The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-12-14


and no appropriations made, except suchas are
absolutelyInecessa for its vigorous prosecution
and the due administration OF the government.
Obi ects of appropriation, which in peace may be
deemed useful or proper, but which are not in
dsPensable TO the public service, may, when the
country is engaged in foreign war, be well
postponed to a future period. BY the observance
OF this policy at your present session, large a
mounts may be saved TO the treasury, and be APP
piled to objects OF pressing and urgent necessi-
ty, and thus the creation OF corresponding "a
mount Of public debt may be avoided.
1t is not ment to recommend that the ordinary
and necessary appropriations for the support of
government should be withheld, but it is we'll
known that at every session OF Congress appro-
prlatIons are proposed for numerous objects,
which may or may not be made, without m ate
rally affecting the public interests, and these it
is recommended should not be granted
The act passed at your last session, reducing
the duties on IMPORTS not having gone into OPP
Grafton until the first of the present month there
has not been time for its practical effect upon
the revenue, and the business of the country
developed. 1t is not doubted, how ever, that the
just policy which it adopts will add largely to
our foreign trade, and promote the general pros
perliy. Although 1t cannot be certainly fore
seen what amount OF revenue it will Weld, it is
estimated that it will exceed that produced by
the act of I842, which it superseded. The lead :
ing principles establishe by 1t are, to levy the
taxes with view to raise revenue, and to i'm
pose them upon the articles imported according
ID their actual value.
The act OF SAG, by the excessive rates of du-
ty which it imposed on many articles. either to-
tally excluded them from importation, or great
y reduced the amount imported, and tn US d
mnished; instead of producing revenue. BY it
the taxes were increased not for the legitimate
purpose OF raising revenue, but to afford advan-
ges to favored classes, at the expense of a
large ma lority of their fellow citizens. Those
employed IN agriculture. mechanical pursuits,
commerce. and navigation, compelled to
contribute from their substance, to swell the
profits and overgrown wealth of The compare
lively few who had invested their capital in
manufactures. The taxes were not levied in
proportion to the value of the articles upon
which they were imposed; but widely departing
from this just rule, the lighter taxes were, in
most cases, levied upon articles of luxury and
high pEic e, and the heavier taxes on those OF
necessity and low price consumed by the great
mass OF the people 1t was a system, the newt
IDLE effect o which was to relieve favored clas-
ses and the wealthy few from contributing their
just proportion for the support of government
and TO lay the burden on the labor OF the many
engaged in other pursuits than manu- fac lures.
A system so unequal and unjust has been SUI
perseded by the existing law, which imposes
duties not for the benefit or in Jury of classes
pursuits, but distributes and as far prac tca-
classes and occupations. The favored lasses,
who under the unequal and uni ust system
J which has been repea led, have heretofore real
! lied large profits, and many OF them amasssed
! large fortunes, at the expense OF the many who
| have been made tributary to them, will have no
reason to complain, fthey shall be required to
bear th cir just proportion of the taxes necessa-
ry for the support OF government. So far from
1t, IT will be perceived, by examination of the
/ existing law, that Determinations in the rates oil
| duty imposed, within the revenue principle,
have been retained in their favor. The nci-
dental aid against foreign competition which
they still enjoy, gives them a advantage which
no other pursuits possess but OF this none others
will complain, because the duties levied are
necessary for revenue. These revenue duties
| including freIghts and carriages, which the Inn
porter must pay before he come in compe-
tition W it'll the home manufacturer in our mar
kets, amount on nearly all our leading bra nch-
es OF manufacture, TO more than one third OF the
value OF the imported article, and in some ca,
SEES to almost one half its value.
With such advantages, 1t ls not doubted tina
our domestic manufactures will continue t.
prosper, realizing, in well conducted establish
ments, even greater profits than be derived
from any other regular business. Indeed, so fal
from requiring the protection of even incident
al revenue duties, our manufacturers in severa
eadlng branches are extending their business
giving evidence of great ingenuity and skill,
and OF their ability TO complete with increased
prospect of success for the open market of the
| world Domestic manufactures, to the value o
several millions OF dollars which cannot find
market at home, are annually exported to for
elgn countries. With such rates of duties al
those established by the existing law, the sys
: tenn will probably be permanent; and capital
lists who have made or shall hereafter make
their investments i'll manufactures, will know
upon what 10 rely.
The country will be satisfied with these rate
because the advantages which the manufacture
er still enjoy result necessarily from the cOllec
, ton OF revenue for the support of government
; simultaneously with the relaxation of the re
strictive policy by the United States, Great Brit
ain from whose example we derived the system
aas relaxed hers, She has modified her corr
laws. and reduced many other duties to moder
( ate revenue rates. After ages of experience
t tue sta tesmen of that country have been col.
strained by stern necessity, and by publ
r opinion having its deep foundation in the SUI
(; ferings and wants OF impoverished millions, L
abandon a system the effect of which was t
build up imm ense fortunes in the hands of tn
lew, and to reduce the laboring millions to pau
perism and misery, Nearly in the same Tati
that labor was depressed, capital was Increases
/ and concentrated by the British protective poll
1 cy.
= The evils of the sy stem in'Great Britain err
: at length rendered tntoerable, and it has bee
a abandoned. bnt not without a severe struggi
on the part of the protected and favored classe
: to retain the unjest advantages which they hav
h so long enjoyed. 1t was to be expected tina
e a similar struggle would be made by the sam
# classes in the United States, whenever an at
= tempt made to modify or abolish the sam
It just system here. The protective policy ha
d been in operation in the United States for mpc
e shorter period, aud its pernicious fleets wer
e not, therefore. so clearly preceived and felt
e Enough however, was known Of tn csc effect
: 10 induce its repeal.
n 1t would be strange if, in the face Of the ex
r ample of Great Britain, our principal foreigl
l. customer, and of the evils of system rendere
manifest in that country by long and pninfu