
cacies and long contested theories OF political
such tariff upon the true principles Of compro-
mise and am bold to say there is no other
way in which general tariff can ever be made
that will be to the true interest, Of industry;
for in no other way can ii be adjusted with any
hope of that permanency which is its chiefest
benefit to any portion Of it,
will not go into the needless inquiry of how
our manufactures have reached their present
state of perfection, whether that has arisen
from the protection they have heretofore re-
ceived or not: Great diversity Of opinon exists
upon it, but that is now of no consequence
Let US reason upon facts, as III exist, and no
one will doubt our fabrics have in general reach
: ed point Of excellence in texture aud a cheap
ness in price which will not require, in many
$ cases, if any, higher rates Of duty than will b,
] consented to cheeriuly by those who have OBJ
iected to our former aud present scale of i'm
ports.
I Connected with this subject much more close
" fhan has ever been know n, is the state Of the
currency Our banking system, as II has beer
; carried on, has kept our currency so expanded
even while paying specie, that prices have al
T ways been higher here than they should have