The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-07

profit directly from The reanne xston Of Texas, lhs
South and e. from S ne Sss%eSssSn o. tn
restrictions the South and Southwest, but ia re-
ciprocal free trade with Texas and all the States
viii then also hDd in New England, and in the mid
die and northwestern States, larger and more able
purchaser, and more extensive ard better markets
for all their exports Indeed, 30 great will be The
mutual benefits from this measure, that do not
hesitate 70 record the opinion that ten year. sue
eeeding the reannexaton, with Just and far lesE-
manufactured In this Union than now Is, or thea VII
be, in England and we shall begin 70 look 10 inc
prices current OF cities TO regulate the mar
ket, and not to Eoslsnd TO raise or dePress a. he'
pleasure the value of the great American staple
The North wants more markets al nome IoI wy
products of her industry, and attempts 70 secn,e
those OF the South and Soutnwea oy nC AZ
while they complain that this most certainly d.
presses the price of their great staple, ara as surely
deprives Them Of the means OF purchasing the pro-
ducts and manufactures Of the North. but upon
grounds undispu,ed by the rre nds opponents OF a
tariff Texas must furnish, as part OF the Union,
in any event. vast market for many ofits products,
upon the principle OF reciprocal free trade among
the States-that great principle WHICH led to the
adoption Of the constitution, and which has
done more than all other causes combined 10 ad-
vance eur interest.
b Upsn the rejection Of reanne Ration, it will be ut
tery impossible to prevent the smuggling Of British
and foreign goods, to almost ncalculabe extent,
through Texas into the Union, thus not only de-
prvns our manufacturers of the marx OF Tt xas,
but also IF the markets of the whole valley of the
West. This difficulty is already experienced to a
small extent in Canada, although we have mostly
dense population upon our side, and located In
region OF the north, generally highly favorable TO
detecting and preventing smuggling. But the diff
Guilty Texas will be far greater. There, the line
efdivslon is, first the Sablne-a very stream
far different from the lakes of the North, and the
q hoU md fran The
Sabine, for a long distance, mere geographical
line to the Red river, along that stream tor many
hundred miles, and then another long geographical
line to the Arkansas, and thence many hundred
miles along that stream to its source, and thence to
latitude AZ Here is boundary of fifteen hundred
miles, and very large portion Of 1t mere geosrsph
cal lines, running through the very centre OF the
great valley Of the Mississippi Could an army Of
revenue officers, even il all were honest and above
temptation guard such distance, and such a from
tier. against the smugg!er, and that, too, IN the
midst OF population On both ssdes deeply hostile to
the tariff many Of them regarding II as unconst!u-
tiUnal and therefore that is right, in their judy
ment to evade it's operation! These difficulties
were foveseen by MIR. Van Bur n, and constitute
strong argument, urged by him in his despatch OF
1929. in favor Of the re, annexation Of Texas. He
there urges the difficulty Of establishing proper
custom. house at the mouth OF the Sabine, without
which, he says, in that direction, 1T is npos-
sble to prevent that front from becoming the seat
of an extensive system Of smuggling" It is true.
that cusfom house side at the Sabine. and
with numerous and faithful ofiicers, might diminish
smuggling in that direction; but as by the treaty now
in force with Texas, all vessels entering Texas
through the Sabine, must pass unm0lested, and land
their cargoes at any point the Sabine, could
smuggling be prevented in that direction!
But if smuggling could be prevented through the
Sabine there is The harbor OF Galveston, entirely
in Texas, and with a depth equal 10 that at the
mouth Of the Mississippi; and there is the river
Trinity Complying into that harboD also entirely 10
Texas, and navigable to point net tar from Red
in, tko ho,,u ~ Tnv md ms md
through these streams inc Arkansas and Louisiana,
and the valley OF the West it would be utterly i'm
possible TO prevent smuggling. The duties upon
80 to $50 per cent Upon India cotton bassins they
amount ESQ per cent On the foreign price current;
on many articles Of iron to 100 per cent, and upon
glass and nearly. all low priced goods affected by
With these articles introduce into Texas Tree OF
duty, can they be kept out OF the adjacent States,
when the facilities and temptation to smuggling will
be 50 very great! This smuggling will be encouraged
by the manutacturers Of England, and their agents
and merchants in Texas, whose cities would be
built up as the entrepots Of such traffic. What
English manufacture rs will 90, by an organized
our duties, was proved in the late investigation in
New York. British courts, also, have refused to
notice offences against our revenue laws; and the
high authority OF Sir William Blackstone has been
invoked, where he says in reference to this subject,
"These prohibltory laws do not make the transsres
sion moral Offences or sin; the only obs alton in
conscience IS to submit to the penalty levied"
And such is the opinion OF thousands OF our coun-
trymen; and many thousands more believe that the
present tariff unconstitutional, and hence that it
is Of force validity, and that it is not criminal
to disregard its provisions However strong, ten,
might be my opposition to smuggling, there
hundreds Of thousands, both in England and Ame-
RIGA, who believe It is not criminal; and their num-
Der will be greatly augmented when goods, free of
duty may be introduced into Texas and premiums,
under eur tariff from so $50 per cent. are offered.
to induce the illicit traffic. Most certainly, then,
the refusal OF reanne xatlon will repeal the tariff, by
the substitution Of smuggled goods in place Of
American manufactures; the fair trader will be un-
dersod and driven out Of the market by the illicit
traffic and smuggling become almost universal, and
the commerce Of the country transferred from New
York and the ports Of the NORTH to the free ports
of Texas. Thus disregard Of the laws would bring
the government into contempt, and finally endanger
the Union, il, indeed, it did not induce degene-
racy and dsmoralz alton always fatal to the per-
maneuce of free institutions. Nor is it necessary
to effect these results, that Texas should become
colony, or even a commercial dependency OF Eng
land; nor yet that there should be between these
powers treaty of reciprocal free trade. Texas
(there being no separate States, and but one govern
meut 10 support, and having no expence OF any
revenue system) may maintain her single govern
ment al an annual expense OF $500 900 which sum she
sales Of her magnificent public domain, embracing,
as we have seen. l36 900 900 OF acres. Let it be
known, then, and proclaimed as certain truth,
and as result which never here after be changed
recalled, that, upon the refusal OF remuneration
now and in all time to come the tariff, practi-
cal Measure, falls wholly and forever; and we shall
thereafter be compelled TO resort 10 dire CT taxes to
support the government Desirable as such result
Che overthrow not only OF aprotective, but even OF
revenue Tariff and the substitution OF direct taxa
tion) might be to many in the south lad southwest,
yet the dreadful consequences which would flow
from this illicit traffic TO the OF morals OF
the Union, aud of free government cannot be con-
TEN plated without horror and dsmay
Having now, gentlemen, fully replied 10 your COM
maicallon, let me assure you that shall perse we're
in the use Of all honorable means to accomplish
this great measure, so we'll calculated to ad, ance
the interests and secure the perpetuty Of the Amer
eau Uno'. That Union, and all its parts, (or they
are all portion OF our common country,) love
with the intensity of fial Affection and never could
.L.a.4 l.. L..