Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-12-15
pIBLlC DOCUMENTS
Renort of the Secretary Of the Treasury
mig 1

INV 1876 undsr The old Tariff S49J, 33i 9uo
and on the Isl December, 1876. when The new
riff wen, iu,u effect, $500, 2S7 56a-maknsc co a.
aggregate difference in the price OF Silo'''',o'.
Ii is true. that The failure OF certain crops !"
Great Britain and Ike Continent haS, " soiue "a
ION, affected prices; but then there are opposing
o,nsss--snch as the enormous freight, low ex-
saanoe Sc-which in the absence al reduced
dn,es must have kept the prizes IN The 3oh july
and Isl December mCre nearly me same
If howe er, bui Sky millions De aodsd hy me
new Tariff TO The value of The products oil asr''
culture and the profits If commerce and naviga'
tion. more than one-haH would be employed III
nnrcbases OF domestic fabrics, which, IN Inc 40
srnce of those augmented means and proflls, could
moi have found market al fair prices at home
mr. abroad. Whilst vast sums have been, anc
sill are. being expended by the construction oil
railroads. canals and other Improvements, 10
transport our products 10 our great seaboaio cues
when they reach those points The farmer ana
planter, instead oi finding The ocean as highway
prepared 10 carry their crops free OF all toll or ax
10 All the world, met The laws OF their own Gov
ernmen, closing in whole or in part that highway
10 those markets tor their products, by heavy do
lies on nearly all The fabrics that can be sold III
exchange.
The labor employed in agriculture, commerce
and navigation, is as much American labor as
that engaged in manufactures, with less oil ma
three area, interests, the demand for workmen IN
those pursuits is diminished. The labor thus de-
prived OF employment is thrown into The power OF
The manufacturers, and must enable them 10 bring
down wages 10 the lowest point which will afford
n scanty subsistence; whereas, II agriculture,
commerce and navigation are improved, as the
result of lou duties, there must be increased com
petition and demand Tor labor, and IFS wages mns'
be enhanced.
The home marke, can never be sufficient for
our rapidly Increasing agricultural pre- ducts; but
il is for all our manufactures, and Tor vasl
amount besides, which is imported yearly from
abroad. Lei us enlarge The market Tor our own
manufactures at home, BY removing taxation and
restrictions from agriculture, commerce and ma
viyation, and, with augmented means those Ell.
gagged in these pursuits will furnish larger and
better home market for our manufactures than they
can ever derive in series of years by diminish
ing the profits OF other pursuits by high duties and
unerous restrictions. The great body of American
consumers not engaged in manufactures, are the
customers of the manufacturer, and, 10 affect nIu-
rously the means Of those who purchase, mus
eventually diminish the profits OF those who sell
the manufactures. BY extending our own com.
merce, agriculture and navigation, by increasing
The profiIs ot those engaged in those pursuits, BY
relieving them from heavy taxes, and opening 10
them unrestricted exchanges with all the world,
far larger and better, and more permanent, ami
eventually more profitable home market will b.
secured 10 The manufacturers than any they can
ever derive from diminishing the means OF their
customers engaged 10 other pursuits. When the
farmer and planter the merchant and navigator
are most prosperous they will purchase more Of
American as well as lmeign manufactures In
this manner, labor, uniaXed and unrestricted by
legislation, will find its way into The most natural
channels and prosperous pursuits, and The ag2re.
gate wealth OF the whole nation will advance
most rapidly. Thus whilsta large and prpfilab-
market, not dependent on legislative boun'ies, or
restrictions or taxes, will I've built up al home for
our own manufactures, the foreign market Tor
them will be extended by freer exchanges. The
export of our manufactures last year announced in
value 10 1855, 349 dollars, which must s. on
rapidly augmenting under Il more liberal CON-
mercial policy Such OF our manufactures "a
from their Inferior location or other causes, do
not require high duties, constituting lar the lar
ger portion ofihe whole, are especially greatly in
lured by The protective system and The higher the
dulles, the greater The resulting injurious effects
They are injured both IN The home and foreign
market. The injury arises in the home market
By diminishing the means of their customers he 2
10 purchase their fabrics; and the9 are injured !.
