Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-06-01
THE TARIFF.
II


bic period. and which is now approached with ma
nlfest reluctance, under the incessant goadings OF
the "orrans great and SMALL will be taken up /
by Congress. 1t was to have been expected, in |
deed, that the new and large demands upon the |
public treasury, to meet the exigencies OF War,
into which the country has been prematurely hur
Tied by the inJudicious action OF the Executive,
would have induced the opponents Of the exist
ing revenue tariff to have abandoned their pur
pose to substitute for 1t a scheme, which, docor-
ding 10 their opn estimates, will reduce the amount
of revenue derived from customs. But are
nevertheless gravey assured, in the teeth of these
estimates, by which the assertion is dsProved,
that the necessity for the proposed reduction of
duties is rendered more imperative by the aug
mented expenditure. since upon that reduction we
must depend for an increased revenuel Such
was not the opinion during the Of 1912, nor |
was such the action of the Republican party |
at that period. Then, instead Of reducing du |
ties in order to raise money, THEY WERE DOUBLED |
for that avowed object And what little probab- |
lity there is now that the theory of the AntPro-
tectiye party will be confirmed by the results OF
their experiment, II, unfortunately for the coun-
try they shall be able to carry it out, may be con-
clusively ascertained by reference TO the Treasu-
Nv Reports from 1887 to ls4l-withiu which pc
Rod, under the biennialy descending scale of the
Compromise Act the duties gradually fell, until,
in the latter year, they reached the favorite max
imum of the Free Traders, Cwenty per cent?
Without recalling to the memory of readers
the calamitous effects at that time of this reduc-
ton upon the trade and commerce of the country,
we ask what was its influence upon the Revenuel
A
the ordinary expenditures even under so rery Geo.
nomical an Administration as that of Martin Van
Buren-and consequently, that at the end of his
Presidential term, on the 4th of March, lS4l, ai-
Ter having expended the entire accrung revenues,
and in addition some thirty-two millions of dol
las which he found in the Treasury or subject to
ITS control when he went into office, he left the
Government overwhelmed with debt, its outstan-
ding Treasury Notes greatly deprecated in the
market and its bonds, upon which it vainly en-
deavored to borrow few millions of dollars,
pudiated by the moneyed men of Europe and
America, us though, instead of being the obliga-
lions of powerful nation, they had been the
worthless promissory notes of some prodiga and
insovent individual Nor was it until the adop.
ton of the Tariff of 1912, that Commerce revived,
that the Currency purified that the Reuenue
was rendered ample 10 meet the wants Of the
Government, and that its Credit the consequence
ola return of general confidence and prosperity,
vas restored. And now. with the painful and hui
Iliating lessons of that disastrous period fresh in
the memory of the people, Congress is importu-
Iately urged TO abolish a system from which so |
many practical benefits have undeniably resulted, |
and to substitute for il another which has so re.
Gently borne such bitter fruits Party discipline
may be stringent enough to effect this change in
our revenue system; but we will not believe it
until We shall the vote recorded. If we re-
garded this movement only in a party aspect in.
deed, there is nothing we could desire more than
lis success; for, anticipating from it effects precisely
similar to those which formerly occurred, it could
not fail to result in the overthrow of its au-
1hors. But, we unwilling to purchase a party
triumph by the sacrifice of the industrial interests
of the country in all their branches for the bene
fit Of foreign capitalists and artizans; and hence
most sincerely hope that the effort to effect this
radical and as we believe ruinous change will be
sgnally defeated.
We hope it will be defeated for another reason.
The mere question of reduction of duties il not
the great point in issue between the two parti.s.
The true subject in issue between them ia the
right and the duty Of the federal government, in |
the adjustment Of its revenue system, to discrimi
nate for Proteciion-the Wings affirming, and
their opponents denying it.. Now, this issue the |
Administration Bill before Congress does not |
meet, but cunningly avoids. IL proposes a modi.
hcation Of duties but it does not abolish protec-
tive duties. Protesting TO be a Rerenue Tariff
by which term II is understood that "the forrest
Eate Of diiy is to be levied upon erery foreign i'm
port that will raise the required amount"-it vi.
Olaes the definition Of that phrase in every sec.
tlon. II conflicts in each Of It's leading features
with the principles laid down in Secretary Walk.
er's Report, and, Gin the language Of the Charles.
Ton hefcury') - with scarce an exception,
fro'eehre larlii bill' though inadequately SO
protective in its high duties, protective IN ts low
duties, and protective IN It's no.duties" We hone
II may be defeated, therefore, because it is decep
tive in its character in Sinking the very issue
which II preteDds TO mett-cheaing the people
b. delusive title, which every feature Of the bill
n'elf fa'sfes In their arguments in favor Of
u q bin, t' advocates deny the right Of Govern.
n.cnt TO discriilinate for any other than revenue
purposes and yet, the bill itself Discriminate
against revenue, and Tor MISUNDERSTANDING
against rsrcnue by IT. list Of free articles, and es
'oially by making the insignificant duty upon
Tea aud coffee dependent upon contingency
d''crminsies for protection by placing sugar, iron
and other like articles IN the very highest scbe
dule l. u true, the bill IT, on this account. more
70 our taste than would be IL the doctrine Of the
Free Traders were honestly carried out-if the
issue we're fairly made in the bill, az il vas in the
south, on the hustings, upon the principle Of pro.
fectioa. But we object 10 this playing fast and
loose on this vital question. " our opponents
think proper, during a canvass, to write a creed
upon their Gag. we in favor Of requiring them,
when they 60 into power with that flag lrum.