Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-12-22

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instead of producing revenue. BY it the taxes were
imposed not for the IrotiInae purpose OF raising
revenue, but To afford advantages To favored class
cs at the expense OF large maoriy OF their fellow
citizens Those employed iii agriculture mcchan-
ica pursuits. commerce and navigation. were COM
PEELED to contribute from their substance, TO swell
the profits and oYorarown wealth otthc comparative
/, few who had invested their capital i'll manufac-
turoesa
1nc taxes were not le,ied in proportion 10 the
value of the articles upon which they were imposed;
bnt widely separating from this st rule. the Lighter
taxes were IN many cases. levied upon articles OF
luxury and high price. and the heavy taxes Oh those
of necessity and low price. consumed by the great
OF the people. Ii was system the Inc' liable
effect OF which was 10 relieve favored classes ana
the wealthy few from contributing their just pro-
portion for the support of government, and 10 lay
the burden the labor OF the many engaged III O.
thcr pursuits than manufactures.
\ system unjust has been superseded By the
existing law. which imposes dnt:cs not for the bon
eft injury Of class pursuits. but distributes,
as far practicable cqualizos the pubic bur
den5 amoug al classes and occupations. The la
vorcd classes, who. under the quail and unjust
system which his been repealed, have heretofore
realized large profits: and many OF them afnasscd
large fortunes at the expense OF the many who
have been made tributary to them, viii have no rea-
TO complain if they shall be required TO bear
their Jnsi proportion OF the taxes necessary for The
=
perceived. bv an examination of the existing law.
'hat dscriInihat ons i'll the rates OF duty imposed
within the revenue rrlncpla. have been retained
i'll their favor.
The Incid entail aid against foreign compatItlon
which they still ENJOY. gives them an advantage
winch no other pursuits po ssess; but OF tins none O.
theirs Will complain. because the duties levied arc
necessary for revenue. These revenue duties, IN
GLIDING trcights and charges, which the importer
must pay before he can come in competition with
nearly all our leading branches oil manufacture; to
more than one third the value OF tn imported art-
Gle. and lii some cas"s 10 almost one halt ITS value
w it'll such advantages. It is not doubted that our
domestic manufacturers will continue TO prosper.
realizing in well conducted establishments even
greater profits than be derived from any other
regular business. Indeed. so-iar from requiring the
protection of IncIdant revenue duties, manu-
lecturers in several leading branches are extending
their business. giving evidence of great ingenuity
and skill and of their ability to compete with in
creased prospect OF Success for the open market of
the world. Domestic manufactures to the amount
ot several millions of dollars. which cannot find "a
market at home arc annually exported to foreign
countries With such rates of duty those cstab-
shcd by the existing law, the system viii probably
be permanent: and capitalists who have made or
shall hereafter make. their investments III manuiac-
lures, will know upon what to rely.
The country viii be satisfied with these rates be-
cause the advantages which the manufacturers still
enjoy result necessarily from tn cole cion of
cnuc for the support Of goycrnrn mt. High p:otCc
tive duties f,om their unjust operation the mass
oi the people, cannot fail 10 give rise 10 eXtcn-
sve dissatisfaction and compl INT, aal to constant
efforts 10 change or repeal them. rendering all m
yeStm hts IN manufactures uncertain and precari
ous. Lower and more Eerman mt rates OF duty at
the same time that they will yield to the manntac-
turcr fair and reInulerang profits will secure him
against the danger ofirequent changes in the system
which cannot fail TO ruinouslv affect his Interests.
Simultaneously with the relaxation of the restric-
tive policy by the United States, Great Britain.
from whose example we derived the systcmhas re-
Taxed hers. She has modified her corn laws. and
reduced many other dgies to moderate revenue
rates. After ages ofeXperiencc. the statesmen OF
that country have been constrained by a stern ne
and bv public opinion having its deep foun-
daon in the suierngs and wants of impoverished
millions. TO abandon Il system tho effect OF which
was 10 bu ld up immense fortunes III the hands OF
the few. and to reduce the hboring millio to
paupcrsm and misery. Nearly in the same ratio
that labor depressed. cap al was increased and
concentrated by the British protective policy.
The evil of the system in Great Britain at
length rendered iniocrablc and it has been ADAM
doncd. but not without severe struggle on the
part OF the protected and favored classes retain
the unjust advantages which they have solong en-
Joycd. 1t was 10 be expected that similar strug-
gle would be made bv the classes in the
United States. whenever attempt was made to
modify abolish the same unjust system here.
The protective policy had been IN operation III the
United States for much shorter period. and It's
pernitous effects were not. therefore so clearly
perceived and felt. Enough. however. was known
of these effects to induce its repeal.
1t would be strange if in the face of the example
of Great Britain. principal foreign customer.
and of the evils of a system rendered manifest III
that country by long and painful experience. and in
the face of the immense advantages which. under
a more liberal commercial policy we are already
deriving. and must continue TO derive by supplying
her starving population with food. the United
States should restore policy which she has been
compelled to abandon. and thus diminish her abili-
" TO purchase the food and other articles which
She 50 much needs. and we so much desire to sell.