Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-10-17

Every duty 10 TO be considered and Il uro.
Perly denomnated, Q revenue duty, the ra,c Of
which yields The largest amount Of revenue from
the importation Of the article upon which Il IL
imposed; and every duty 10 TO be considered
and is properly denominated, a protective dutv.
the rate Of which is 30 high as to diminish t6e
amount Of revenue derived from the itnportaions
Of the article upon which il is imposed, and the
rates Of which require 10 be reduced, to increase
the revenue. And when . given amount Of
revenue is desired to be raised upon any given
article Of importation, the committee regard tho
lotcea rate Of duty which will effect the result,
as the true and legitimate revenue duty." The
committee add-''rhe protection afforded, un.
der revenue tariff thus defined, they would de-.
nominate incidental. The protection sfJbrded
BY a protective tariff; according to the same
definition, 10 direct and postive-operates 10 di.
an exercise OF the power 10 lay and collect d..
ties. entirely indefensible in principle and poll.
cy."
1t thus appears that ''direct and positive pro.
tection"-that is, protection which has the effect
TO diminish revenue from any given article, 10
entirely indefensible in any principle and poll.
cy"-thc only allowable protection being that
which is incidental 10 revenue duty-that 10,
incidental to that duty which, without any refer.
ence TO protection, will yield The largest amount
Of revenue from the imporatons Of the article
upon which it is imposed
| The mere statement of this doctripe in suf;,
csent TO show that it strikes fatal blow at the
principle OF protection, because that rate Of duty
can, obviously furnish no stable protection,
which is made TO depend, not on the degree of
protection ii will furnish, bu. on the amount of
! revenue il will yield-since il 10 well known
| that rate OF duty on given article, which will
yield little or no protected interest in tho coun.
try, that can stand single year, under the ap.
plicaion Of such principle as this.
The true principle may be thus stated-A
tariff which, while it shall, in the aggregate Of
| its duties, yield the amount, and no more than
the amount, needed for the treasury, shall be 90
adjusted, in its details, as to throw 30 much Of
that aggregate upon articles needing protection,
as to give the protection needed-tbe balance
being thrown upon articles needing little or no
protection.
II is against the principle Of revenue duty
with incidental protection, in the Protean shapes
II viii be made to assume, that we are doomed
10 contend and 1t is contest with fearful Odds
when we tahe into account the power and inhu-
ence o! the new administration, aided BY the
deceptive application Of the sliding rule Of pro-
lection incidental 10 revenue dufv.
- NOR 10 thus the only aspect Of the danger.
The Secretary Of the Treasury. whose purpose
to destroy The protection afforded by The tariff Of
lo42i s not attempted to be concealed,is engaged
10 the unprecedented work Of collecting, wiibous
the authority Of Congress, and BY replies to GER
tam questions propOunded TO manufacturers and
others, to be answered wiihou; oath or cross ex-
amInatIon-Informaton to enable him to carry
his destructive purpose into execution.
Vermont has too deep an interest in the great
question thus about to be forced to fearful and
perlous issue, 10 remain Indifferent or silent.
1t is due to the great value Of our interests in
voIved in the true principle Of protection, that
we thoroughly scrurenize the false principle On
which, by combination VI its pretended friends
with It's open enemies, prot ectOn il TO be made
to rest The imminency 81 the impending dan
ger would seem to call for decided expression
f'of the General Assembly on this subject.
have received from the Corresponding Sec.
rotary Of the American Peace Society COM
munlcation on the subject Of Peace, with a re.
quest that would lay il before The General As
sembly.-In compliance, 81 nd herewith copies
OF Inc communication for your consideration.
This request appears to be part Of general
movement of that society to impose upon the
rulers Of States and Nations the duty OF recon
sdeyiDg the question Of war, as il stands con.
nected with the temporal and spiritual interests
Of men. and to incnlcate The importance and
pracicablity Of superseding its supposed ne.
cessity, BY the principle Of Arbt ration, applied
to nations as il now ID to individuals.
1t would seem necessary TO do lfi'e moro
than to announce this object, to secure for it the
favorable consideration Of the rulers Of every
Christian people. War is the greatest Of ali
the calamlties that ever afflicted the human race
and yet, the world, after having been involved
IN its crimes, and felt the terrific sweep Of ito
des"lations. for near sixty centuries. seems but
Just awaking from The delusion that il 10 neces-
n ont wi tIp nd
Piles OF religion whose all pervading element
is love.
Oue own country. more perhaps, than almost
any other, needs this awakening influence. The
freedom happily enjoyed by our people, seems
TO engender the restless spirit favorable to war,
while receives additional impulse fr~e the
popular appeals incident to our ~ stem Of free
sufrage,-appeals made, often, by men who 1--we
distinction and excitement more than their euun.
try' While their appeals act On minds in 10 con.
d't'o0, from the association Of Numbers and OH
er causes, to feel their true individual RESPONSE.
oIl'ty for the crimes and consequences Of war.
The maxim-'In peace prepare for war;" is.
moreover standing excitement 10 war. PEI form
ing the double Office Of provoking agg yesson,
and prompting inconsiderate and rash resistance
to It. The stale Of society in the Southern and
South Western portions Of our Union 10 an il
Illustration, in private life, Of the practical results
o. thls maxlm-so apparently just, and yet ~
really ques' ionable.
There is, however, . preparation for war,
which does not invite it. II 10 the preparations
OF simple, open hearted, Uniform fairness and
Jus!ce.-the exhibition Of a stronger solcituds
to do right, than to exact it from others and Q
sensbily. which habituslly feek that tho stain
OF dishonor is inflicted, not BY suffering wrong,
but by doing It, The nation who shall cultivate
this splrit-who shall fairly gain the re pota,ioa
OF The JUS, will possess a defence, in an ago
ruled, as this is beginning to Be, by enlightened
public sentiment, more sure and effective than
the power Of Notifications, and armies, and No.
ves, combined, can give.
But while the spirit Of peace and scrupu.
lous regard 10 justice, will, by their silent in
huence. check, II they do no, entirely subdas.
the spirit of aggression, they will not, necessE.
rily, prevent the occurrence Of International dil-
fcrences. nor, in the present, il in any future
state Of the world, supersede the necessity Of
some formal provision for their adj ustmeut.
This necessity suggests resort to thu principle
Of Arbitration, and the introduction into treaties
between nations, Of s,ipua,ions to that effect.
Il is the furtheranss OF this object, By acting
on the public sentiment Of our own country and
the world. that the American Peace Society 90.
liciis the action Of the General Assembly u this
Slate and could hardly be invited to the per-
Torrance Of more grateful duty than 10 become