Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-11-21
From the Journal Of Commerce.
BRASS KETTLES AND THETARIFT

When the present tariff was under con-
sideraticn and preparation in the commit
tee which drafted it, the way was, for every
fellow who wanted protection, to write in
just what he wanted. 1t would be curious
history, if it could be printed. friend
OF ours, who makes linsed oil, went to
Washington, and fixed section for oil
making linseed all but free, but linseed
protected. So, farmer Who grows lin
seed sells it on free trade principles-he
gets no protection against the seed Of the
East Indies; but, when he wants to buy oil,
he has to pay twenty-five cents gallon to
protect our excellent friend, who imports
vast quantities Of Iinseed, and sells vast
quantities of linseed oil. The sugar-ref-
ners, too, sent on the head Of great ref
merry, who has probably made halfa million
OF dollars by taxing every citizen who dares
to use loaf-sugar an extra two cents a
pound, for their benefit exclusively. The
establishment is owned by men Of immense
wealth, sides the sugar-refners-all of
whom, we believe, think the tariff policy a
very sweet policy TO them. Well, the agent
fixed the sugar clause to suit himself and
his excellent friends at homeland Con-
gress passed it, Of course. He took care
to prevent the people from being injured,
not only by European loafsugar, but IIa-
vana white also, and, because one or two
of the Governments in the Mediterranean
take refined sugar from ports beyond a
certain distance, at a cheaper price duty
than when shipped from Europe, and SO
Europeans had gone to shipping sugar
via America, our refners concluded tina,
this trade should be monopolized to them
selves also. Congress accordingly fixed
the debenture On refined sugar to accom-
plish that. But when we wrote our cap
lion, we intended only to speak of the brass
kettle duty. Another very good friend OF
ours had brass kettle factory just starting
in Connecticut, (he only one in the coun-
try and had made his arrangements with
all the necessary Englishmen,, to come over
and make brass ket,els in the American
Birmingham instead of the English Bir-
mingham. He thought it reasonable that,
for so patriotic service, every woman
who bought q brass kettle should pay du-
ty for his special benefit, of twelve cents a
pound, or six cents over and above the duty
on all other imported brass. Congress
fixed the law TO suit the new foundry, oil
course; and now every woman who buys a
brass kettle pays one d,llar for every six
teen pounds to our friend, just as really and
truly as if his collector were authorized 10
call upon her for it. All this is capital for
our friends; but if the farmers can be hum
bugged to keep on such system, Of ma
king Congress taxing power for the ex
press benefit of individuals. then they have
not so large quantity of brains in their
heads us we think they have. They have,
however, had the rool pulled over their
eyes pretty thick. Let them remember
that, for the benefit OF rich manufactures
in New York, (clever worthy and deserving
men as ever lived, they pay, by way Of
protection, on all that they consume oil
loaf sugar, c's. per ID. linseed oil, % cts.
per gal. brass kettles, ICES. per Id.