Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-21

ed ad vaorem tariff give to the act of s46 that obec
tionabe feature instability. These varisions giving high
duty when least required and low duties when prices
nous tend to Of mportaons and subject all the
products OF labor IN country to the frequent and
enormous fluctuations in the markets abroad arising from
the disturbed condition Of those nations with whom our for
eign commerce is chiefly carried on
Under the present system, duties highest when the
article imported is highest and when the purchaser and
least afford pay the duty and lowest when the
price OF the article wanted would allow heavy additional
duty to be levied on it Thus if article costs SlO duty
OF thirty per cent. would compel addition of S3; that
article falls in value to IS, then the duy reduced oneha
That cannot be wholesome system Of taxation which fol-
lows the in his purchases increasing bis burden
when prices are high and taking off as prices fall and his
ability bear increases Ii applied articles of subss
tence il would operate heavy upon bread in year
of famine increasing with the intensity of the evil and
gradually disappearing with the return Of abundance.
The objection to the present SYSTEM fom commercial uc
tustions prices constantly forced upon the attention Of
the Department by instances of extreme inequality and preu
dcal operation The European price of iron was IN ls46
greatly above that which has prevailed for the last two years
If the duties upon bar iron have been levied in strict accord
with foreign they would be but little more than
oneha Of what they were in 1896 BY this process, be-
sides the immense injury inflicted upon domestic industry
is made ucuae with the accidents and revusons
in foreign commerce. and these accidents and fluctuations,
which originate abroad, imported with their attendant
mischiefs
Our revenue as already stated must bemainy dependant
on duties on Imports Those imports from abroad only
be paid for by exports made Of the products Of our labor
in all its varieties, the precious metals our imports
shall exceed the value Of our exports abroad any gvenye
the extent OF such excess do create foreign debt
this operation be repeated for only few years. 1t Is obvious
that will effect the withdrawal from us OF quantity OF the
precious metals equal nearly to the amount OF ne ac
cumulated debt, bringing with it bankruptcy in all depart
ments of business consequent inability to purchase foreign
goods, and thus for the time causing runous depression 10
the receipts into the treasury then becomes equally the
duty Of Congress and the Of the people ut possb
so to regulate imports confne the mpostions into this
country to an about equal such exports OF our own
as can find market at reununeraive prices abroad. The
pare statement of the foregoing laws OF trade
would seem to furnish safe guide in oil legislation on the
subject. ....
whilst importaons should be secured in amount sufficient
practical rate of duties supply tho OF the trea
suy such duties should be adjusted in to affect
aVorsoy all industrial pursuits home II duties the
necessary mPor'aons should have the effect impair the
ability OF the mass Of the people purchase and pay for for
egn goods. then imporsons extent must cesse and
consequence the to an equivalent amount would
be diminished.