Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-12-20
RIGHT MON VA.
EriIuy morning, December go. Isi1'
Procraaiuatiou is TIC 7aief Of Time.

Procraainaiion is The I"nf 81 Time
We would respectfully warn the present Con-
gress against the mistaken policy Of poeraain0i'on
on the two great measures Of the se'sion-The
TARIFF and Texas. A te,v words as 10 both
The SEcRETARY's REPORT, AND THE TARIFF
We shall commence in to-morrows paper the
annual Report Of the Secretary OF the treasury
is an able production-clear in its STYLE and
fraught with many correct views. The principal
subject 10 which we naturally turn in such pa
per- is the Tariff Does the Secretary approve The
Tariff of 40? does he propose any modification
and when is it 10 take effect? Upon these de-
tails the Report will speak for itself II is sufficient
for our purpose 10 say, that the Secretary "most
respectfully recommends 10 Congress a review
and reformation Of the act OF lSf2 TO provide re-,
venue from imports" "Weighty CONSIDERATION,
he saws, "concur in pleading for such review End
reform" ;,
He SAYS: "Taxaion is an evil, but necessarily
10 be endured to the extent fit ain. proper for the
support Of Government prudently and economl-
cally administered Justice, the obligation OF du-
" arising out of the trusts confded to Congress
by the Constitution OF the United States, dictate
that taxation shall be made to bear fairly and
equally all classes, and on all citizens, IN pro-
portion 10 their property, means, and ability 10
pay, as nearly as human laws can accomplish
"Wilh scale OF duties daptcd 10 the sum OF
revenue necessary and proper 10 supply The
wants Of the Government, economically admin
| stered with prudent and moderate discrimlna-
lions, ranging within the lowest and highest de-
grces Of duties which look TO revenue, and are
| adapted to ase the sum necessary and proper,
may be expected that the moderate and disclee.
Of all parties would be content that such sys-
tenn, adopted for the iu,ure policy OF the Unliet
States, and steadastly pursued, is best calculated
10 heal the disconicnls, and promote the genera
prosperity and happiness.
"The stability of the Union, the national
wealth and strength, and the general welfare,
| will be tic best promoted BY such action on the
| part Of the Federal Government in exercising the
power of taxation, as will leave all that is MOI
necessary TO supply the wants OF the General Go
vernment itself 10 the people themselves, and ihe
State Governments and the Federal Government
10 rcvolve in their respective appropriate
spheres.
"The eyes OF the world are turned 10 The U
States of America, watching the effects which the
novel political institution for the government OF
the Union shall have upon the public and private
prosperity and happiness. The glorious success
which has hitherto attended the experiment should
inspire sentiments OF virluous zeal and patriotism
10 continue its success and grandeur, by practis-
ing and intoxicating those habits and dispositions,
and that spirit Of amity, mutual Difference, con-
cession and compromise, in which the Constu-
lion is formed, so that the Union may be perfect
ed and ccmen,ed, and the stability OF the Consi-
| tuition and its blessings be rendered perpetual.
In concluding his remarks on The subject Of
the Tariff he states that 'ihe proposed review and
notifications OF the act OF 1912 are presented
not with a view 10 the action of Congress
during lis present session. but II awaken attention
and inquiry, and lead The way towards e!cting
all the information necessary for such malured
legislation as The important principles and inle-
rests involved seem 10 require Sudden changes
are no more desirable in The political than in The
natural atmosphere. But circumstances render
changes in public policy and Legislation as whole
some in the political world as the changes Of
the seasons are in the natural world"
We confess, with great respect for the Secreta-
~ of the Treasury, that we cannot reconcile his
conclusions with his premises. If the present
Tariff be 90 highly ohec,ionabe-if il does re-
quire serious revision and material modification,
,chy should mol the present Congress reform il =
Why shonld lie suppose thai Congress does not see
The vices OF the present Tariff as clearly as him
selfl Did not the last Congress collect vast deal
of information upon lis operation? When was
the system more thoroughly analysed, than il
was during the late campaign2 II was canvass
ed in every State, and almost from every stump.
