The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-11
COMMUNICATIONS.


For the Union.
THE TARIFF.-No. g.
TAsmeanng Of the ,oord tariff still further erplaned-
A tar Difference beisossn tariff and direct tar
Position, pie,os, aud purpose Of the democratic
and federal parties in relation 10 the tariff.
BY way of preface to this article, it is proper for
me to state, that am not writing for the purpose
of enlightening learned and experienced statesmen
and legislators upon the subject of the tariff or OF
taxation in any FORM As it is their business to be-
come acquainted with matters of such high import
to the common veal, in order to act upon them UNI
derstandingly take it for granted that they are well
acquainted with them. To that class of readers,
therefore, do not particularly address myself; but,
if be possible for TO succeed in the effort do
desire to explain this somewhat intricate and COM
plicated subject rendered still more intricate and
complicated by the specious draperies of fasehood
and humbug which the advocates Of the protective
system have thrown around it, TO that class OF our
fellow-citzens- farmers, mechanics, and work
ingmen of this repubic--who have not the opportu-
nifty nor the to study this subject which those
have who possess the means and the time to make
ucHiscNco uCquoihtcu WIN AiVhNo ny NSS''~
to define the meaning of terms which may be very
well understood by the enlightened and expert
| enced reader
| In my first communication, l proved that the
modern Specification of the word tariff was book Of
rates 1t means less than list of tares,
duties, or tolls Persons who have travelled in the
Northern States -of this Union, must frequently
have observed on the gates of bridges and turnpike
roads, wide board with the rates of toll inscribed
upon it, and headed "tmif of tolls" This clearly
explains the meaning of the term. A list Of the tolls
levied on boats and merchandise passing through
the Erie canal Of New York, would be no more nor
less than tariff of tolls In the legislation of this
and other countries, the list of rates or duties
imposed upon merchandise imported from one
country into another, is known by the same term
a tariff. 1t means no more thnn list of iares i'm
posed by the government on articles imported from
one country into another, for the and consump-
ton of the people of the latter country.
1 Having explained the true and precise meaning Of
the word tariff, according.to its modern acceptaon,
l will now attempt to show the difference between
a tariff tao and direct tar; those being the two
modes of taxation generally resorted to by the gen.
eral and State governments, for the purpose of rails
ing the necessary means for their support.
| direct tar is a tax levied upon the property Of
the individuals composing the community which
resorts to it, By this mode of taxation, each per-
son is taxed Gas near as it is possible in practice to
approximate to exact JUSTICE in proportion to the
property he possesses. 1t is levied upon lands,
houses, money, stock in trade, &C., &C. And he
who possesses the largest amount of property, pays
most for the support of the government, by whose
power his life, liberty, and property are protected.
He has greater stake in the stability and per-
manence Of the government and therefore he should
pay more for its protection He also has more
means to bear the burdens which it imposes. This
mode of taxation is also honest and abope-board in
its exactions. Every man, under system of d.
rect taxation, knows what he has to pay, and for
what he pays. 1t is collected by the protested tax
gatherer, or collector. That officer comes with his
book of rates, or tax-bill, in his hand. He shows
it to the persons Of whom the tax is to be collected.
And they are thus enabled to learn from it the
amount of tax they obliged to pay, and for what
purpose. They thus learn precisely what govern
ment costs them, and whether it imposes its contri-
|
in short, is direct taration. II ia system of taxa
ton, which, SO far as the general government is
concerned, has been hunted down by the advocates
Of protective tarifF-as it were, by hue-and-cry.
And yet, direct taraiion Is the mode By hich the gop-
erneni Of every State in the Union is supported 1t is
the mode by which all the State, county, and town
taxes in New England are levied and collected; and
yet the very men who resort to it at home to sus-
tain their political communities, denounce and cry
it down when it is proposed as the proper system
of taxation to be adopted by the general govern
ment. And it must be confessed, that they have
persuaded respectable portion of the people Of this
country to believe that it is some horrible monster
some terrible mad-dog to be avoided for their lives,
and knocked in the head, if possible; when they
are, in fact every day. and every hour, the victims
of direct taxation at home.
| will now endeavor to show the manner in
which the tariff system of taxation operates upon
individuals and the community. In the first place,
it is tax upon the consumption of the country. BY
means Of tariff, we are taxed for nearly every
thing we eat, drink, and wear. And as one man,
having the means to purchase, pays as much
| of this tax as another--the man who supports
himself by his daily labor pays as much as the
rich, because he consumes much as the rich
man. tariff-tax, therefore, is, in substance and
effect, capitaton-tax, or tax upon PERSONS and not
upon roperty-the man who possesses million OF
dollars pays more than he who possesses but one
thousand. 1t is, therefore, an unjust system Of
taxation, inasmuch as it exacts as much from the
poor it does from the rich, because the for
mer consumes great an amount Of dutiable arti-
cles as the latter.
1t is also deceptive and dishonest mode of taxa
ton. 1t does not go in broad daylight, and with
open heart, to those on whom il leves it's exactions
and apprize them of the amount of the tax which
it obIiges them to pay, and for what they have to
pay it. On the contrary, as If conscious that its
purpose was furtve, and its intent wicked one, il
preends not to tax them at ALL but, in point Of fact