The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-12-09

stantly and properly enforced, OF making that
department sustain Itsei. s
well adjusted postage system Is the best iol
diffusing Intelligence among the people, and l.
OF so much importance in a country so exten-
siye as that of the Uniled States, that recon-
mend for your favorable consideration, the sng
gestions o. the Postmaster General, for its i'm
provement
Nothing can retarl the onward progress Of oul
country, and prevent us from assuming and
maintaing the first among nations, but disre-
gard of the experience OF the past.
| The introduction of the new policy, was TORI
time, favored by the condition of the country by
the heavy debt which hal been contracted during
the war, by the depression of the public credit
by tie deianged state OF the finances and the
currency; and by the commercial and peculiar
cmbanasments which extensively prevailed
These wee the only causes which led TO its es-
Enlistment. The events OF the war with Great
Britain, and the embanassments which had al
tended IFS prosecution, had left on the minds Of
many Of ,)ur statesmen The impression that oul
| Government was not strong enough, and that tC
WELD its resources successfully in great emer
gencies, and especially in war, more power
should be concentrated into its hands. This in
creased power, they didnot seek TO obtain by the
legitimate and prescribed mode an amend
| mcnt OF the ConstltutlOn-but by construction.
They saw governments IN the olden world based
upon different orders of society, and so constitu-
ted as TO throw the whole power OF nations into
| the hands of a few, who taxed uncontrolled the
many without responsibility or restraint In that
| arrangement they conceive the strength oinatlons
in war consisted. There was also something fas-
clnGtng in the luxury and display OF the high
or orders, who drew their wealth from the toll
of The laooring millions. The authors Of this
system through their ideas OF political economy
from what they had witnessed in Europe, and
particularly in Great Britain, they had receiy-
ed the enormous wealth concentrated in few
hands, and had seen the splendor of the over
grown establishments Of an aristocracy which
was upheld by the restrictive policy. They for
got 10 lcok down upon the poorer classes Of
the English population, upon whose daily
and yearly labor the great establishments they
30 much admired were sustained and supplanted;
they failei TO perceive that the scantiy fed and
half clad operatives were not only IN abject pow
erty, but were bound in chains OF oppressive
servitude for the benefit Of favored classes the
exclusive objects of the care Of the Govern
ment.
II was rot possible 10 reconstruct society in the
United Statds upon the European plan. There
was written constitution by which orders and
titles wen, not recognized or tolerated. A system
OF measures was devised, calculated, II not in
tended, 10 withdraw power gradually and silently
from the States and the mass of the people, and
by c0nstru elton 10 approximate our Government 10
the European models, and substituting an ars-
tocraey OF wealth for that of orders and titles.
Withou. rejecting upon the dissimiarity of our
institutions, and OF the condition OF our people,
and those OF Europe, they ived the vain idea
of building up in the United States a system SINH
lar TO that which they admired abroad. Great
Britain had National Bank of large capital, in
whose hands was concentrated the monetary and
financial power OF the nation; an institution
wielng almost kingly power, and eXertlng vast
influence upon all the operations Of trade, and up
on the policy Of the government itself Great
Britain hai an enormous public debt, and il had
become part of her public policy 10 regard this
as a "pubic blessing" Great Britain had also a
restrictive policy which placed letters and bur
dens tride and tramTnelled the productive in
dusty of he mass OF the nation by her combined
system Of policy, the landlords and other property
holders protected and enriched by the enormous
taxes which were levied upon the labor OF the
country for their advantage.
Initiating this foreign policy, the first step in
tablishing the new system in the United States,
was the creation of National Bank.
