The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-15

On articles not of necessity, but Of luxury-such
an wines, distilled spirits, &c.--the duty may 60 up
to its highest limit short Of defeating the amount
Of revenue to be derived from it. In relation TO this
subject, the moral question is the same, whether for
eign spirits are introduced or, by their exclusion,
domestic manufacturers are encouraged 10 make
spirits Foreign and domestic spirits are equally
the enemies of the temperance reforoer.
Such LAS above explained) are the principles on
which revenue tariff should be constructed. They
will admit of duty on most commodities as high
as 20 per cent; on some, as high 80 per cent,
and even higher, may be imposed. But an average
duty Of 20 per cent. on the annual importation of
one hundred millions, will raise an ample revenue
for the use Of the government. By average, do
not mean horizontal duty. The idea Of a horizon
tai tarii-a tariff imposing the rate of duty on
all articles-is entertained by very few, any, (at
this period, of the democratic party.
The theory of protective tariff admits the same
general principle Of raising revenue by imports, or
duties on foreign imporations, which is recognised
by revenue tariff But, in laying these duties, its
next great aim is to protect the manufacturers OF ar
tcles coming in competition with certain foreign COM
modities imported into the country. Nay judging
from many of the provisions of the existing tariff,
it may with truth be asserted that its first object is
to benefit, or "protest," Ito speak technically a
certain class of citizens engaged in manufactures, at
the expense of all other classes. And, in order to
do this it levies its duties not solely with view to
raise revenue, but to some extent, to prohibit the
introduction into the country Of the commodity on
which the duty is imposed In some instances, the
duties imposed by the existing tariff amount to a
total prohibition. I refer to the coarse kinds
of cotton cloth, of which the manufacturers Of this
country now produce an ample supply. BY this
prohibitve duty, imposed through the aid Of the
fraudulent and cheating device of the minimum prin-
ciple, the manufacturer is enabled to fix his own
price upon these coarse fabrics actually charging his
own countrymen more for them than he sells them
for in foreign markets. Thus, in respect to this
tcle all revenue is defeated. A great portion Of
the duties imposed by the present tariff are more or
less prohibitive.
With the same view of benefting, or "protect-
ing" the manufacturer, the present tariff admits,
duty free, large class of articles consumed by the
manufacturers. 1t seems TO have been framed more
with such view, than with the view Of raising reve-
nue.. 1t may Justly be called tariff to protect the
n,ansyaciurers and incidentally to raise revenue
for the support of the government 1t is the favor
tie banting Of the whigs-the only surviving child
of the hard-cider Congress; and therefore il lis
cherished with all that doating fondness which
parents display who have been favored with but
one darling responsibility" They will love and
admire the little "cherub," however deformed in
body, stupid in mind, or mischicvous in conduct, it
may be, and however much other people may hate
and detest it.
All duties tend, in some degree, to raise the price
of the commodity which they are levied, and al.
SO the domestic article coming in competition with
it. Therefore the domestic article would be, to some
extent, protected" by mere revenue duty. That
protection would be necessary consequence, and
could not be prevented. Revenue would be the
purpose of revenue tariff, and protection its
sequence or ''incident." Therefore, in one sense,
all tariffs of duties more less protective"
| have explained the principles which mark
and distinguish a tariff for revenue from one for
protection. In my next, shall take up the exist
ing tariff, and show, in that and subsequent commu-
nicatons, the mendacious, cheating, and niquitous
devices and contrivances incorporated into it by the
advocates of protection, which have become notori-
GUS and odous under the names of minimum and
specific duties, and with which it everywhere
abounds.
BUNDELCUND.