Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-12-27
THE TARIFF IN DANGER.
rnom rHr TRENTON STATE GAZETTE.

We are informed by the Journal Of Commerce
that the sentiments and intentions of the Admins
tration members Of Congress have been ascertain
ed. and il has been found that majority OF them
will vote for the repeal Of the protective Tariff.
This comes from free-trade paper and not from
any Uhig 0laraaisf as those are invidIousy called
who have forewarned the people OF the danger OF
such result, and forewarned them in VAIN Whe-
Their it will prove true or not, time Will soon snow
If, however, there is danger OF such mischief u
behooves the people to think of it at once; and
permit their thoughts to be distracted from It by m
anaory speeches or war rumors that we trus are
by means likely to be realized.
Our readers have not yet perhaps fully comprehended thu
theory Of this Administrations protective Administration
this Administration Of ga better Tariff than Henry
Clay" Ii is very simple theory, theory of some idea,
and il thus stated in the famous Report of the Secretary
the Treasury that duty be imposed any article above
the ceSf rate which will yield the largest amount OF re-
renue."
Very well. Now let us how this theory is to be put
in practice We that in practice, il will amount to
sliding sco and sliding scale not, like the British in ia
Of domestic interests but against domestic interests
Suppose Messrs Polk and Walker and their co-workers in
Congress fix upon twenty per cent iron the oDes
duty which will yield the largest revenue" Well breaks
up most of the iron mills for while imported iron rnshei
and the Largest Hills the Treasury TO the grea
delight OF the Secretary thereof At length however, the
Yankee Ingenuity of iron manufacturer uiumphs
the hostility of Government he contrves to make iron
cheaper way, and thus again compete with the
imported ron drives extent out Of the market and
thus reduces the quantity imported Of the
falls Off Well what is Mr. Folks remedy Why, reduce
the duty again. Put down that the foreign manufacture
may break up his American vaso that the mporaons
of iron may again rise to the sargest amountor, TO
Mr. Walkers words put the duty at the lowest rate which
will yield the largest amount of revenue"
This is the system Of the Administration practice
Congress shall undertake put this theory in force they
only do perfectly by establishing sliding SCALE by which,
whenever meddlesome ingenious American sell
his manufactures lower than the imported and thus diminish
imporaons, the duty shall drop down upon him like dead
fall enable foreign manufacturers undersel him. and break
up his business In this way the Administration will eectu
ally prevent the of that which the Secretas
port treats evnamely " the dminuton of ths
Importation Of many highly protected articles and the subst
tuition of rival domestic products" These impairment in
tudng rival domestic products would thus be driven out
the Market they deserve and British manufactures wou
monopolze the market What right have American
| features to "rival" British in American markets
Such, them is the theory of James X Polk-the who
before his election represented himself friendly the pro
lection Of American industry II is foreign industry
would protect American industry he would pursue brea
down, and hunt Of the land. Let his countrymen
dersand it, and prevent his unnatural, unpaotc policy,
they have not unfortunately given him power sron,
| for them to resist.