Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1844-02-13

.|. ASAEEs
.a /. Because government is instituted
for tho common good Of the whole, and
not for the special benefit of a part
When therefore government undertakes
to confer special favOrs or bOunties upon
ono class, or department Of business and
does not extend the same favOrs or boun.
lies 10 every O,her, it departs from the
true object and design ofall government
land because the government ofthe u
niled States by meaus Of protective tar
if, does so confer special and exclusive
favor or bounlies upon a favored class,
the manufacturers, which are not only
denied to all other classes aud depart.
ments Of business, but are an actual bur.
den and heavy tax upon them.
2. Because the Constitution does not
authorize the government to confer spe.
cial privileges, except for the specified
purpose of promoting "lbe progress of
science and the rseful arts" by 'secur
ing for limited times, to authors and in
ventorS the exclusive righ. to their re-
spective writings and discoveries And
because a Protective Tariff does con.
fer other special an exclusive privileges
upon few, the manufacturers, not ac-
cOrdsd to the many engaged in other pur-
suits.
.. 3. Because government has no right to
impose taxes upon the majority of the
people, for the benefit of the minority
And because a protective tariff is such
tax upon millions Of men employed in
the various mechanic arts, in planting,
farming, commerce, and all the other
multifarious pursuits Of industry, for the
peculiar benefit Of comparative few thou.
sands, engaged in manufacturing. The
majority Of The people Of the United
St0tes, especially in the west and south,
are occupied in the cultivation Ofthe soil.
Agriculture is the great pursui; of Amer
leans. lis the primal and unfalling
source Of national wealth, il is the broad
and sirOng foundation Of national great
ness. The hardy yeOmanry Of AmeTi'
ca are the real supporters Of the govern
ment in time Of peace, its safeguards and
stern defenders in war. 1t is therefore
upon them the government should bestow
its care, il is their right and their inter.
esls, that government should guard with
ever wa,chGul eye and protect with the
strong arm. Il should as far as its pow.
ers will enable il, secure to him the just
reward Ofhis toll, by opening wide the
markets Of the world to bis surplus pro-
ducliOns, or at least do nothing 10 close
those markets and thus prevent his OBJ.
tanning the besI price for the products OF
his labor. Yet he is the most heavily
taxed by the operation Of the high tariff,
which at the same time shuts him up
from the markets Of The world, by exclu-
ding impOrtalinns IRON those marEets 10
pay for his productions. The farmers
of the west and the planters Of the south
are atOnce the largest producers Of A.
merican exports and the greatest COnsu-
mers of articles Of foreign imports and
domestic manufacturers. And as the
greatest consumers of articles f manu-
facture, such as clothes, wooIens, coarse
cOtlOns, &C., they pay the largest a.
mount Of revenues of the general govern
ment raised by the tariff Of duties on i'm,
ports, while at the same time they pros
Juce by far the largesl amount Of staples
OF export, BY which those imports are
paid ior in the foreign make', and with
Oul which, those imports could mo- be |
made, or the revenues Of go'ernpen,
Taised. The existence Oi this state OF
things cannot be defended Gpnn any cor
sacl principles Of sound political econO'
m Il and is palpabIe and gross injustice.
a, Because aProtectVeTartF lncTeas'
ees the prics of articles Of consumption,
whether imported, or manufactured in
this coun,Ey-Whle at the same time il
,diminishes the value Of articles OFpro-
ductIOn, and exporlalion. Imports can
not of course ls made aud sold at the
same price whea heavy duty must first
be paid upon them, as they could when a
light duty or no duty at all is required
to DO paid. This is too simple and clear
3 proposition to need illustration. The
imposition of duty, then raises the price
Of the imported article in proportion to
the amount Ofihe duty. Men will always
obtain as much for their goods as they
can. Therefore If the price Of the i'm
ported article isIincraased by tariff, the
same or similar article Of domestic man
ufacture will be icnressed in price to
exactly the same extent. And a high
tariff BY thus sHgmentng the price of
d articles Of consumption, both Of foreign
anddomestic manufacture, we regard as
an unjust andoppressive burden upon the
majority Of the people, Cor the sole ad-
vantage Of 'neagre manority Of already
wealthy maRufac lurers. .l..l
A protective tariff hv axcIndihn ;nDoT.