Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-05-07
NUMBER b..

ana American FARMERS ana mechanics tOr the
American Market and we must decide which shall
have it,
Mr. S. would here take occasion to state a fart
that would siartle the American people.
The British manufacturers have, at this moment
possession OF this Capitol Yes sir, 1 tell you and
the country-one Of the principal committee rooms
in this house is now, and has been for weeks pas,
occupied by gentleman formerly residing in Man
chester, England, who has vast number perhaps
hundreds Of specimens Of goods sent from Manches-
ter priced to suit the occasion) to be exhibited TO
members Of Congress TO enghten their judgments.
and in the language Of his letter Of instruction
from Manchester of the Sd January, 46, accom-.
panying these specimens, 10 enable them :" TO ar
rive at Just conclusions in regard to the proposed
alterations in the present tariff Yes, sir agents,
specimens, and letters from Great Britain instruct
ing us how 10 make tariff to suit the British Mr.
$. here expressed the hope that the people OF the
North would send on specimens of American man
ufactures to be also exhibited in the Capitol, not
only TO show their perfection and extent, but cor
rect the spot the false representations made by
these Manchester men and their agents in regard
10 the character and prices of British and American
goods. Speaking of the Presidents message this
Manchester letter writer exclaims second DAN
ie come to judgment, second Richard Golden =
and so delighted were they in England with Mr.
Walkers celebrated free trade report that it was or
dered 10 be printed by the House of Lords. After
all this having our President and Secretary on their
SIDE they ought to have been content, without
sending their letters of instructions here TO direct
US what kind of a tariff they wish US to pass But
if their Chancellor had sent Us revenue bill he
could not have furnished one to suit Great Britain
better than the furnished by the Secretary of
the Treasury. Parliament would pass it by acela-
nation. Sir Robert Peel understands his bu-
sness he proposes TO take the duties off bread.
suffs and raw materials of all kinds used by their
manufacturers, and remove every burden, so as to
enable them TO meet US and beat US in our own
markets and in the markets of the world, where
Yankee competition is beginning to give them great
uneasiness. Last year, we exported hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars worth of cotton goods into the
British East Indies, and beat the British in their
own markets, after paying discriminating duties
imposed to keep us out, first s, then TO- finally 10
per cent. In this struggle, Sir Robert Peel comes
to the rescue; he repeats the duty on cotton and
wool, and bread and meat, and every thing used by
British manufacturers to enable them TO 90 ahead
in this struggle with the Americans and what
does Mr. Walker do ! Just the reverse. He pro-
poses to take off all protective duties, and imposes
heavy burdens on the raw materials, dye-stuifs & c.
used by manufacturers, effectually 10 pros
trate and break them down Sir Robert Peel takes
burdens off his steed, while Sir Robert Walker
piles bags Of sand on his-then crack their whips
clear the road-a fair race "a laugh.) Such
is the difference between British and American po-
Icy Sir Robert Peers present system furnishes
system-hs object is not 10 favor, but to beat Us
and our course is not 10 defeat but 10 favor his
purpose This viii not only be the effect Of the
tariff proposed by Secretary but it is its open
and avowed purpose and design. Is il not the pro-
claimed purpose OF the message and report 10 in
crease the importation Of British goods and of
course, to that extent, destroy American supplyl
Does not the Secretary propose to reduce the pro-
tectIve duties more than half for the purpose
Of Increasing revenue and il the revenue is in
creased by reducing duties one.half must not the
imports be more than doubled4 This is self eyi.
dent, aud il you double your imports of foreign,
goods, you must not destroy to that extent Ameri-
can suppyi Most certainly, unless the Secretary
can, in his wisdom, devise plan to make people
eat, drink, wear double as much as they now do
But where will we find money 10 pay for them
There's the rub. But startling and extraordinary
as IT may appear, our Secretary for the first time
in the history of the world has boldly aud openly
avowed it as the object of Government to break
down and destroy its manufactures for the pur.
pose of making way for those of foreigners In the
very first paragraph Of his argumentative report he
sets out with stating that the revenue Of the 6rst
quarter Of this year is two millions less than the FIRST
quarter Of the last, and this has been occasioned by
the substitution Of highly protected American man
Ifdetures for foreign imports and this evil this
terrible evil, this american Secretary proposes to
remedy by reducing the protective duties and thus
breaking up this abomnable business Of Substitute
| ing domestic products, made by american labor
out of American produce, for British goods, made
by British labor out of British produce Obi
but he hates the British. Now sir, this is not on
ly the doctrine of his te1t but it runs through his
whole sermon of 957 pages. No wonder It was
printed by the House Of Lords and lei our Secre-
tary carry through this bill, and Queen Victoria
would gladly transfer the seals from Sir Robert
Peel to Sir Robert Walker, for he will have render.
ed her far greater service than any other man,
dead or living
| But this is not only the doctrine of the Treasury
| report, but Of the message itself The revenue
standard laid down in the message aims a death
blow at all American industry Il suggests kind
Of I" sliding scale" so that whenever any branch of
American industry begins to beat the foreigner and
supply the market, and thereby diminish imports
and revenue, this is evidence that the duty is too
high and ought to be reduced, so as TO let in the
foreign rival productions but let the President
speak for himself-here ii his revenue standard in
his own words. l,l
"The precise point in the ascending scale Of
duties ut which il is ascerlained from experiences
that the revenue is greatest, is the maximum rate
of duty which be laid for the bona fde purpose
OF collecting money for the support Of Government
To raise the duties higher than that point and
thereby diminish the amount collected, is 10 levy ,
them for protection merely and not for revenue
As long, then, as Congress may gradually increase
the rate OF duty on given article, and the revenue
is increased by such increase Of duty they are
within the revenue standard When they go be-
yond that point, and they increase the duties the
revenue is diminished or destroyed, the act ceases
| 10 have for its object the raising Of money 10 sup