The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-08

high duty which all public unchonaries OF the govern
ment owe TO the people, This duty becomes the more
imperative in period OF when large and eXtraofdl-
nary expenditures become unavoidable During the ex-
lstence OF the war with Mexico all our resources should
be husbanded, and no appropriations made except such
absolutely necessary for lis vigorous prosecution
and the due administration OF the government Objects
of appropriation which in peace may be deemed useful
proper but which are not indispensable for the public
service, may, when the country is engaged IN foreign
war, be well postponed TO future period. BY the OBJ
seHance OF this policy at your present session, large
amounts may be saved 10 the treasury and be applied to
objects Of pressing and urgent necessity and thus the
be avoided.
Ii is not meant TO recommend that the ordinary and ne
cessary appropriations for the support OF government
should be withheld but is well known that at every
OF Congress appropriations are proposed ior nu
merous objects which may or may not be made without
materially affecting the public interests; and these II is
recommended should not be granted.
The act passed at your last session reducing the du-
ties imports" not having gone into operation until the
first OF the present month"; there has not been time for It's
practical effect upon the revenue, and the business OF the
country, TO be developed II is not doubted however,
that the just policy which il adopts will add largely
TO our foreign trade, and promote the general prosperity
Although cannot be certainly foreseen what amount OF
that produced by the act OF 1872 which it superseded
The leading principles established by il are, to levy the
taxes with view TO raise revenue, and 10 impose them
upon the articles imported according to their actual
value.
The act of 1872 by the excessive of duty which
imposed on many articles, either totally excluded them
and thus diminished instead OF producing revenue By
it the taxes were imposed for the legitimate purpose
OF raising revenue but TO afford advantages TO favored
classes, at the expense OF large majority Of their fellow
citizens. Those employed in agriculture mechanical
pursuits, commerce, and navigation, were compelled TO
contribute from their substance 10 swell the profits and
oyegrown wealth OF the comparatively few who had in
vested 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 many cases.
levied upon articles OF luxury and high price, and the
heavier taxes on those Of necessity and low price, con-
sumed by the great mass OF the people. 1t SYSTEM
the inevitable effect of which TO relieve favored
classes 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 pur-
suits than manufactures
system so unequal and unjust has been superseded
by the existing law, which imposes duties not for the
benefit or injury OF classes or pursuits, but distributes
and, far practicable, equaZes the public burdens
among all classes and occupations. The favored classes
who, under the unequal and unjust system which has
been repealed, have heretofore realized large profits
and many OF them amassed large fortunes at the
Pense Of the many who have been made tributary to
them, will have no reason TO complain. if they shall
be required to bear their just proportion of the taxes
necessary for the support OF government So far from it,
il will be perceived, by an examination OF the existing
law, that determinations in the rates OF duty imposed
within the principle, have been retained in their
favor. The incidental and against foreign competition
which they still enjoy gives them an advantage which no
other pursuits possess; but of this Others will
plain, because the duties levied necessary for
enue. These revenue duties, including freghts and
charges, which the importer must pay before he
come competition with the home manufacturer in
markets, amount, nearly all leading branches of
manufacture, than onehird of the value of the
imported article, and IN some cases to almost half its
value With such advantages il is not doubted that
domestic manufactures will continue to prosper, realizing
in well conducted establishments greater profits than
can be derived from any other regular business Indeed
far from requiring the protection of incidental
revenue duties, or manufacturers in several leading
branches extending their business, giving evidence
of great ingenuity and SKILL and of their ability TO
pete with increased prospect OF success for the open
value of several millions of dollars which cannot find
a market at home are annually exported TO foreign
countries With such rates of duty those established
BY the existing law, the system will probably be perma
nent and capitalists who have made or shall hereafter
make, their investments in manufactures, viii know
upon what to rely The country will be satisfied with
these rates. because the advantages which the manuac
urers still enjoy result necessarily from the collection OF
revenue for the support OF government High protective
duties from Their unjust s operation upon the masses Of
faction and complaint and to constant efforts to change
or repeal them, rendering all investments in manuac
lures uncertain and precarous. Lower and more per-
manent rates OF duty, at the same time that they will
yield to the manufacturer fair and remuneratng profits
will him against the danger of frequent changes
in the system, which cannot fail to runously affect his
\ interests a''1a. ..'@.
simultaneously with the relaxation of the restrictive
policy by the United States Great Britain, from whose
example derived the SYSTEM has relaxed hers. She
has modified her corn laws and reduced many other du-
ties moderate revenue rates After ages of experience
the statesmen of that country have been constrained by
foundation in the suiferngs and wants of impoverished
millions, to abandon system the effect of which to
build up immense fortunes the hands of the few and
to reduce the aborng millions paupersm and misery
Nearly in the ratio that labor depressed, capt.
tai increased and concentrated by the British protec
tive policy. ...-. ..s. ..-.r-... 49,.
The evils OF the system in Great Britain were at length
rendered noleabe, and IT has been abandoned, but
without struggle the part of the protected and
favored classes to retain the unjust advantages which
they have long enjoyed 1t was to be expected that
similar struggle would be made by the Glasses in the
United States, whenever attempt made to modify
or abolish the unjust system here The protective
policy had been in operation in the United States for
much shorter PERIOD and its perncious effects not
therefore, clearly perceived and felt Enough, how
ever, known OF these effects to induce its repeal
1t would be strange fin the face of the example Of
Great Britain, principal foreign customer and Of the
evils of system rendered manifest in that country by
long and painful experience and in the face of the Inn
mense advantages which, under liberal
cia policy, already deriving and must continue to
derive, by supplying her starving population with food
the United States should restore policy which she has
been compelled to ABANDON and thus diminish her ability
to purchase from the food and other articles which she
so much needs, and we so much desire to SELL
i BY the simultaneous abandonment of the protective pol
icy by Great Britain and the United States, new and inn
portant markets have already been opened for ag
cultural and other products; commerce and navigation
have received impulse; labor and trade have been
released from the artificial trammes which have long
fetered them; and to great extent reciprocity, the
change of commodities, has been introduced at the same
time by both countries and greatly for the benefit of both
Great Britain has been forced by the pressure of crcum
stances home, abandon policy which has been up
surplus Of breadsus and is confidently believed that
unwers of Europc will ultimately seq