The People came 10 the conclusion that the sys
TEN was grossly oppressive, and required mate
rial modification. IL the present Congress, then,
has sufficient lights 10 direct their measures, why
should we postpone this question till the next ses
sion of Congress Is nothing due 10 The COM
plants oil a suffering people-nothing 10 agrcul-
ture-noihing TO commerce. nothing even TO The
manufacturers themselves! We ask again, why
this policy Of procrastination
Go 10 the Farmers and ask Them il they do
not want relief. They will tell you Of the high
prices they are giving for the mos; necessary ar
iicles-for the clothing OF their people their salt,
axes, poughs, &c They will tell yoa, TOO, of
the low prices of,leir produce. Ask them, then,
why they connect the low prices of their produce
with the high duties OF the Tariff, and they will
turn you TO The books, which show the intimate
connection there is between the imports and The ex-
ports Limit The former, and you also limit the lat
Ter, McCulloch, one OF The best ofthe modern poll
tical economists tells lis in his Commercial Die
tionary"-he work OF forty years-"There is no
iugglery in commerce. Whether il be carried
on between individuals Of The same country or
of different countries il is in al cases boomed
on iair principle Of reciprocity. Those who
will not buy, need not expect TO sell, and con-
versely. II is impossible 10 export without making
a corresponding importation. We get nothing
iromlhc foreigner graIuitously; and heEcc, when
We prevent the importation of produce from
| abroad, we prevent, by the very same act,
the expectation of an equal amount Of Bri-
fish produce All that The exclusion OF TO-
reign commodities ever effects is the substitution
Of one sort of demand for another 1t has been
said, that when We drink beer and porter, we
consume the produce OF English industry, where
as, when we drink port or claret, we consume the
produce of The industry OF the Portuguese and
French, 10 the obvious advantage OF the latter, and
| the prejudice Of our countrymcnp But how pa
| radoIcal soever the assertion may al first sight
appear; there is not at bottom any real distinction
between the two cases What is il that induces
| foreigners 10 supply us with port and carctl The
answer is obvious: We either send directly to Por-
lusa and France an eqrnralcnt IN British proavce,
or We send such equivalent in the frs, place 10 S.
America for bullion, and then send that bullion
10 the Continent 10 pay for the wine. And hence,
il is clear as the sun al MONDAY that the Eng
lishman who drinks only French wine, who eatson-
" bread made ofPolish wheat and who wears only
Saxon cloth, gi-es, by occasioning The expectation
ola corresponding amount of British hardware,
leather and other produce, the same encourage
ment to the industry Of his countrymen, that be
| could give were he 10 consume nothing not imme-
diately consumed at home. A quantity of port
wine and quantity Of Birmingham goods are
respectively OF the same value; 50 that whether
we directly consume the hardware, or, having
exchanged il for The wine, consume the latter,
must plainly, in so far as the employment Of Bri-
fish labor is concerned, be altogether Indifferent
1t is absolutely nugatory, therefore, 10 attempt 10
encourage industry at home BY restricting impor-
la;ion from abroad. We might as well try 10 pro-
mote it by interdicting the exchange Of shoes for
hats We only resort 10 foreign markets, that
we may supply ourselves with articles that can
not be produced at home, or that require more Ia
Dor to produce them here Than is required 10 pro-
duce the equivalent exported 10 pay for them
| In &c IL thino I've ObViOuS contradiction
and absurdi.y TO attempt 10 promote wealth or
industry by prohibiting an intercourse OF this
sort. Such prohibition even when leas, inju-
rious, is sure to force capital and labor into less
productive channels; and cannot fail 10 dimn.
ISL the foreign demand for one species of produce,
quite as much as ii extends the home demand for
another."-( Article, CoMMERcE.1