Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-09-16
FROM THE ALBANY ATLAS.
THE TARIFF,

interests involved IN any form of n To-
bill should ever excite the most careful ~
tention Of freemen, and change of .vs.
TEN in the imposition of indirect tsxat;on
should be yigilantly scruinized. II Ill.,
mode OF imposing taxes important ma
rests on both sides of the question are II.
voIyed. The interest of the tax pave, i
universal in this as in all forms Of iay -
support a government, but there are wda
spread, diversified, important interests d.
recly benefited by these taxes far beyond
the proportion of taxes they pay.
Hence we see the anomaly of mon &c
large properties, extensive means and NJ.
tive business, surrounding Congress ana
praying TO be taxed ; but their PRAYER in
cludes the taxation of all their fellow CHI.
zehs, and their anxiety presents incon,ro,
ver'ibIe evidence that they expect 10 be
benefited by the taxes paid by others. roors
than they lose by those they paw them
selves. If taxes are reduced, these inte-
rests lake The alarm, and these men he.
come irlghtfu in their predictions of ruin
to inc country. Such predictions from
such Interested sources should be listened
to with patience and regarded with the re.
spect due to the sources from which ,bav
come, but they should never be suffered
to communicate panic or passion to tho
minds OF the mass Of taxpayers. If their
representatives have felt il to be theird uiy
TO change the law, and especially 10 reduce
the taxes, they should not be condemned
unheard, because those who are benefited
! by high taxes become alarmed as Ia The
effect upon their peculiar interests. Time
should be allowed to test The real merits
or dement's Of the new law, and il will b.
IN season 10 pronounce judgment of con.
| demnatlon on il, or on lis trainers, when
its defects shall be shown in lis operation.
If the mere fears of the interested are 10
govern the public mind and the Legislation
Of Congress, on this subject, high tax
| can never be reduced.
1t should be borne steadily in mind that
the object of this and all other taxation
IS TO raise revenue TO support the govern
ment of The people, and that ii is burden
imposed on the whole people for that OBJ.
ject. When this revenue is raised by tax.
es upon imports, a necessary consequences
viii be benefit 10 such branches of do
mestc manufactures as come in compell-
ton with the imports upon which taxes are
imposed. Great public considerations Of
len call for an adjustment of these taxes,
with view 10 The beneficial influence 10
be incidentally exerted upon some particu.
lar domestic interest or class of Interests.
This Is done because the interest 10 DO
thus favored is national, and the interests
OF The nation require the policy.
Once introduced, however. the policy
ecessarily connects itself with the persO.
nal and public interests OF classes of citi-
zens who engage themselves and embark
their capital in the fostered branch of do
mestic industry, and hence the conflicts
between public justice, public policy, and
public economy, and these private int.
rests, which surround and interweaye
themselves with this Legislation, and give
TO any action Of Congress, touching the
tariff, SO much excitement and passion.--
These private parties seem to forget that
the power 10 levy and collect taxes was
given 10 Congress =" TO pay the debts and
provide for the common defence and ge-
neral welfare Of The United States !" and
suppose that that vast power over the pro-
perry OF the whole people was conferred
solely TO protect their peculiar branchesof
industry by tax on all others.
Another fact should also be borne care
fully IN mind, which is that taxes upon i'm
ports may be carried to so high a rate as
to prevent Importation, and thus wholly
defeat the great object of the Taxation
the collection of revenue; and yet sucha
tax would be most acceptable TO the do
mestic manufacturer, because il would re.
iieve him wholly from foreign competition,
and give him monopoly OF the home mar
ket. Sill the body OF the people would
suffer doubly by this operation, because
they would be compelled 10 purchase his
at bis own high prices, and
at the same time to contribute the neces.
sary amount of revenue to support the 60
vernment, by higher tax on other imports
Or by direct taxation.
A duty of go per cent, therefore, upon
a given article Of import may give 90.
nopoIy to the domestic manufacturer, and
greatly swell his gains, but give no reve-
nue. TO the treasury; while a duty Of ~
per cent. upon the same article may give
to the manufacturer liberal protection, and
at the same time add millions to the rs.
venue.
In the adjustment ofeyery tariff bill, AZ
these considerations are to be carefully
weighed, and still time and The operation
of the law can alone determine how TAI
any arrangement Of the taxes has been
wise and Just. Every material change q
our laws has proved, and probably always
will prove, that the fears and apPge'
tensions Of the interested magnify loo
av,ll, onJ Ian,ootnt. ~, b,nn6tr when IA