The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-08-13
THE TARIFF.

, rights Of the telling masses, the honest Ia
, borers loudly demand its. REPEAL. Tn
Wing joins issue with us, denies that il
tendency is oppressive, and desires US I
sustain our position by facts and arguments
The task is not arduous, lor dull indeed j.
the vision that does not behold at one glanc,
the injustice, the iniquily, the deformities
the present odious system. They stan'
forth in bold relief and are truly trightful Il
the friends of Justice, and to those who re-
ioice in the onward march Of freedom AMI
equal rights. The system upon which is
reared the present high tariff having for its
object the pampering of certain class by
restraining the privilege of all others to
buy and sell lin whatever market which
their interest dictates is not new one.-
Restrictionisa mode which has been adop-
ted by governments that enslave the people
from time immemorial--itis a striking fea.
ture improvements Of tyranny,a main link
in the chain that has ever fettered mank ind
to the car Of despotism-it has beenan en-
CINE Of plumber and oppression in the ma.
tons of the old world ever since their exis.
tence, and to our misfortune be it said, it
has been adopted to certain extent in this
bur boasted land Of freedom and Justice
Commerce is one of the chief sources of a
country's greatness--it was designed by
Heaven to create peace and harmony
among nations, to unite them by the strong
est ties. And such is the tendency which
Unrestricted commerce produces-for when
nations intemingle their trade, exchange
commodities, their interest becomes identi-
fed, and wars will be avoided. Any thing
therefore whichis calculated to obstruct the
channels of commerce is injurious to the
general welfare. A tariff tax has that eff.
fect-it is frequently so high that it prohib-
its entirely the transportation of many arti-
cles Of produce from one country to anoth-
er, in every case, no matter how low, it
must necessarily increase prices thereby
disabling consumers from purchasing as
much as otherwise they would; all of which
has tendency to destroy it. The fact then
is beyond dispute that Tariff, or tax inn
posed upon merchandise carried from one
country to another retards commerce, and
is therefore injurious to the peace, prosper
ity and the welfare of nations. To prove
that it is essential to their strength and
glory, and illustrate the weakness and deg
radiation Of nation without it, we will re-
fer to China. Hitherto she has refused to
adopt commercial reciprocity with other
nations, relying for power and greatness
upon her own resources, and but afew years
since, although with population of fifty
millions, she was made to succumb to a
British army of not more than twenty-thous-
and.
We will here produce the authority of
that illustrious patriot and statesman Doc
tor Benjamin franklin, in support of
our assertion that it is contrary to the
laws Of nature, and therefore detrimen-
tai to the prosperity of nations to impose
restrictions upon commerce by levying
taxes and prohibitOry duties
He lays it down as maxim that "the all
rise Creator has ordained that mutual de-
peHdeHce shall run through all his 10orkS,"
and that the same relations that exist be-
tween individuals as regards mutual indie.
pendence," exist between nations, is self |
evident fact which none will deny. He |
farther states, there is no greater enemy
to trade than restraint. Were nations in
generaltO abolish all PrOhibitOry Ia,cs trade
iHgeneraI sUOnld flourish, most in those coun.
tries where the happy situation, the mild.
ness of the climate, the activity and indus.
try of the inhabitants would furnish means
for a speedy and useful Intercourse recip.
rOcauy to supply any real or ideal uoant-I
When nations make war by prohibiting
each may hurt itself as much as /.
he enemy. *** Now, though it is hard. |
y to be expected that princes should allow |
IF a free trade or intercourse because they
seldom kpOU their Interest; yet It does moi
= llo,r, that e,rJ,....I ri