The daily union., 1846-06-30

occasion distinctly svowed But holding this opinion at
the same time dsnitd The PIoPrsy Of ersre"s III, PS%sr -
zsHs advanes s interest Of section q the Union %
the srpsRss Of anoihs the contrary, affirmed 10 DC
the duty those who inrused with the administration
OF the federal government to direct Its operations ~ ne
burdens and blessings among the several and the
people thereof In addition TO the declaration OF these
era views suggested more specific rules the action Of
the government in this particular by the observance Of
which believe those views would he most hkey 70 DO car
| red into fair effect
More than ten yesrs have elapsed since that communi'
cation made and during that entire Perod the PeoP
of the United States have paid large amounts OF duties
ayOwedy imposed for the and protection OF
domestic manufactures with gradual redueuohS
ased sentiment the country In respect TO what unde
such circumstances the proper rule ior leghsuVs
upon tins subject has mink y the course h "
briefly expressed in Of the resolutions OF your con
poses only, and which will incidentally protect American
"OfRs constitutional poroer 10 make hare
no Equally clear that the practice Of making
them has existed from the OF the govern
ment and constitutes feature in every principal tariff bill
| which Is TO be found on our statute books"
Similar opinions expressed by others Of the
eminent men Of the democratic party could cite you TO-
but imagine that the above will be sufficient and 10 Just
y me in the opinions have expressed Identical WIN
these opinions the opinion Of Mr. Polk as VIII be seen by
the following letter, dated
"CoLuMBIA Tenn, June 10. ls4l
"DEIR have received recently several leteIs in
reference my opinions the subject Of the tariff and
among others yours Of the SOth ultmo Ny opinions on
|
to be found my public acts and in the public discussions
| in which have participated -
II am in favor Of tariff for such ls will
yield sucent amount to the treasury TO deirsy hs ek
penses Of the government economically admni,tsred In
adjusting the details Of tariff have heretofore
sanctioned such moderate discriminating duties As would
produce the amount Of needed and At the same time
afford reasonable incidental protection TO home indus
try am opposed TO starh for protection merely and not
| for revenue.
Acting upon these general principles is well known
that gave my support to the policy OF General Jseksons
administration on tins subject voted against the taIn
1i he Oi wi ned
notifications of OF the Objectionable provisions Of the
act Of 1923 member OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means Of the House of Representatives gave my assent to
hill reported by that committee in December 1884,
king further notifications Of the act Of s2s and making
also determinations in the imposition Of the duties which II
proposed That bill did not pass, but was superseded by
the bill commonly called the compromise bill for which
| voted
In my judgment is the duty Of government to extend
far as be practicable TO do so by its laws
on to ali the great interests Of the whole URon embrs
cling agriculture manufacturer the mechanic arts com.
upon this subject passed by the democratic national
vention, lately assembled at Baltimore.
| 81 am, with great respect dear sir,
| Your obedient servant
| JAMES X. POLK
| ions X KASC, esq Philadelphia"
Mr. Polk, in his inaugural address, reiterates the
opinions ex pressed in his letter TO Mr.. Kane, and
| adds:
The power TO lay and collect taxes duties imposts
and exciSes Indispensable be conferred
the federal government which without H. would possess
means Of providing for is support In executing
this by leyyng tarn Of duties lothe support OF
raising TsUsnus should be the object and
protection the incident To this pnoipe and make
protection the object and Tsrenus the ncdsn would be to
ct mneSt injustice upon all other than the protected
teTest In evying duties for revenue doubtless prop
make such determinations within the prince
| pc will afford Incidental protection home inter.
es Within the limit there discretion to dis.
crminate beyond that limit the rghul exercise Of the
power conceded The Incidental protec afforded
to home interests by determinations within the
range believed will be ample. In making discrimna
ion' all our home interests should far practbable
he equally protected"
It on this doctrine Of discrimination for the
protection Of American labor, within the revenue
standard, that Mr. Polk was elected the President
of the United States He could not have been elect
ed upon any other. doctrine which will not up
pose him TO have abandoned until he shall have We
| toed bill founded upon these principles, or until
he shall have clearly and unequivocaly dsayowsd
them in some other manner.
do not doubt, therefore, the constitutional pow
er, nor the policy and propriety and duty in Con-
gress, in laying tariff for revenue, discriminate
within the revenue standard or limit for the
l protection of American industry, so to place it
in fair competition with foreign labor; and in this
differ from my friends Of the free-trade party.
But differ from the protection party, because
think they abuse an essential constitutional power
! by sustaining the act Of lS42, and resisting any
r modification of it, however unjust are some of its
principles, and however oppressive il is in its ope-
ration upon the South and West particularly, and
upon the aboring classes generally throughout the
Union.
Taxation should be made to appro ximate as
! nearly as possible to that point which would impose
Its burdens upon individuals in proportion to their
ability to pay, and to the amount of protection
+ which they derive from the government.
In levyng and collecting tax by means of a
tariff would then, have for the object the raising OF
revenue, and the raising Of more revenue than
would be necessary, in addition to the proceeds OF
the sales of the public lands, and the other resources
OF the government, TO the payment Of its debts and
an economical administration Of its affairs. Then
would discriminate between articles Of necessity
and articles of luxury. | would discriminate be-
tween the productions of American and foreign Ia
Dor, so as TO place the American in fair competition
with the forelgn-looking, in the exercise of that
discrimination, to the interests of the whole coun.
try, as TO impose the burdens of xation as fair
ly Gs possible upon the whole country, and not un-
Justly oppress one portion for the benefit of an
! other.
II Governed by these principles could not but be
opposed to many of the principles of the of ls42
! Mr.. L. here went into particular examination OF
various provisions of the act of lS42 in relation to
cotton goods, salt, silks, liquors, iron, gold glass
wool, hemp, &c, showing the unj Just operation OF
the same by minimtms and specific duties, upon the
laborng classes, and upon the agricultural interests
| particularly.
Though the bill now under consideration remedies
many OF the evils under the existing law yet it in
troduces others equally Objectionable and op-
' pressive to the western country and am opposed
to it it stands. If the West is compelled to
choose between the act Of 842 and the bill reported
by the committee, the fate of the West is clear. She
Is to be taxed in every branch of her industry for
the benefit Of the North, if the act Of ls42 stands;
and for the benefit Of the South, if this bill passes.
In endeavorng to avoid Scyla, she is drawn into
| Charybdis. Let western men look to it that in this
contention between the North and the South the
West is not sacrificed and ground to dust between
the upper and neither mlstones. Are the great ag-
ricutura staples Of the West to be put down to IA
vor the South below what is clearly STAN
dardi Is the West to be prey both Of these
i hcting parties' Is she to come here to aid in re-
lieving the South from the oppressive exactions of
the North only to have her own great interests
rifced and her burdens increased And are west
ern men expected to be the priests by whom the ia
tai stroke is to be given the victim at the altar
But what is worse than all is that you propose to
tax tea and coffee now in fact a necessary of life,
under pretence that it is necessary to aid in defray
ing the expenses Of the war. Whilst, on the one
| hand refuse u increase the of the