The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-10-25
WHAT is A REVENUE TARiFF55'7:s.-s

"hAI 10 "A hEVENUE TARIFF? TH
This question, we believe, has never been satis.
factorily answered, apdwe doubt whether II can
be or whether, strictly speaking, there can be such
thing as an unmixed revenue tariff; but there are
certain principles which should characterize such
tariff, to the standard of which we should an.
proxmate as nearly as the nature of things VIM
permit WE ~ sa J
| revenue tariff will proportion the burdens Of
the government, as nearly as possible, according
to the wealth feach ndividua--pa cling but slight
duties on articles which are indispensable for the
poor, and high duties articles of foreign luxury,
the consumption of which is confined to the rich.
In the present tariff this principle is entirely disres
garded. af it sA9
revenue tariff imposes no burden upon the
people except opay the expenses of the govern
mept- avoiding, as far possble the operation of
the present system, which imposes double tag;
the duties upon foreign imports alone going into the
public treasury, while there is another tax In tho
higher prices of our own manufactures, which
makes up the enormous profits of the manufactur
erS This is as much tax upon the people as
though 1t was levied directly upon their property,
and then paid from the national treasury IN the
form of bounty with this advantage in the last
method, that 1t would then fall upon each accord
ing to his means, while the burthen is now placed
dlsproportionabIy upon the poor
revenue tariff looks upon all classes and In
teress IN all sections of the Union, as equally en-
titled to favor-not making one the particular pet
and favorite of the government-and building il
up at The expense Of the others; and in this man
ner it avoids the ealousies and disaffeetion which
have heretofore threatened the perrnanence of the
Union. II also appIoximates the income OF the
government as nearly possible. to the arnountof
ITS expenses, thus preventing large surplus reve-
nue. and its attendant evils. - Cineinnai Enquirer.
VIRGINIA TEA, &c.--We see il stated in some
OF our exchanges, that the experiment of raising
Chinese tea, is TO be tried D Virginia. This will
afford fine opportunity for our whig friends to
test one OF their protective theories They saw,
substantially, that projection" is all that is needed
to enable US to produce any article According to
this, we can have nearly every thing that grows on
the land or that is drawn from The sea- Pine .ap-
pies in Maine and ice in Louisiana will become
common things; while all manner OF tropical pro-
ducons will be within the reach Of every man
who can only get the government to benevolenty
tax every other person in the land for his especial
benefit. There can be no possible end to these
beneficial operations Of protection. Why should
not the Virginians, then, raise tea, and why should
not they have just as much 'protection" at the ex-
pense of all the other States, as will enable them
10 do itproftabIy' This will place them on a level
with the manufacturers of the East, now so boun-
ifuy supported by government II is true, there
ire thousand things which Virginians can do, il
hey so please, and which, being pointed out as
heir proper pursuits by nature, it would be more
wise for them to enter upon; but shall not every
nan in this free country do as he pleases with his
'@n, aud has he not a right to cultivate tea, even
his land is a thousand times more adapted to the
uture of tobacco' Certainly there will be peo.
'le who will object TO making up the vrgInian's.
osses by paying him round sum every year out
# their own pockets; but these are factious char.
cters, who are enemies of American industry,
nd therefore are very properly taxed to atone for
my insane misdirections of its energies. Sfates.
nan