New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-01-24
1.e Duties ON Iron.

nm several varieties of that article. 10 iofu1y
their demand, they have made out a catalogue Oh
ar,;cles-Bar Iron, Nail Rods, Wire, Screws
Chains. &c. &c.--on which they say the duties
range from As to 235 per cent.
We'll. gentlemen, have it as you say. Callthe
dut;es 1CjO per cent. average, if you please we
admit that they were imposed for the purpose OF
dscouraoing the Importation and encouraging
the Home Production of all these articles. we
deem it unwise and shortslghted Pohcy 10 SEM
to Europe for Iron and its Manufactures when
our own mountains are filled with the ore, mex
haustible in quantity and boundless IN variety
with abundance Of Bitumlnous as well as An
thrac;te Coal and the best of material for Char
coal. We grant you that these duties are Protec-
tive as old George Clinton and every early
Democratic Governor of our State, with the able
and patriotic Address of the Tammany Society
in 1919. insisted there should be, on all articles
essential to National independence, of which
Iron was named as first. And now, sirs, while
YOU were making out your luminous table, why
could Mt you have just added one more coinpar''
son, showing the prices an our market o. me an
titles uou instance under the lo1o Rerenue Ia'2B
of 184l and the Protective Tariff nom We
admit that these higher duties check lmportatlen
but ali the People care for is to see whether they
are required to pay more now than they were De-
f,re IF Won dare assert that this 100 per cent.
augmentation of duties has increased prices to
the consumer an average OF ten per cent. VIC
arc ready to Join issue, You tell us, for example,
that Wood Scre,cs from Eng land are charged 81
per cent duty. Very good: we know, and can
prove by one Of your own organs, that the Anler'-
can market is supplied Nth far PETER DO
mestic article than ,Oqs EVER imported, and at
LOWER price. So is it with several other articles
on which YOU declare the duties oppressive Here
is the vital point of inquiry-Will the American
People be moro chcaply supplied under Protec-
tive Policy than one of Free Trade? We say
they will Face the music, gentlemen
River and Harbor HmprOvements-Scur-
rility INA Congress.
If there be any subject on which the funda-
mental principles of the two great parties Which
divide the country arc calculated to bring them
into direct and intcrminablc collision, it is the
subject of Internal Improvements. The clearing
out or otherwise improving the navigation OF a
River, in any part of the Union, the deepening or
rendering secure Harbor-no matter whether on
Lake Huron, Long Island Sound, Or the Gulf of
Mexico-can be justified only on the same grounds
with Protective Duty which iavors the Salt
Works of New York, the Sugar Of Louisiana, or
the Fabrics OF New England. Il IS as part of
great, comprehensive, benefcent SYSTEM to be
extended to all sections and all intclcsts, that
either com,nends itself to our regard. II, for
instance, the question arises Shall VIC protect
the Home Production of Sugar or Salt Shalt
we appropriate money from the Treasury to make
G. Harbor at Milwaukee or remove the Red River
Raft 2 the answer OF justice and enlightened
policy will depend altogether on the consldcra-
ton that this is, OF is not palt OF great whole
a Ink in the golden chain OF benefits and bless.
ings which binds together the dweilers on the st
John and the Sabine, in Carolina and in WiscoH
sin, as one People.
Now, these enlarged National considerations
are alien to the nature and genius OF the Loco
Foco party. According to It's philosophy, each
act or measure is to stand by Itself, and bejudged
without regard to all Others. Theidea that Govern
ment may be a positive as we'll as negative bless.
ing to the People enters not into its conception.
From the day that Tom Paine published his
axiom that Society is the manifestation Of the
virtues of Man; Government of his vices the
principle has governed the policy Of those who
accepts his general theory. Accordingly, we
see at the head of The Globe the significant
motto, The World is governed toe
mu ch;' and on that of Tde Democratic Reuieiu
the same sentiment more precisely stated, The
best Government is that which 90
vcrns least Can any one with eyes doub,
the application of these axloms 10 Public Improve
ments as we'll as to Protective Duties I!
Accordingly, we all know what was the policy
which prevailed during the twelye-years reign OF
Jacksonism. 70 say nothing of the Maysyillc
Veto and other measures OF unequlvocal hostility
to Internal Improvements, II was easy to detect
the feeling at headquarters throughout. Appro-
priations were made capriclously, grudglngiy
and mainly by the votes OF the Wing Members
aided by those whose local interest compelled
them TO vote favorably. Gen. Jackson profcsScd
a. willingness that the Surplus Revenue should
be distributed to the States for such purposes bu,
proved hollow even in that profession when pu;
10 the test. Again: he protested to have got a
crotchet in his head that the improvement o.
Rivers below Ports of Entry, would do, but above
them would be unconstitutional whereupor
Pots of Entry were erected at Pittsburgh, ST
Louis and other far inland points, at a smart cost
to the Treasury, to turn the corner OF thus whlm
Mr.. Van Buren, stands on record as voting re-
peatedly against Appropriations to continue the