Litchfield enquirer., 1846-12-17

importation. or greatly reduced the a. mount imported, and thus diminished in . stead Of producing revenue, By N taxes were imposed not for the legitimate pur- pose ot raising revenue, but to afford nd . Vantages 70 favored classes, at the expense ot a large majority Of their tell0wc:lizens. Those employed in agriculture, mschan- 1cat pursuits, commerce. aud naviga tion were cnmpeiied to contribute from their substance, and swell the profits and over grown wealth of the compa ratively few who had invested their capital in manu. faciureS, The taxes were no. levied in proportion 10 the value of tue articles up. on which they were imposed-bui wide ty departing from this just rule, the tight CT taxes were tn many cases. levied upon articles of luxury and high price, and the heavier taxes on lhose of necessity and Iov' price, consumed by the great mass ofthe people. It was system the inevitable effect of which was, to relieve favored classes and the wealthy few from contributing their just proportion for the support otthe government, and 10 lay the burden on the labor of the many engag. cd in other pursuits than manufactures. A system SO unequal and unjust has been supercedec by the existing law, tha, imposes cu:ieS. not for the benefit or in- jury of classes or pursu its, but distributes and us far us practicable, equalizes the public burdens among all classes and oc- equations. The favored classes, who un- der the unequal and unjust sy stem which has been repealed, have heretofore real ized large profits, and many ot them am- 0eSoH hn at NhnH oTAi~ many who have been made tributary to them. will have no reason to complain it they shall be required to bear their just proportion of ihe taxes necessary for the support of government. So far from it. it will be perceived, by an examination of the existing law, that discriminations in the rates oi duty imposed, within the rev. enue principle, have been retained in their favor. The incidental aid against foreign competition which they still en. joy gives them an advantage which no other pursuits posSess-but of this, none others will complain, because the duties levied are necessary for revenue. These revenue duties, in cluding freights and charges, which the importer must pay before he can come in competition with the home manufacturer tn our markets. amoun,,o nearly all our leading branch es of manufacture, 10 more than 0ne.third of the value Ot the imported article, and in some cases to almost one half its val. ue. With such advantages Il is not doubt. ed that our domestic manufacturers will continue tnprosper, realizing in we'll con. ducied establishments even greater prof. its than can be derived from any other lao Ia.. requiring the protection ot even inciden. tai revenue duties, our manufacturers in several leading branches, are extending their business, giving evidence ot great ingenuity and skill, and of their ability to compete, with increased prospect of success, for the open market of the world. Domestic manufactures. to the value of several millions of dollars, lhat are yearly exported 10 foreign countries. With such rates of duty as those estab. Iished by the existing la W, the system will be permaneni-and capitalists who have made, or shall hearafter make their in- vestmentS in manufactures, will know upon what 10 rely. The country will be satisfied with these rates because the ad. vaniuges which the manufacturers still enjoy result necessarily from the collec- tion of revenue for the support of govern mrnt. High protective duties, from their unjust operation upon the masses of the people. cannot fail to give rise to extens- i've dissatisfaction and to constant efforts 10 change or repeal them, rendering all investments in manufactures uncerain mnd precarious. Lower and more per manent rates of duty, M the same time that they will yield to the manufacturer fair and anI remunera,ing profits. will sc- cure him against the danger of frequent changes of the system, which cannot fail ruinOusly to anect all its good inter- esis.
 Simultaneously with inc relaxation of ihe restrictive policy, by ihe U. s., Great Britain, from whose cxa nple wo derived the system, has relaxed hers. She hns modified her corn laws, md reduced va. rious other duties 10 moderate revenue rates. After ages of experience, the states. men of that country have been constrain- cd by a stern necessity, and by public opinion, having iis deep foundation in the sufferings and wants of impoverished millions, to abandon a system the effect of which was to build up immense for tunes in the hands of the few, and to re- ducc the laboring millions to paupcrism and misery. Nearly in the same ratio that labor was depressed, capital was in. creased and concentrated by tho British protective policy.
 The evils of that syste n in G. B were at length rcudercd intolerabie, and it has bean abandoned, but not without severe struggle Un the part of the protected and favored classes to retain the unjust ad- van,oges whibh they have so long enjoy ed. It was 10 be expected that a simil ar struggle would take place in the U. 5 !. by the same classes whenever an attempt was made 10 abolish the same unjust sys- iem here. The protective policy had been in operation in the United States for much shorter period, anu it's perni- cious effects were therefore not SO clearly perceived and felt. Enough, however. was known of these effects Co induce it's repeal.
 It would be strange if in the face O. the example of G. B.. our principal foreign customer, and of the evils of system rendered manifest in that country by a long and painful experience, and in the face Of inc in.menaa advantages which