Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1844-10-04
From the n. Y. Evening Post
MIR. CLAY In THE RIGHT.


because it happens to be announced or &C
knowledged by an enemy. The great
leader of the Wing party himself, wrong
as he is on so many questions of legisla-
ton, is right on some others, and now and
then utters truths which come in direct
conflict with the theories of his followers.
For example, the Wing journals and
speakers at Wing meetings. are never tired
of repeating, that log chains and fustians,
and cotton sheetings, are not at all dearer
for being highly taxed by the Tariff, but
are in fact great deal cheaper. In this
they are contradicted, not only by common
sense, but by the father Of the American
System himself. The following words
were uttered by Mr.. Clay in Congress;
they will be found in Gales and Seaton's
Debates. vol. tx, page 465:
elf there is any truth in political econ
omy, it cannot be that the result would a
gree with the prediction-for we are IN
structed by all experience, that the con-
sumption of any article is in proportion to
the reduction of its prices, and that in gen.
eral it may be taken as a rule, tsat the d.
ty upon an article forms portion Of its
price,
Mr.. Clay probably little thought, when
he was uttering this plain truth, that it was
to overset the beautiful theory which his
followers have been building up with so
much pains. The duty upon an article,
forms, says Mr.. Clay, portion of its price.
Let us take this rule of Mr.. Clay's along
with us, and try Mr.. Clay's moderate and
reasonable Tariff by it.
Ox-chains pay four cents pound on the
iron of which they are made. This is
computed TO be about IT'S per cent. upon
its value. The woodman, therefore, who
spends ten dollars in log-chains, pays more
than six Of it either to the Government or
10 the American manufacturer. The duty,
says Mr.. Clay, forms portion of the price.
Smoothing irons pay two cents and a
half pound IN Mr.. Clay's moderate and
reasonable Tariff. This makes an addi-
ton of about hundred per cent. to their
cost. According to Mr.. Clay's bill, the
laundress, for this implement of her voca-
ton, is taxed two dollars and half, out of
five which she pays for it.
Sugar pays two cents and half pound !:
molasses pays four mills and half a
pound. On these articles, if Mr.. Clay's
rule be true, the farmer pays, on an aver
age, half the price that they cost here, Ell
Their to the Treasury or to the louisiana
planter.
We are charged with six cents duty on
refined sugar. According to Mr.. Clay,
this forms part of the price, and we can
not sweeten our tea without paying trib-
ute to Mr.. Woolsey, who left England to
bel p make Tariff for Americans, of which
he now reaps the benefit.
Salt pays duty of sixteen cents on the
hundred weight. This makes part of the
price; tits paid to the Government or pock-
cited by the salt boiler.
Brass kettles are charged each IL cents
for every pound they weigh. If Mr.. Clay's
rule be true, the tax goes into the pockets
of Phelps & Dodge.
Fustians, the most durable of all cotton
fabrics, pays duty of more than their
original cost. According to Mr.. Clay, of
every dollar which the laborer expends for
a pair of fustian pantaloons, he pays at
least fifty cents to Mr.. Schenck of Mattea-
wan.
Shirtings are still more heavily taxed.
More than half of what the laborer pays
for his shirt, if there is any truth in Mr..
Clay's rule, goes to the owners of the Lo-
we'll factories.
Printed calicoes are burdened with an
equal tax. The farmer, when he buys a
calico lrock for his wife, which costs him
two dollars and half, pays the greater part
of the money, if we take Mr.. Clay's rule
for true, TO Mr.. Simmons, or some other
Rhode Islander. .s-- .-t Is
We might GO on this way through the
whole of the Tariff. 1t is true, that when
the duty is SO enormously high as to be
wholly prohibitory, the price of the article
is not always raised in proportion to The
amount Of the duty. But the only reason
is, that, in such cases, the duty is so heavy
thai if il were added to the price, it would
make the price so exorbitant that few would
have the means to purchase.
The increase of price is, however. even
in such cases, an approximation more or
less near to the amount of the duty impos-
ed, and Mr.. Clay, in laying down the rule
that the duty is included in the price, ut
tered an important general truth, at the
same time that he pronounced the severest
condemnation of the Tariff, which he now
Il p