Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-10-19
PO1ITIC
LETTER OF JOHN P. KING,

LETTER OF JOft4N r. hi-NS'i
(L,s Serc.or Of the Uated States from Ge"rSia }
GCoNcLuDEp
IMr. King continues at great lenS'h ana WIN
much ability, the whole question OF The Ialin
Svs,em and examines all the arguments which
nave been advanced in lis favor We have no
room for this able examination, and must hasten
10 the close of the letter
Won NAV, from the foregoing statements, PER
ceive plainly the causes OF the cnibarraSSinehis
OF The country. Tor 4 few years back, ana equally
as plainly that the proper remedy was not adoP'-
ed IL the manufacturers had not been more III
tent on filling their own pockets than Inc EXHAUST
ed treasury, a reasonable revenue Ia" Wouiu ia,e
been adopted instead OF the prohibilory and highly
protective act of 1912, which defeated for twelve
ar fifteen months the object which should have been
most desirable TO all To hear some OF the " higs
talk now. you would suppose the Iarlt OF ioi2
was followed IN instant rclicf 10 tic Treasury, as
we'll as general prosperity 10 the country,-where-
as il so checked and cut oil importatlons that we
find Congress discussing its reduction elsh'eeh
months afterwards, and one argument used, was
The necessity of revenue. The Government wanted
revenue, and the country did not want more sle,
c;s Shery;no exchange was 81 wdea Tie act passed
and for months bfi0Fc ana space ""s ''et '"'i'''
al a pratt Of , per cent
Will here observe, that the Treasury was
EMMY in 1912 and the SpecdicSt and most eiec-
mai mode should have been adopted 10 repiensh
il This condition OF Treasury was brought
about by the 10000 900 distributed to the States
and the unexpected and enormous expenses oi Inc
Florida war, on the one hand, and The explosion
of the paper system in 1887 on the other, WHICH
reduced lhe revenue from that period, below Inc
estimates. Without inquirins how the deficiency
most efiectual and speedy rcrcnnc measure that
yonld have brought relief The highest dscrinl-
narion. IN faror ri rercaue might have been tenn
norar;ly made. You know, ! presume, what IS
meant by determinations in favor ol reFe-
,,Ie II means the duties, that rN ofmS ne
qooy yerenuc. When TOO low, they may bring
100 liule; wen too high, they may bring none
al all. Revenue duties would have supphed
the Treasury when most needy, and Wiieh Inc
revenue was not needed, could have been re-
pealed without clamor or complaint. The high
Tariff Of 1912 is aow bringing more money
into the Treasury than is needed. Inc country
has restored It's currency and credit, and by seve-
raj years of economy, got mcasurahly out oi DEBT
4 rapq.iia "a The people la coaSHme revived, ana
tound ll, country alnlos, destitute OF goods Inc
home manufacturers coul! nJi supply tEcul, ana
they were obliged 10 import at any rate o du'y'-
Moreover. these enormous impoitations oi specie
no, needed, produced at some points expansion
and speculation, which overbalanccd high duIieS;
and now, after lis importation has cost iiie planter
20 many sacrifices, il Is going back again ooniu
any thing more srlkinsly illustrate lhe Was'ciul
and foolish policy OF these artificial clogs upon
commerce, 10 serve a partldl, luStcau VI 'he -
neral interest
Another of the most formidable objections 10 a
high Protective Tariff, is It's natural and irress-
tbe tendency 10 get up, and keep M, iieavl
expenditure by the General Government we
were much better governed when The ordit'aIy OK
penses of the Government were seven millions,
Than we are now and, but Tor this system, The or
binary expenses Of the Government, al thlS mo-
,nent, would not probably have been more than
seven and a half or eight millions, and The ordi-
nary. and extraordinary, not more than Twelve
Bu, ever since the national debt was paid, and
..ven short time before, every c%pedien' mas
been resorted 10. 10 waste the public treasure, and
1iy 4 heavy Government expenditure. nc
wbol, C;oycrnuent has been converted into >y>-
tenn of Jobs, brides and bounlcs, and Mr. Aody,
The foreign traveller, fear was mol lar wrong III
his opinion, after Winter al Washington, tiai
the Government of the United States IS now the
most corrupt Government In the world How
,hinqs have progressed you may imagine nom
one fact! In The early history Of the Govern
1nent the contingent expenses OF Congress were
from eight To twelve thousand dollars Till the
Protective Tariff of ls2i, they had not reached
fifty thousand dollars They have since run mp
10 Two or three hundred thousand, sometimes en-
ceejing the latter sum-
This system OF waste, corruption anu cxtfaVa-
.ance. must always 20 hand in hand with The
high prolcstivc policy: Is high taxes can only
be absorbed by heavy expenditures. Vast sums
are also required TO buy up the log rollers
and secure their adhesion 10 these schemes oil
plumber. Hence, extravaganza is consistent
article in the Wing creed. In conversation, d
Whio member OF Congress once candidy ac-
l,nowledsed this creed OF has Party, and ju>,'hed
il. lie cmpha,icay asked "what protection
could be given to our manufacturers, under the
economical expenditures of Mr.. Jefierson's adj
,ninis,ration Z" He also stated that he did moi
believe the Union couli last long, without heavy
government, patronage have no doubt ne was
nerfecty honest bu, refer 10 these things 10 show
vou how ludicrouS it is to hear the Wings talking
about economy and retrenchnenc Even small
MATTERS show the principles of the party. In no
cbaro, that have seen against Mr.. Polk, is COM
nlaini made that he voted for any appropriation
The charge uniformly is that he voted against II.
onc crave charge is. that he refused 10 violate the
Constitution in voting money from the treasury,
bu snple resolution, to furnish wood 10 the poor
OF Alexandria, He proposed, however, 10 co.,
tribute from his own pocket, and mat inc other
members should do the same. This was, hoWc"er
no, exactly The kind OF generosity ,ha' Tue !" h's
have any ambition 10 excel in. Their tactics are
\, min he qeop'e ruth their o1rn money. Then
generosity is that of Switt's country gentleman
who
TOUT Of his great bounty,