The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-01
THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF.

THE PROTECTIVE TARIFF.
II the question were asked what one capital pur-
pose is our system Of government intended to ac-
eompsh in its direction OF our foreign relations the
ansvermust be TO secure to US the advantages of a
secure commercial intercourse with foreign nations
on liberal and honorable terms-to open to us, that
o. as wide a. may be, the ports Of the world Hence
our diplomatic and consular systems-hence COM
mercal treaties-and hence practically and mainly,
in the present state Of the world the great issues OF
peace and war lodged with the regulation Of COM
merce in the hands Of Congress. The end to be
gained by the whole complicated machinery, is the
safe and easy exchange Of what we produce most
easily for what want Of the productions Of 9th
m This is the true protection Of American indus
try. So long as labor shall toll, with the view
Of selling the fruits Of thai toll, so long
will it remain true and undemable that the
only true method Of aFordng projection to Ameri-
can industry and Of insuring it the just reward Of
It's natural rights, isby adoption Of such liberal
and enlightened course Of policy shall remove eve
nv obstacle to its free exchange with the labor of
other nations in the market Of the ,oorld a, large But
il this cannot yet be effected, let have at least
such discriminating ratio Of imposts will effec-
,uaIly reverse the vain and unequal system Of the
pesen, law; and instead Of subjectng to the heavi
est duties all the cheaper and most necessary articles
ofiving, let US, in the of justice and common
sense, make the luxuriss bear proportionato and
reasonable share Of the general burien. By such a
course only it will be that, by light duties upon
articles Of the most general consump ton, we shall
have, not only large importation to meet the ends
of national revenue, but corresponding amount
of expectation to furnish the means of our purcha
ses; and thus crown the enterprise of our people
with its greatest rewards at the least expenditure
Of capital, and the smallest sacrifice of labor.
With these views, therefore, we have only to
move the rubbish which the officious hand ofan
wise legislation has heaped around the industry of
country we desire it should reap its just
pensation, and flow without impeachment in that
benefcent channel offrcedom which is ever indicated
by the laws of nature. Here indeed will the great
est possible amount Of the means Of Subsistence
be obtained with the greatest facility and the
wiscst economy of time and labor
On the other hand, the narrow policy of our pres
sent oppressive tariff law not only deprves the great
body Of the American people Of the just and naturai
value Of their earnings, whatever may be their res
pective occupations, but by most unnatural process,
has the certain effect Of increasing the undue inu-
the privileged capitalists, and of efectually
destroying the balance Of our democratic institu-
tons. And VIC cannot, moreover, be too confident
in asserting that if persisted in it would inevitably
cause the laboring classes to become in time helpless
th.t ~
selves had, to their own injury, thus manfestly
placed in the exclusive enjoyment of grasping and
mere moneyed oligarchy. '.....s...,. .
We need not stop to insist that these evil conse-
quences of tho protective system peculiarly ag
gravated by the different condition Of the various
sections Of country. 1t is true that in oil ma
tons system of protection taxes the many for the
benefit Of the few. But in addition to this it is true
with us that such system taxes two or three sec
tons Of the country for the benefit of one. This
consideration did not escape the authors ofthe Fcdo
nlst. In discussing the subject Of duties upon inn
ports, after insisting at length upon the general evils
flowing from high tariff system, they urge farther
that such tariff system is productive of inequality
among the States " that this inequality would exist
especially "between the manufacturing and the
manufacturing States They add "The States
which can 60 furthest towards the supply Of their
own wants by their own manufactures will not, ac-
cordng to their numbers wealth. consume SO greet
a proportion Of imported articles az those States
which are not in the same favorable situation They
would not, therefore, in this mode alonen (hat is,
by taxation under tariff system) contribute to the
public treasury in ratio to their abilities" And
in this view these statesmen held that the power of
taxation for revenue should not be confined
exclusively to imports. These were the wise
apprehensions entertained by the trainers Of
our constitution Of the dangers and Unequal
ties to be dreaded even under tariff for rev.
enuel How much greater force and moment
are given to these fears by the oppressive pro-
ective system Of to-day What was only appre-
hensioa and dread Of danger in the days Of the Fede
ralist, has in our time become recognised and lam
entable fact!
But, again, we are told that the great agricultural
interests are by Of protective tariff, to have
the precious advantage Of a home market for their
corn and cotton. Nov who, we ask, is Q, ignorant
not to know that our farmers and planters can.
not, under any circumstances Of our condition, be
deprived Of this benefit Of exchanging with the rest
Of their feIow-counrymen, as far as they find it
Consistent with reciprocity Of their interests' A
home market therefore, they viii, and must always