Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-01
RICHMOND ENQUIRER,
MONDAY MORNING. DEcEMnER sIIs4a
THE BANE AID THE ANTID0TF


whole OF the Report ofhe Secretary the Treasury Ithas
been highly extocd by the Wing press a IA
lis knd MS pecnay ficitous rresstbly conyncinp
as eaven save the mark IAN epoch in our history long
desired and alas too much needed I'VE quote an enhusias
VIC correspondent OF the National negenccr y teat we de-
sire 10 remove the Illusion by submitting the Report to our
readers in all its naked defom,ies SO firm il ou conf
dence in the principles Of Free Tradeso rinphontv did
Mr. Walkers Report explode the vanng theories Of the
potectonists-so powerfully do the beneficial workings of
Inc lar OF 1876, and the universal prosperity testify in
oeha oil the Democratic policy thu, feaessy throw be-
tore the Democratic party this elaborate and boascd
ciamento Of the Regency
Another great reason why publish in full this massive
Report is 10 furnish readers another sronp proof of
the deception pacsed BY the Wings in the late Presidential
canvass Then General Taylor proessed 10 have no oary
schemes and, like Mr. Toos declared that the opinions of
'he PRESIDENT were of no consequences then, the Whig
presses and orators shrank from the discussion Of and
lection TO- the Tariff of 1886 alleging that party measures
were not In controversy and leaving the inevitable inference
that that Tariff all that was sufficient for the purposes
of the country Such deception had its effect Gen. TAYLOR
was elected President no-party naIl-and in his first
regular Message he has thrown off the disguise and ayowed
himself an ultra Whg and ullblooded procctionist We
rejoice that the Secretary Of the Treasury has lifted the veil
and shown distinctly the coven foot of federalism The issue
OF revenue Tariff and in such fair fight have no fear
the result The representatives of The people have MAORI
y i'll Congress- and candid unite in the belief that there
Is no danger that any change Of the Tariff will succeed al
this session Our only regret is that General TAYLOR and
his humbnggng party had avowed principles similar to
those OF This document during the In that case
we should never have seen the Of Washington dis
graced BY nare soldier utterly ignorant Of his duties
and so wound up by dealing policy that he is afraid 10
speak the vital question Of the ay and declare that
''his soul is his own
When we have more time may dsscc this Report and
expose lis dcformities In the time We invoke some OF
the Journals friendly the administration TO apply the
knife to its ridiculous assumptions and conclusions The
y. V Mirror differs with Mr.. Meredith soto c9io both in
the premises he lays down. and the conclusions which he
arrives" 1t dcnounces the 'nsulting proposition 10 raise
the tariff on imported goods, and particularly on such as
come in competition with manufactures" and advo
cafes direct taxation he only just and equitable system
of revenue and he only which is calculated enforce
economy in the public administration Of affairs" The Mirror
continues:
Ihc high tariff men who argue in favor Of the roundabout
system OF Indirect taxation forget the difference of feel
Ing produced by tax self imposed by people provide for
theirown political necessities and arbitrarily levied by
royal authority and the gace of Cod meet the extrava
giant expenditures Of iccnous Court. Ii is fact which
the protcctonists choose overlook that all the prejudice
existing the American people against direct taxation
has been like our bad laws imported from despoc coun
tries 1t is not the indigenous growth of enlightened re-
public; ard Of This fact the Wings will be convinced by
tho ani-1ari majority in the House of Representatives
correspondent of the y. Y. Journal of Commerce. un
der the caption OF The Wonders of Pro,ccon thus am
sngy and cevery ridcucs The high-soundng and Quxoc
he".s s a ssas 81 Gca and plenty must have dawned up
every reader Of Mr. Meredilhs wonderful Treasury Re
port There is is certainly no tinancier like him
By his proposed system Of Protection and Manufacturing
the Of the whole world would be poured into the
United States. Only consider what thousands and thou
sands of millions Of manufactured goods should be able
export il cotton goods atone could be annually exported
10 Me amount of hro hundred aud fory.fre millions
s2i5 000000 And SAYS tho same profound thinker sour
imports mOuid be thereby in like manner increased"
The only puzzle is 10 know what goods be import
ed Anything that be manufactured here? Of course
mol For the first year might perhaps get paid for
tremendous exports BY sweeping the world OF all its bullion
anG precious stones. But what shall take next! Perhaps
at twenty dollars pound coffee five dollars pound
nuts and pine apples AT hundred dollars piece,
etc These prices would however give incidental protec
ton enough build for the growth of such arti
ccs. Therefore had better have Chinese wall
with spring doors opening only inside out and make up the
home consumption" compel every consumer
tire pig for breakfast roast for dnnor and have pies
three barrels ol flour each for every mouth in his family
Would not the nation thrive such glorious living ms
rccommended b. hc great political Quack AT the head
OF the Treasury!
