Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-08-16

tlclcs are tho same. Tho absuriIty of lmposin
an additional duty upon torci ga spirits, and no.
upon moiasscs. is manifest.
In proportion such policy would decrease
tho importation of foreign spirits. it would, in
the same proportion. increase the importation OF
/ foreign molassos, TO be manufactured into Now
England Rum. It's effect would be merely to
transfer the distiIlcrios of molassos from tho
/ West Indies to New England; and. therefore, II
would not benefit tho agricultural interest of the
grain growing states. An additional duty upon
both these articles. tho only possible method
by which this purpose could be accomplished
It was bevond the power of Congress to declare
that nlolasses. after Ii had been rcgular import
cd should not be manufactured into rum. In 4
time of profound pence. when the country did not
require n revenue, no Ia1n did, suggest the adop
ton Of an excise upon New England rum tan
always odious TO frecmon. There was, therefore
no alternative left. l.ithor the farmer must be a.
bandonad, or he must be protected by an adt.i
tional duty on moasscs.
\ considerable proportion of the molasscs I'M
ported into this country, is used for food III New
England; and somo of it is applied to the same
purpose in this part of the Union; although be-
iieve American sugar-house moiassas Is g3ncraiiy
preferred. If it had boon possible to separate
that intended for food. from that intended for dis
tilaton tho additional duty imposed upon the lat
ter ought to have been much higher than It IS
Indeed tho duty might have been raised to ~
cents. the STANDARD first proposed by Mr.. Clay
IN 1924 with incalculabIe benefit to the farmer
and without doing injustice to any body. For 10
mastc purposes one gallon of mo'asses is equa
to eight pounds of brown sugar. The duty pane
upon eight pounds Of sugar. is twenty four cents
whilst that to which gallon of moasscss IS sub
iocod. under tho new tariff, amounts only to tor
cents. That portion Of the Union, therefore. II
which moIas9cs is generally used instead OF SUI
gar. has still a decided advantage tho other
III i, f,,y,
per gallon upon this article is trfng. that Tx
poor man of Pennsylvania. for the benefit of thc
wooden manufacturers of the East. pays more
duty upon half dozen of yards of the courses
flannel which he purchase, to protect hinisc
and his family from tho cold of winter, than
would be equal to the additional duty upon {
whole barrel of molassos. Whether this addition
al duty be considered as the means of aordine
protection to tho American farmer, who raises
grain, or the American planter who produces mo-
lasscs. il is equally part OF tho American sys
tenn. The Representatives. of the grain growing
states did not. nor could not abandon it.
The people Of tho United States annually con
Sumo about :..lO0.00O gallons Of foreign spirits
md about i3.O0o,UDn gallons of foreign molas>es
What portion Of this molasses is converted int
New, England rum cannot be precisely ascertain
cd. In l&3i. Mr. Clay estimated It at 10000,
600 Of gqons hut from all the Information
which could obtain during the last session o
Congress, believed it to b. about SIX millions
know that many Of my friends considered TIN,
estimate much too low. For the sake of tho ar
runlcnt ana a round number, 1t assume g..
SnO, 900 gallons to be tho quantity. Add to TINS
quantity. ,3J0,OGO gallons Of foreign spirits, ano
it will then appear that there annually import
ell into this country. and consumed by It's popula
ton 10000 Of gallons Of foreign spirits and mo
lassns. manufactured out of tho agricultural pro
auctions of foreign nations. We pay for this II
/ =. IL and
rnelso sum is cicar annual loss to the people o
our country and clear annual gam to the farm
crs and planters of foreign countries.
+ Allowing that one bushcl Of grain can DO con
ycrtci into - gallons Of whskev. which boievc
to be about tho average product from distlatlon
We find that there is annually imported INTO th'
United States. of the product of foreign agrlcul
ture either in the form of spirits. moiasscs TO
the purpose of dstiliation. what would be cqua
TO three millions. SIX hundred thousand bushels o
grain, whilst that article IS porishing at home TO
the want of a market. Without increasing the
consumption of spirits q single gallon, If tho lm
portation of foreign spirits prohibited ant
the distlation of molasses prevented Vol
would thus create this immense domestic markc
for the benefit of our farmers. The people of tht
grain growing states have right to demand. ma.
it is q sacred duty which they owe to themselves
to demand that spirits manufactured from corr
and rye shall be protected by the Legislation o
Congress. gainst that which is distilled from for
eign materials. They ought never to rest salts
tiol until distlation from molasses shall cease
in this country.
| have been led into these cursory. observa
tons. in consequence of toast which re
comfy given by the mayor of Boston. Mr. Quin
cy,) at the dinner given to Mr.. Webster. Thi
toast and the manner in which II was received
furnish the strongest evidence. that very larg
party in New England is still violently opposed t
the American system. shall read you the toast
..IIemp and Molasscs-a little moro of the one
and less of the other. to the authors of the abom
ination.' This dotestabIe sentiment uttered
over the festive board, and has been sent forth Il
the world by who has held many distin
cuished stations under the state of Massachusett
and who has been toasted by the present Presideu
as the worthy son of worthy sire. 1t is Difficult
20 determine whether the author of this violen