The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-06
THE NEW "HoMELEAauED DOCTRINE

Il
brovhed In the House of Representatives;
"AnERlcAs HOME .LEAGuE.-Mr Stewart, in his
speech IN Congress on the tariff proposed TO eoun-
teract the effects Of the new bill by home league
His proposition was, that the people meet and form
themselves into societies. and enter into resolutions
as they did In the revolution, 10 abstain from the
use oil foreign, and especially British goods. He
excepted the free articles Of Tea and coffee furnished
by Brazil and Hsyti. Since il was the declared
purpose OF the Secretary Of the Treasury to force
foreign goods upon the country, and break up the
American supply, he, for one, was determined to
resist it." my ......
We cannot look without establishment upon the
hardihood of a proposition like this Regarded as
matter Of policy, il has absolutely nothing to stand
uPon-neither justice, nor expedency nor plausi-
bity, nor Pracucability IL cannot be carried out at
all; and IT would simply be great evil to those who
undertook il, lift could be fully carried out II ia
scheme of se-deprivston and self-taxauon for pure
wfaness and rage at the loss of oppressive privi-
leges held, heretofore, without color Of right
Congress has passed a law, permitting, so far
az the necessities of the revenue will per
NIT, the masses Of the people to buy where
they can buy cheapest. And avowedly, by
Oay Of retaliation against such Legislation, Mr..
Stewart proposes TO rally the people up 10 the dear
est market, for the sake of having them pay out
more money than they need to pay with Wow
thereby to cramp the revenue, and so by volunta-
ry sacrifice Of their own comforts bring down upon
their heads new and heavier taxation by Congress
This he calls as if to complete and crown the rid-
cule Of the whole scheme, "home league" to pro-
tect the people! To protect the people against
WHAT Against increased taxation Just the re-
verse. Against diminished importations, and so
higher priees' Just the reverse. Mr.. Stewart
seeks to protect the people against plentiful sup
ply Of goods in the market. He would protect
them by preventing them from buying cotton and
wooIen manufactures too cheaply. He would
protect them from the payment of too small
a tax on the necessariss Of life. His pro-
lection is to make the tax greater in the shape
Of an increased price, This is his american
home leaguer The home leagues which we have
heretofore heard Of, have had a different signi6.
canoe. Golden has made his name immortal by
taking part in home league against taxation upon
food-not in auor of high prices on the necessares
of life. .'... .E...
But what is the idea upon which our new "home-
league" doctrine rests What is it but this: that the
new tariff violates some absolute and vested right of
the manufacturing capitalist He claims to be
wronged man because the government of the United
States will not enact that he shall be paid more than
80 per cent premium on every yard of woollen cloth
he will make, every ton of iron he will manufac-
ture. To revenge this wrong-to right himself
against his government-he is by Mr. Stewards
ts~.otsuso.s rsvrs
he can make them best and cheapest.
But by what right does the manufacturer claim
more than 30 per cent. protection under the federal
government Does anybody else get it, Is it ever
paid to the farmer or the merchant We support
our government mainly by taxes on the goods
which we import. These goods are the competitors
of the merchandise which our manufacturers bring
into the market. Is it not enough that by
our impost SYSTEM we necessarily, under revenue
tariff, give the manufacturer 30 per cent protec-
tom Has he right to claim anything more' Is
there any color of justice in the air of indignation
which he assumes when Congress repeats Law pur-
porting to be revenue law which collects in the
shape of enhanced prices eighty millions of dollars
on sixteen articles, for the sake of putting eighteen
millions into the treasury Is the repeal of such |
law so great grievance to force just man into
a "home league" to defeat the legislation of Con
gress, and cripple the revenuei
This notion of an American home league is all |
nonsense, and it will turn out But if it could
go into effect it is manfestly game in which more |
than section Of the country could take a part
fone State abstain from the use of all imported
articles for the sake of deprving great staples of
export, of the advantage Of foreign Market then the
States which grow these staples cam in return, form
their home league, and refuse to touch an article pro
duced by American manufacturers. But the whole |
scheme is hardly worth moments attention.
The "New York Herald publishes list of the
American squadron in the gulf Of Mexico, and for
the attack of San Juan de Uoa." As this list is |
running the rounds of the press, we think it due |
to state that it is in some respects erroneous. For
instance, it sets out by enumeratng among these |
vessels, the
U. s. ship-of-thene Pennsylvania, 100 guns.
Do. North Carolina, IA
Do. Delaware, "a
Not one Of these vessels is in commission Their
prepared for sea, nor in a state of preparation.
Atno period, perhaps, naval force in more
efficient state Of equipment than it is at this time, I'M
der the auspices Of the present secretary 1t was
early prepared for service in the Mexican war; and
it was despatched to every point where it was want.
ing in the Gulf Of Mexico, the Pacific ocean, for
operating against the enemy. We understand that
it's economy is equal to its efficiency.
The great inconvenience which the department
has to sustain arises at this time from the want of
seamen to the vessels; but every possible exer-
ton is making to remedy this defect, and to give
the ships that getting ready for sea the utmost
efficiency of which they are susceptible
General Robert Armstrong, our consul at Liv-
erpool, left in the Great Western, and was the
bearer of the treaty with Great Britain, which had
been confirmed by the Senate He has returned in
the Hibernia with copy of the exchange treaty,
and arrived in this city yesterday morning. He
reports how highly the people Of England are
rlnaaad ,,th The Of rcne,usd able reIa