The foreign market. by restrictions upon The ez.
changes there of their exports OF home manuiac
lures for foreign imports. Under system oi
low duties, all our exports would b. greatly aug
nenlei, aud we should export largely no, only
breadstuffs provisions, cotton, lice and tobacco,
but also in lime, sugar and molasses, and ulli-
lnately large quantities OF wool and hemp as
well as manufactures Of wool, hemp and cotton
Already Indian Corn has become a new article Of
export; and in time, by system OF liberal ex
changes with all tie world, iron would take lis
place on our list OF exports 10 foreign countries.
Il is as unwise and unjust as il IS rcpusnant In
equal rights and republican principles 10 force,
by legislation, any class OF the community to ony
from or sell only TO Another. high dulles are
equivalent 10 legislative resolve that The farmer
shall buy and sell only in the home market, and
no, 10 any exen, in any OF the other markets Of
The world Sach 4 system necessarily brings
into con1;c. iAa nercss OF the various classes
CONFUSING the Union, and one class is depressed
for the benefit Of another. Bot BY opening a
the markets al nome and abroad 10 all oar people
engaged in every pursuit. agriculture, commerce,
manufactures and navigation, instead Of being
antagonist interests would soon all be united ana
harm onzed in advancing together the pubic
welfare. Such a tariff must soon satisfy all
classes and all branches OF industry, placing this
great question on a permanent basis, taking il,
as we'll as all the pursuits of business, out OF the
arena OF politics, and out of The struggle 10 ad-
vance or depress rival political parties or aspi
rants So long il is sought TO advance particu-
lar branches oil industry a, The expense OF others,
vercnding political agitation, rendering uncer
tain all The pursuits OF business, de!ying all cal.
cuaton as TO the investment OF capital, f1uctua-
ling with every election, and rising or falling
with the successive elevation or downfall OF pc
Utica, parties. No tariff ever can be permanent
which forces the American people, for The benefit
of any class or portion OF them, 10 buy or sell
only in such market as may b, prescribed by
law. Such a system. although il might for
f,f.rf ali lima to
Is and permanently be sustained By The Amerl-
sinpeople.
The British corn laws and our tariff Of 1912
we're identical in principle, although applicable
to differen, imports. In England, The effort was,
by the corn laws, TO build up home market Tor
agricultural products at The expense OF manuiac-
lures. Here. the effect was, 10y protective duties
in favor OF manufactures, 10 impair the market
abroad Tor our surplus agricultural products
In England, j, was called the protection Of agri-
culture; here the protection Of manufactures. In
ENGLAND. The blow was aimed al manufactures;
here. The injury was inflicted on agriculture,
commerce and navigation. To build up an ade-
ouae home market here, Tor our vast and rapidly
augmenting agricultural products, by taxes Oh
the exchange OF our exports in foreign markets.
was as impossible as it would he 10 establish
sufficient home marke, for British manufactures
hy the corn laws. Manufactures are The great
British exports, and agricultural products the
chief American exports; and any restriction up.
on the exchanges OF either in the foreign market
10 which exports must always look for purcha-
ser, must be disastrous in its effects. The ru
nous consequences OF the protective system hav-
ing been proved in England by her own most en-
lishlened statesmen, and demonstrated BY expe
,ience, it has been surrendered there by most Of
those who sustained 1t heretofore. under The lead
of ITS own former most able and distinguished ad
yocate: and now, when it has failed abroad, alter
reducing millions there TO want and misery, We
are asked, after its overthrow there and here, 10
fe.es,abish al home the condemned and aban-
.oned British protective policy. A, the very time
when the markets Of Great Britain are opened 10
our products by the repeal OF her corn laws, we
are desired TO prevent their operation in favor OF
those products by high or prehibitory duties on
,he only fabrics for which they can be exchanged.
There vet remains ,obacco--one OF our impor-
..;hi.h h..a;., IL is for