The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-16

II we draw any correct conclusion from the tone
Of the papers In support Of the present cabinet in rela
ton TO the policy of the administration af at least
the tariff is concerned il is that serious changes in the
present revenue system Contemplated BY the cabinet
amounting virtually 10 its repeal The principal assault
medated against the system will be evelled at the ad
valorem principle Of estimating the duties With that
view, mass OF pretended facts have been or will be
collected by the Secretary OF the Treasury designed to
show that frauds have been perpetrated under
that provision Of the tariff and that thus has failed OF
accomplishing the object Of those who framed and carried
the system into eecta pre,ence which will be put for
ward by the Secretary in the very face OF the fact that
onelhaf OF the duties collected under the tariff OF ls42
were estimated upon the ad valorem principle and i'm.
posed upon the most difficult articles OF valuation and
which were the easiest TO smuggle in under false in
voices; also, that the present tariff has produced ample
revenue under this administration whose policy re.
qures its failure and whose agents in the custom houses
inrsted with the collection of duties are hostile to il and
that nearly all the articles included in the present British
tariff amounting to many hundreds, pay ad valorem in
stead Of specific duteshus proving beyond all dispute
not only the feasibility, but the absolute success OF that
principle in the estimation Of duties. Yet an array Of
pretended facts will, have no doubt, be presented
to Congress by the Secretary Of the Treasury proving
that the I'D vaorem principle has failed.
We understand that agent of Mr. Meredith has long
been in Boston collecting the kind of facts wanted to sus
tain his positions, and that Mr. Hudson the present naval
officer OF that port whose tariff facts are the verest c
tons, has been engaged in the same business We are
therefore, have another batch Of Manufactured facts
from Massachusetts, going to show the failure of
basa h..a
successful as system OF revenue And very likely we
shall have similar batch OF facts from Pennsylvania
forged by the iron masters Of that State also going to
show the failure Of the present tariff system Of pro-
econ because the iron and coal businesses have been
overdone, necessarily producing temporary depression
We have hitherto forborne to engage in discussion OF
the tariff question any further than the misrepresen-
lions Of the wing press pending the late elections render
ed necessary prefeng to our fire until the budg
ct Of the Secretary OF the Treasury shall appear When
that shall have been disclosed shall then commence an
examination Of its propositions, facts and arguments and
we think we shall have no difficulty in Sustaining both
the justice and policy Of the ad vaorem system We are
confident we shall be able TO show that the ad vsoem
principle Is The true and honest principle, and that the
specific and minimum principles are cheating and fraud
uent and enable the manufacturers plumber the peck
cts Of the people, without giving the latter the opportu-
nifty 70 know in what manner Of how much they are
robbed in the name Of protection.
But we happy to perceive that on this question:
least shall have some able oosdutors in the wing
ranks, and among others the editor Of the New York
Mirror. who claims to have bssa the frs, to nominate
Gen. Taylor for the presidency The Mirror has recently
contained two very cogent and well articles in
favor Of the present tariff, from the last Of which we
copy the following extrscs They are in reply TO an
article in the Tribune, and ecuay overthrow the po-
sitons Of the pretended philosopher and advocate Of
American industry who conducts that paper.
From the New York Mirror
in the first place. what gained BY the majority OF the
people of this country by the protective yseuf And
secondly, II nothing IL easpsd by the majority what do
they lose by It's operation Thatthe nenufacuer who Is
enabled make dividends OF from fifteen 10 twenty per
cent, should be sstised with the protective policy no one
will be prepared deny The next class who should throw
up their caps and shout the praises Of the TO be
by our phanthropc contemporary OF the Tribune As the
tariff IL raised, according the Argument used why the
wages OF the operative should be ncreased because he
enjoy with the manufactures the blessings Of this system
by increased of wages" When the tariff IA re
duccd why, the operative suffer- because the anuac.
inrer cannot afford TO pay him 90 libsxaly.
This believe IL fair statement Of the assertion which
fact In the city Of Lowell that Of America
the manufacturers be made yearly statistics OF
The Of the raw material consumed wages paid