Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-12-16
PRESIDENTS Message. : Continaed from Sd p

PfoSlaentS 5 MeSSdSt.- 0o"'s"ae" " run =" r. :,
The evils of the system in Great Britain in
were a. length rendered intolerable, and it in
has been abandoned, but not without Sc l.,
we're struggle on the part Of the protected Il
and favored classes to retain the unjust ad- e.
yantages which they have so long enjoyed q
1t was to be expected that similar strug. e,
gle would be made by the same classes in d
the United States, whenever an attempt a
was made TO modify or abolish the same r
unjust system here. The protective policy Il
had been in operation in the United States v
for much shorter period, and its pernl- @
cious effects were not, therefore so clearly
perceived and felt. Enough, however, /
was known Of these effects to induce its o
repeal. {
It would be strange if, in the face of the r
example of Great Britain, our principal +
foreign customer, and Of the evils Of sys-
TEN rendered manifest in that country by E
long and painful experience, e,and in the face
of the immense advantages which, under a
more liberal commercial policy we are
already deriving, and must continue to de-
rive, by supplying her starving population
with food, the United States should restore
a policy which she has been compelled to
abandon, and thus diminish her ability to
purchase from us the food and other arti-
cles which she so much needs, and we so
much desire to sell.
By the simultaneous abandonment OF the
protective policy by Great Britain and the
United States, new and important markets
have already been opened for our agricul.
tural and other products; commerce and
navigation have received new impulse;
labor and trade have been released from
the artificial trammels which have so long
fettered them; and to a great extent reclp
rocity, in the exchange Of commodities, has
been introduced at the same time by bott
countries, and greatly for the benefit o
both. Great Britain has been forced BY
the pressure Of circumstances at home, t
abandon policy which has been upheld
for ages, and to open her markets for ou
immense surplus of breadstuff; and it ii
confidently believed that other powers
Europe will ultimately see the wisdom,
they be not compelled by the pauperisn
and suffering of their crowded populations
pursue aSlmllar policy'
Our farmers are more deeply intereste'
in maintaining the just and liberal polio.
of the existing law than any other class o
our cilizens. They constitute large ma
jority Of our population; and it is wei
known that when they prosper oil othe
pursuits prosper also. They have hereto
fore not only received none of the bountie
or favors of government, but, by the une
quail operations Of the protective policy
have been made, by the burdens oftaxator
which it imposed, to contribute to the boun
ties which have enriched others.
When foreign as well as home mar.
ket is opened to them, they must receive,
as they are now receiving increased prices
for their products. They will find read.
Ter sale, and at better prices for their
wheat, flour, rice, Indian corn, beef. pork,
lard, butter, cheese, and other articles,
which they produce. The home market
alone is inadequate to enable them to dis
pose of the immense surplus Of food and
other articles which they are capable OF
producing, even at the most reduced prices,
for the manifest reason that they cannot be
consumed in the country. The United
States can, from their immense surplus
supply not only the home demand, but the
deficiencies of food required by the whole
world.
That the reduced production Of some o
the chief articles Of food in Great Britain
and other parts Of Europe, may have con
tributed to increase the demand for ou
breadstuffs and provisions, is not doubted
bat that the great and efficient cause of this
increased demand, and of increased prices
consists in the removal of artificial restric'
tons heretofore imposed, is deemed to be
elualed certain. That our exports oi
f)od, already increased and increasing bey.
ond former example, under the more liberal
policy which has been adopted will be
still vastly enlarged, unless they be check.
ed or prevented by restoration Of the pro-
tective policy, cannot be doubted. Thai
our commercial and navigating interests
will be enlarged in a corresponding ratio
with the increase of our trade, is equally
certain, while our manufacturing Interests
will still be the favored interests of the
country, and receive the incidental protec-
ton afforded them by. revenue duties; and
more thanthis they cannot justly demand.
In my annual message Of December last,
a tariff Of revenue duties based upon the
principles of the existing law was recon-
mended, and / have seen no reason te
change the opinion then expressed. In view
of the probable beneficial effects Of tha
law, recommend that the policy establish
ed by it be maintaided. 1t has but just com
menced to operate; and to abandon or mod
ify it without giving it fair trial, woul'
be inexpedient and unwise. Should defect
in any ofits details be ascertained by actu
al experience TO exist, these may be here
after corrected: but until such defects shal
become manifest, the act should be fairl.
tested.
1t is submitted for your consideration
whether it may not be proper, as wa
measure, TO impose revenue duties on som'
Sf tho articles now ernbraced in the fref