Not for,seeing the disastrous power and count
less evils which such an institution might entail
on the country, nor perceiving the connection
which il was designed 10 form between the bank
and other branches of the mis-called american
system" but feeling the embanassments of the
treasury I'D of the business OF the country, conse
ne d different and sounder views, were induced 30
yield Their scruples, and indeed settled convictions
of it's uncuustutionaty, and 10 give il their sane
ton, as an expedient which they vainly hoped
might produce relief II was a most unfortunate
error as tle subsequent history and final catastro-
phe of the dangerous and corrupt institution has
abundanty proved. The Bank and It's numerous
brauches Iamfied into the States soon brought ma
ny Of the active politicians and influential men in
different sections of the country into the relation
81 1,
vors; thus difusing throughout the mass of society
a great urssber Of inii-iasas Of power ana i.aas
enes 90 sre tone TO public opinion aud TO act in
concert IL cases OF emergency. The corrupt pow
er of such political engine is nc longer a matter
of speculation, having been displayed in numerous
instances but most signaly in the political strug-
giles of ls3234, in opposition 10 the public will,
represented by fearless and patriotic President.
Batthe hank bat branch Of the system; apub
nc debt D than $50 600 existed, and II Is not to
be ss 81 that many OF the authors OF the system
did ra its speedy payment as essential To the
public prosperity bu; looked upon ITS continuance as 40
national evil. Whilst the debt existed, II furnished ali
ment hu National Bank, and rendered increased tax
alton NECESSARY to the amount OF interest exceeding
81 coo, Goo annually.
The peatbranch of the new system was high protect
i've tariff This TO afford bountes to favored classes
and particular pursuits, at the expense OF all others
10 tax the whole people for the purpose oil
euiching few, was too monstrOus TO be openly msde
the scheme was therefore, yelled under the plausible
but deuSye pTetext OF a measure 10 protect home TN
dusiry and many OF our people time led to be
lie We that which, in the main fell upon labor, waS
benefit of the laborer who paid It. This branch OF
the system involves partnership between the govern
and the favored classes the former receiving the
proceeds Of the tax imposed imported articles, and
The latte the inc price OF SIMILAR articles produced
at home such tax II Is obvious that the poT
ton Ia BE- received By the favored, would as general
rule, he Increased In proportion 10 the increase OF the
late Of tax imposed and diminished as those rates,
were reduced TO the revenue standard required BY
the wants OF the Government The rates required TO
produce sufficient FOR tho ordinary expsnSesoi
fhef far
give the private partners IN this scheme the prohs sui
hcient to satisfy their cupidity and hence Variety ex
pedents resOrted to for the purpose of enargng
the expenditures, and thereby creating necessity for
keeping high protective tariff The effect OF this policy
was 10 impose artificial restrictions upon the natural
ofihs business and trade OF the country and 10
the interests Of large capitalists andmonoposts,
expense of the great mass OF the people, who were
taxed to iacrease their wealth This operated IN harno-
ny with TIE system which was high protective Ia
riff.
scheme OF Interval Improvements capable OF indefinite
enlargement and sufficient to swallow up as many mil
lions annually, could be exaeted from the foreign
commerce OF the country. This was convenient and
necessary adjustment OF the Protective Tariff II 10
be the gre absoTbeT of any surplus which might al any
time accumulate in the Treasury, and oil the taxes levied
on the people, net for necessary revenue but for the
avowed object OF aOrding protection 10 The favored
classes. =
Auxiliary to this end, II essential part of the
system itself, scheme which, at later period Oh
aned for distributing the proceeds OF the sales OF the
Public Lads among the States oher expedents were
prevent Il, coming from any otter than Proec
i've Tarf The authors apd supporters OF the system
were the advocates Of the largest expenditures
for necessary useful purposes or not the larger
the Expenditures the greater the pretextior high tax
es in tho form Cf protective duties.
These several measures were sustained by popular
names aud plausible arguments by which thousands were
I.I,.teI fhe Rank repre- bs iazspen,
sihe fscs agent for the Goverumentwas 10 equalize
exchange and regulate and furnish sound currency,
always aud every where OF uniform value The "Pro-
tectiye Tariff" was to give employment to"American
Labor az advanc ed pToeswas TO protect "home indus