The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-24
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
SATURDAY NIGHT, APRIL "A, is47.
Ths Mexican Tariff.

IL
,.,.rean products Mexico is not part OF the United
60. and her people are not our citizens The duties
;nnosed on imports only upon such as are carried
D1p Mov;cap ports and consumed by the Mexican peo
-. our army and navy being expressly exempt by the
rsouaons as published from the operation OF these du
,;ss The duties operate as tax upon the people Oh
Msvico precisely il imposed by their own govern
AN, Those who consume the goods imported, SO lar
- bv are introduced and subject to Duty are the peo-
- 81 Msxico and it has often been proved and conce-
a.d in quotations which have heretofore made IRON
s sneeches and letters OF John Quincy Adams and Hen
80 Cav that the duty operates as tax upon he consul
NOR Indeed is admitted by the Bulletin, IN relation 10
r,or,s into Mexico that "the additional cost comes out
- The pockets of the Mexcans' These duties, them upon
III mnors into the Mexicans ports, whether these I'M
- are from this or from any other country, are tax
mon the consumers, the people OF Mexico, and not in
rssnec upon the people of the United States or the
nsoole 81 any neutral power This alone is conclusive
to the objections of the Bulletin, that the whole
,v i paid by the Mexican people, whether the imports
90. from our own or any foreign country. But let us
suupose that duties were imposed on all imports from
foreign countries into Mexican ports whilst our own
were admitted free of duty the following consequences
would result FIRST the whole amount OF the duty, we
will saw amounting to million of revenue, that might
Drobaby be collected on American imports into the Mex
can ports would be entirely lost yet that million OF dol
lars must be paid in way by the people OF the Uni
ted States to support own government According 10
the tariff as prepared by Mr. Walker, this million OF
dollars of revenue is exacted from the Mexicans In
duties imposed upon imports from the United States
into the Mexican ports, the whole tax falling upon
the people of Mexico, and no portion of it upon the
neope of the United States But if his million OF
dollars is surrendered we must make good the amount
relpouished by taxes to the same amount imposed
mon our own people So far, then, from taxing the
American people by the present Mexican tariff 1t exempts
them from tax, to the amount OF million OF dollars
and imposes it, where it should fall, upon our enemies
the people of Mexico who the consumers OF the I'M
ports the duty being paid by the consumer
The tax of Mr. Walker falls only on the Mexican peo
nle. that of the bulletin" would fall upon our own
people.
The Bulletin would release this tax of million of dol
lars upon the people of Mexico by letting them have our
goods free of all duty and compel people, by some
other tax to make up the deficits whereas, Mr. Walkers
plan exempts our own people from any portion OF this
tax and levies upon the people OF Mexico IN the shape
of duties on imports into their ports.
But there is another conclusive against admit
ting during the war, imports free OF duty, INTO the
ports of Mexico That reason is set forth IN Mr. ak
ers report on this subject, as follows:
"Its certain that mild and fobearng system of war
fare collecting duties in their ports in our possession on
purchase supplies from them high prices. by rendering
the benefit to the people OF Mexico rather man an
injury has not FASTENED the conclusion Of a peace;
"By admitting our exports freely, without duty, into the
and aordng those goods including the necessares of life,
less than onehaf the prices which they had heretofore
paid for them, the might, in ne become beneht IN,
stead of burden to the people of Mexico, and they would
therefore be unwilling to terminate the contest"
The truth of this position abundanty proved in
the short period during which American exports were in
toduced free of duty into the port OF Matamoros. The
result was that flour, provisions, cotton goods, Sc, and
most of the necessaries Of life by being admitted into
that portion of Mexico free OF duty instead of the ex
obant taxes heretofore imposed, the people of Mexico
supplied themselves with these American goods at less
than half the prices which they paid before the war; and
hence the war became benefit to them rather than a
BURDEN and they had nducemen to force their mill
tay rulers to agree to peace. We sent them flour,
PROVISIONS cottons, &c. free Of all tar TO hem and the
result was, increasing wealth and prosperity their
part and the consequent disposition to prolong contest
which thus relieved them from grievous taxation on the
part of their government and greatly increased their
wealth and prosperity Our short experience at Matamo
os fully proved the truth of these POSITIONS and hence,
when Mexico refused to negotiate, became necessary to
make the upon her people by taxes to be
paid by them well upon the imports from our ports as
from those of foreign countries The plan of letting
them have goods cheap and free OF duty, enriched
them and deprived of the revenue Indeed, is most
remarkable that whilst the Bulletin begins by complain
Ing OF the levy of duties on imports into Mexico, il
ends by proposing the very thing in the following
passage:
'Some contend that the Mexican ports should be placed
on the footing ports in the United States, with
coasing trade this country free of all duties whilst the
tariff 1876 should be enforced against all foreign ships
| and merchandise, the ports. The par
ties who urge this plan saw that the advantages to the ma
ton OF free and unrestricted coastwise trade with Mexico
and the introduction of all produce and manufactures
Tree Of duty, would far outweigh any might de-
rye rom duties upon our own goods We do agree in
hs view Of the subecthe object is the Mexcaus-
evy indirect contributions them by the plan of duties
On imports, and this plan would great degree be fus-
aed by admitting everything from the United States free
uny, and thus furnish them with supplies at the lowest
na e besides whether our goods are admitted free
PWa reasonable duty, 1t would make but little If any
i qluerence IN the quantity consumed provided proper
discrimination Is made on the duties in favor of American
.'ucieS 1t is this discrimination that contend
mB or and which, If given, will throw nine enths of all
e trade into the hands of American hp-owners and mer-
g9an and to the great advantage of the whole connry
ne present tariff ranges from 40 to per cent ad vaor
W ana 1t IS to be adopted, should propose that il be
ced on all foreign productions that imported, either
nefcan or oreign vessels but that all articles Of
ercan produce manufacture, coming from the United
ism @s, reduction should be made equal the tariff o.
Jh9w IN force IN ports-hus placing foreign
oou IN the snmc relative POSITION competition with
sus IN Mexican ports, that they now enjoy in the