Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-10-04
Ifs.ssrsws. (PA. ! ssyr. ~. isas.
Hon. RosrHr J. wAIxxa.


Hon. RosEKr J. wALxKH.
Secretary effhs Treasury effAs a.. Naiss.
sRs l have jsst seen your circalar containing
forty questions addressed W certain manufacturers
of the United Ssases from which ID appears lhsi the
presen. Administration have determined 10 reduce
she present tariff az they cam 10 uniform standard
Of twelve and half per cent
This being an important official paper. the ioun-
dalton Of hostile movement against tas protective
policy, Il has doubtless been the JOINT production OF
the President and his Cabinet or tIf draughied BY
YOURSELF has been Submitted or iher consideration
and approval.
Regarding il in this hight. beg lrave 10 call your
attention and that Of the pubic 10 some portions oI
this important circular.
The 29th. 3oth, and 3lsi inierrogalories ! consi-
der the most important as indicating the precise
standard 10 which the President and he Cabinet
have determined 10 reduce the tariff Of lss2. via.
70 twelve and half per cent. horiSoatai that H..
twelve and half per cent. upon every thing alike.
That the public may Judge for themselves | copy
these inienogaiories word for word from the circu-
lar itself:
Question as,h n the duty upon the isssn manuas,us
Of the kind Of gods which you make reduced twelve
and half per cent, with corresponding reduction upon oil
she imports would you continue manufacture reduced
prices I"
"30h II would cause you 10 abapdon your business
what way would you employ your capital ?"
"sla Is there any pursuit in which you could engage
from which you could derive greater profits AFTER redur
ton Of the import duties TO twelve and half per cent "
"Twelve and half per cent. on all imports
seems, then, to be the standard" 10 which
you, as the organ Of this Administration. propose 10
reduce the present tariff. Now, sir, having ndi
Gated your revenue standard" viz. twelve and a
half per cent? have only TO regret that you did not
at the same time indicate the amount OF revenue
required. Allow me, sir, to supply this omission.
You will want at least twentyfour millions OF dol
lars year; the Treasury estimates make il nearly
twenty seven millions.
Now, sir, permit me in turn TO PROFOUND few
questions, which hope will be answered for public
satisfaction through the official organ Of the Gov
erment, " the Union," editorially or otherwise.
lst. Would twelve and half per cent. assessed
upon all the imports Of the present year, including
Tea, coffee, and the free list be sufficient to pay
one half OF the amount of revenue required at your
revenue standard Of twelve and a half per cent.
1t would not, and you know il. Our whole i'm
ports for consumption amount 10 less than hun
dred millions of dollars year for the last four
years the average is less than ninety millions.
Twelve and half per cent. upon one hundred
millions would give twelve and half millions OF
gross revenue, and deducting from this three mil
lions for expenses of collection, drawbacks, boun-
ties, &C., and you have left but nine millions and
half nett revenue, instead Of twenty-four or
twenty-five mlions-the amount required.
I'd. What increase of foreign imports would be
required to supply this deficiency Of revenue, say
fifteen millions.
Answer One hundred and twenty-five millions.
The whole OF the specie in the United States is
..,,rnaiAd "a .I@ai a. mil nf
dollars. So that all the specie in the United States
would not pay, by forty6ve millions Of dollars for
the increased imports required to supply years
revenue at twelve and half per cent, the stand
ard proposed by the present Administration 4
3d. Reduce the tariff to twelve and a half per
cent, and how will you supply the revenue, now
scarcely sufficient at average duty of thirty-our
taxation, exchequer bills, borrowing, or bankruptcy
These are hard questions, but they must be an
swered. The People demand it,
4th. When all the specie in The United States
will not pay by forty-fve millions for the foreign
imports required for revenue the first year under
your system, and when the banks of course sus- |
pend and break, and their paper becomes vaueless,
how are you TO pay for the next years importations
having neither money nor credit left
9th. Will not reduction of the tariff 10 twelve
and half per cent Cess than has ever been thought
OF or seriously suggested before) effectually ruin
every mechanic, manufacturer. and farmer in the |
United States At twelve and a half per cent |
what will become sir, Of
The shoemaker who protected duty Of 60 per e.
aiors, who have .................... so DO
Daekshi'ns. ....................... ~ do
Saddlers as do
ahners. ......................... IS do
nihers .'...... ...................... 80 do