The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-17

ssEsz ! oi the power to make treaties, the committee believe that the general rule of oar system is. Iindisputably, that the control of trade and the function of taxing belong, without abrdgment or participation, to Congress. They infer this from the language of the constitution, from the nature and principles of our govern ment, from the theory of republican liberty itself, from the unyaried practice, evidencing the universal belief of all, in all periods, and oi all parties and opinions. They think, too, that, IS the general rule, the Represen- tatlYes of the people, sitting in their legisla- tive capacity, with open doers, under the eye Of the country, communicating freely with their constituents, may exercise this power more intelligently, more disereetly may ac- quire more accurate and more minute infor- nation concerning the employments and the interests on which this description of meas ures will press; and may better discern what true policy prescribes and rejects, than is within the competence of the Executive de- partment of the government.
 To follow, not to lead, to fulfil, not to or dain, the law to carry into effect, by negotia- ton and compact with foreign governments, the legislative will, when 1t has been an nounced, upon the great subjects of trade and revenue, not to interpose with controlling in- iluence, not to go forward with too ambi- tious enterprise; these seem to the commit- tee to be the appropriate functions of the 1 Executive.
 Holding this to be the general rule on the subject, the committee discern nothing in the circumstances of this case; nothing in the object to be attained, or in the difficulties in the way of attaining 1t, which should induce a departure from the rule If Congress think the proposed arrangement beneficial one, 1t IS quite easy to pass law which shall m- pose the rates of duties contemplated by it, 10 take effect when satisfactory information is conveyed to the President that the stipu- lated equivalents are properly secured.
 Upon this single ground, then, the conl- mittee advise that the treaty be rejected It may help to reconcile the Senate to this con clusion, if they add, that they do not regard the stipulated concessions of the foreign con tracing power as in any degree equivalent to the considerations by which we obtain them Against the imposition of duty on cotton, and against the enhancement of the daty on rice, we have, in the enlightened self-interost of Germany, all, or almost all, the security which we could have in her plighted faith, sacred and inviolable as that would ever be.
 The gain to the United States IS confined to restriction of the duty on lard 10 l37 cents on the centner, measure of weight equivalent to 1l3 pounds and the reduction of the imposition on tobacco tn leaf about q
 
 and q third per pound On a liberal esti- mate of the addition which might be expect cd in the consumption of tobacco from this rate ol reduction of duty, in the States of the Zoll Neren, 1t cannot be counted as extend- ing beyond few thousand, say from five to six thousand hogsheads a year. This esti- mate is formed on the rate of progression for some years past, of the export of tobacco from the United States 10 Germany. The price of tobacco, independently Of the reduc- ton which might follow diminished rate of duty, is already so moderate, in the Zoli 1 Verein States, that increased consumption to any considerable extent can hardly be inferred as the effect of the diminution.
 Such, then, is the paucity of advantages promised from the acceptance of the treaty. To these are to be opposed the reductions of duty conceded in compensation, extending to whole classes and large varieties of arti- cles, comprehended in our present tariff, and descending to rates eff twenty, fifteen, and ten per cent
 ARTICLE 1. The United States of America agree not to impose-duties on the imports ton of the following articles, the growth, produce, and manufacture of the S1a+es-ALhe Germanic Association of Customs and Com merce, exceeding--
 L Twenty per centum ad yalorem on the importation oi-
 l. All woollen, worsted, and cotton mitts, caps, and bindings, and woollen, worsted, and cotton hosiery, that is to say--stockings, socks, drawers, shirts, and all other similar manufactures made on frames;
 9 On all musical instruments, of every kind, except piano fortes.
 II. Fifteen per centum ad valorem on the importation of
 l. All articles manufactured of flax or hemp, or of which flax or hemp shall be the component part of chief value, except cot ton bagging, or any other manufacture suita- ble for the uses to which cotton bagging is applied;
 ?. All manufactures of silk, or of which silk shall be the component part of chief value;
 3 Thibet, meTinos, merino shawls, and all manufactures of combed wool, or of worsted and silk combined;
 1. Polished plate glass, silvered or not sil- vered, small pocket looking glasses, from three to ten inches long, and from one and a half to six inches broad, toys of every descrip- lion, snuff boxes of paper mache, lead pen eils, Photographic stones, and wooden clocks, known under the name of Schwarzwalder clocks;
 ,. Cologne water, needles, bronze wares of all kinds, planes, scissors, scythes, files, saws, and fish hooks, gold, silver, and copper wire, tin foil, and musical strings of all kinds;
 6 Leather pocket-books and etuis, and all sorts of similar fine leather manufactures, | l., q, ,r ba