1t is very remarkable that among all the elaborate and
shallow and stale and long exploded sophis
tries advanced by Mr. Meredith neither in Gen. TayIors
Message in Mr. Mercdhs report does the word "pro
tee ton once occur As the n. Y Evening Post says:
SIT not improbable that General Taylor protested against
being made potectonlst by his cabinet and that salts
y him. they changed the name OF the policy they desired to
adopt while they retained the substance, calling IL encour
agcmcn of manufactures instead of protection. Or, per-
haps the cabne have suspicion that the term protection
has become unpopular.
For the present, conclude better than with the
review OF the Rcgencys recommendations by the Unions
reliable and able commercial correspondent. With few
dashes Of the pencil he exposes the alaces OF the Mes
sage and Report and places the Regency in no very ceda
bic attitude
Correspondence of the Washington Union
New YORK, DECEMBER 26, l5i9.
surety wanting that the commercial and hnan
cia policy of the federal government would be undstubed
for tho future the message the President and the report
the Secretary furnish sufficient guaranty Of the fact in th
absence OF all show of reason for any change When the ad
mnistraton of March, l94l came into power it found tho
Independent treasury in operation; but nasmuch THAI
one half the banks of the Union in Of suspen
son and the discount broken bank bills in
confounded in the public mind with the rates of excacc"
while the independent treasury having been only six mont
in operation had had time vindicate its excel
enc with barefaced power hastily repealed at an ex-
ira session, called purpose. SO far change was easy
but the fact that the constitutional treasury had not acqurec
public confidence did not revive the credi: OF the bank
scheme and the people the next election restored tho con-
sutona treasury and i h has bsSR tn a RIff
the commercial! public that may be said to have no enc
mics except amongst politicians VINO are compelled 70 keel
show Of opposition.
The administration have not been in haste like thai
of 1871; they have taken nine months investigate anc
scrutnize its operation in tho hope OF finding some aw OF
fault which 10 base argument Tor alteration oy WHICH
to bapse il whg. The result Of all this s the following
line in the Presidents message: lf continued important
notifications Of appear indispensable For these I'M
potant notifications the Secrearys report Ia 10 DC con-
suited; and that document informs us that nasmch as it is
very troublesome disbuslng officers 10 take charge
money with which make payments, in order TO relieve
these gentlemen of ouble" il is proposed that any person
or discussing office! having draft may dcposc II with ht
assistant treasurer and himself draw against as many
drafts may suit his convenience provided they shall all bt
presented weeks that is TO say suppose the govern
mont owes contractor for fat job, S0OOO: 1t gives hin
now draft upon .he assistant treasurer III New orR paya
bic at sight gold pieces He presents IT, gets one thou
sand eagles in bag pays his his debts deposte
il in n bank and checks it out.
Now the Secretary proposes that he DO allowed instead
CARRYING the gold across 10 his bank TO draw checks
on the treasury in of those whom he owes and let then
90 and ge the gold that the treasurer instead Of having
draft 10 nav will have hundred meet in short
that he become the banker of the large government creditor
the small look for themselvcs-and that th
government employ clerks 10 do this banking business
for lis large creditors These voes all that the ad
n,straon has propose against the independent treasury
plan; and conclusive proof of its entire exceene
could scarcely he desired The arguments advanced by IN
Secretary in favor restoration of the high SPECIFIC dute
gro equally conclusive in respect the superiority OF the pre-
sent system is little singular that advocates OF the pro
iectve theory very regardless Of fact Now Biaekwood
Magazine for December in an attack upon the fee-trac
of be