Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-16

Regrettlns In common with every man who has ias,
appreciation OF the evils Of war; however imbeels the ioe
the necessity for (which In the opinion OF both the Lee
gsative and Executive Departments Of government
eIis,s-we had attempted to derive some consolation
from the reflection that from this great evil perhaps
good might be edueed We had looked ss our read
aware the overthrow OF the Protective System by
the present Congress- pregnant with serious m'sehes to
all great Of the coun,ryss well those directly
benefited by the Duties those which derive scarcely less
advantage indirectly from their imposition. Wel-wheu
the buge-noes Of sounded in and when we
Congress- single DASH authorize the President TO
accept OF the OF 10000 volunteers, and mil
lions OF dollars appropriated the expenditure
when saw. in addition to this, the rank and file OF the
Regular Army augmented and provision made for in
Of naval force, which OF necessity involve
large additional ouisywe exclaimed to ourselves, "tho
Tariff least is safe! These immense drains upon the
Treasury will require augmentation OF
and consequently the rabd anti;arf in the
Union will hesitate off the sinews Of war by reduc.
ton Of duties" But fear that somewhat pre-
in thus congrauarng ourselves were certainly
So the msjoy in Congress concur in the doctrines OF
Secretary Walkers Treasury Report, submitted tor their
instruction the Of the present session
For turning that Document, find that he specuates,
with accustomed proundy, upon the very which
has come pass-ihough with feeber nation, and con-
sequeny smaller scale. than he then contemplated
and upon the happening of that contingency, he thus u
minously argues;
The condition of foreign relations, il is said should
suspend the reduction OF the Tariff No American pa
trot onward in peace and
prosperity but Il, unhappily such should be the result
il would ScKEAsED NECESSITY FOR REDUCING the
present high duties, in OBTAIN SUFFICIENT Re-
vKSuK to meet increased expenditures" And again, he
says; In the Of war, nearly all the high duties
would become prohbitory from the increased risk and
imporstons and If there be- indeed, in the OPT
any, serious danger OF such occurrence aP-
peas strongly TO their patriotism TO impose the Low
securing stsuch period, any considerable income from
the Tariff"
happens fortunately perhaps, that but few
be found who will endorse the learned Secretarys theory
especially he himself have little confidence in
its soundness One of his arguments against the Ia
riff Of ls42 it will be remembered is. that it is
nous upon the people; and yet if all duties
he asserts and if it be that the lowest duties produce
the mos, abundant revenue follows, that proposing
reduce duties and thereby augment the
sired and intended burihen the people with additional
taxation. And again: The Secretarys estimate of the
Of be derived from each OF the various
duicd articles after the reduction which he suggests,
less than the produced by the "hgh duties
levied upon them His deductions therefore, to be
in direct conflict with his doctrine they certainly with
common While, therefore. hope that the War
may be the means of saving the Tariff and thereby
pensae to a small for its inevitable evils, is
bright before referred the Secrearys Report
is not altogether destroyed; For 1t irrational
suppose that when money be raised, Congress will
be more disposed rely upon the teachings OF experience
than upon speculative theories Of accomplished
a inancier as Robert ]. Walker.