Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1846-03-28

II ne answer is l4O mllllOHS' duu 10 lnl
/ the free goods, about Is millions, and w
q have an importation of 165 millions 0
t dollars Our exports have not exceeded
II nor are they likely at present TO increaa
1 above 1870 millions; we then have def
g cit of As millions to provide for; and HOY
r is this balance to hNpaid? State stocks ar
e no longer current in Europe. Even tn
+ stocks of the United States cannot be ne
}, gotiated on favorable terms.
J. We, who are merchants, can answe
r this question, having often been oblige'
:. to make our remitiances in coin, wher
our imports have exceeded our exports.
If we are Obliged to import l4O millions
of goods subject to duty, to meet tn
wants OF the Government it is quite Ger
tain, that the coin must be exported, t
, meet the deficiency. If the Importation
fall short Of $40 millions, we then have
an empty Treasury. In one case tht
country will be made bankrupt 10 fill thu
Treasury; and in the other, the Treasur!
will be bankrupt, and resort to Congress;
for Treasury notes and loans. |: may
be said that our exports will increase
with our imports; the suppoSition
think fallaciouS.-The policy Of Grea
Britain, and that of all Europe, has been,
and is likely to continue, to protect every
thing produced either at home, or in their
colonies, In Great Britain, the article Of
cotton is admitted free, the duty having
been repealed the very last year. This
was owing TO repeated presentations OF
the Manchester spinners to parliament as
to the necessity of such a measure in con.
sequence OF the competition from foreign
countries in the coarse fabrics manulac-
tured from cotton produced in, and ship,
ped from the United States.
The argument presented in the House
Iof Commons was, that the Americans had
taken possession Of every market, where
they were admitted on the same terms,
with their coarse goods. This is true
representation, and ! aPprehend the re-
peal oflhe duty on cotton will enable the
British manufacturer to again obtain pos
session OF those markets for the heavy
descriptions OF cotton fabrics.
What other article of Importance does
| the Govarnrnant OF Great Britain admit
free of daty? know OF none. Cotton
is admitted free of duty from necessity
How is it with tobacco? A duty is paid
of 1900 per cent. What is prohibited by
the Sliding Scale" and in case Of to-
tai repeal Of the Corn Laws, very little
wheat would be shipped from This country,
inasmuch as it can be laid down, in ordin.
airy years Of harvest, much cheaper from
the Baltic. Beef and pork are burdened
with heavy duty. The duty and char.
ges on American pork laid down in Liver
pool, with the commissions Tor sales,
amount to SIS rs; so that the quantity OF
this article shipped to England must oe
inconslderable, unless the prices here
should be so low as to be runous 10 the
farmer. ! cannot find in the catalogue Of
cur strictly agricultural products, a SIN
gle article that is not burdened with
high duty, in England, or other parts of
Europe, if it comes in competition with
their own products; nor can discover
that there is disposition on the part o. a
single European nation to relax their
stringent system Of duties on imports
from this country. 1t is possible that
Great Britain may abate her Corn Laws,
so far as to admi; Indian Corn al nomn.
al duty. If it should be done, have liz
tie faith in our being able to ship it TO ad-
vantage. ! state the fact, then, that ex-
ports will not increase in consequence of
a reduction, or even total repeal Of the
present tariff The duty in Great Britain,
on all the products Of the United States,
received in that kingdom, including cotton,
is not less than 48 per cent, and exclusive
of cotton, 800 per cent, and this too, on
raw products generally where the charge
of freight constitutes from one'tenth to |
one quarter Of the cost here; and this is
Free Trade!
hope you, of Virginia, will examine
this matter, and ask yourselves where the
best customers are 10 be found for your
agricultural products. | will just state
to you here, that Massachusetts takes
more flour, Indian corn, pork, and many
other articles, annually, the productions
OF the West as we'll as Virginia, than all
Europe.
The question then arises, what will be
our condition after the proposed plan of
low duties goes into operation? In 70
days after the bill becomes law, 1t will
have reached every country in Europe
with which we have trade; the manuIac-
tories are all set in motion for the supply
of the American market; the merchan'
die is shipped on account of foreigners,
in many cases with double invoices, one
sci for the Custom House, and another Tor
the sales, so that, instead Of the duty a
mounting to 20 per cent, 1t will moi, pro-
baby, exceed Is per cent This has
been the experience OF the American I'M
porters in New York, who previously to