The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-25

fact, while he paid the Government nt but twen. ao
lars, he would lose sixty himself on account ~ The
DUTY, when, therefore, the Government eeis "a
IT'S doing, thirty millions Of dollars revenue, the
l whoie burden 10 the consumers of this country
would DC one hundred millions Of dollars; Of this
| amount, the South pays, according to its popua
ton ton and consumption, forty millions Of dollars
This sum think too low in fact In the Patent
Office report, made TO the last session Of Congre,s
Uhc last one publishcd,) il Is stated by the Com
missioner, Mr.. Burke, northern man, that the an
nuai value OF articles manufactured in the United
States is five hundred and fifty millions Of doars
This statement does not include iron salt coal su.
gar wool, the products OF fisheries, and other ar
dcles on which duty Is collected; adding these,
swclls the amount to nearly seven hundred 5lions
Our imports for that year were unusually large on
account Of the famine abroad. Nevertheless, ali
the articles imported, on which duty il collected
iueluding the above omitted ia the statement OF
manufactures, are in value only one hundred and
eleven millionson hundred and fifty four thousand
threc hundred and fifteen dollars II thus appears
that amount manufactured in the country is more
tnan SIX times that imported II Is not pretended
however, that this comparison affords proper mea
sure Of the amount of the burden which the country
may sustain; and that while it pays to the Gov,
ernment thirty three millions i pays two hundred
to the manufacturers indirectly, thereby making
the whole loss to consumers in the first instance
two hundred and thirty three millions Some few
articles are manufactured here as cheaply as they
can be elsewhere; and very large number at the
places where they are made, are cheaper 70 the
consumer than would be the foreign article when
transported there. II is also true, however, that
in great many cases the consumer loses even
more than the whole duty, because he is not only
obliged to pay it TO the manufacturer or refund Il
TO the importer, but also profit or per cent ON
this duty to each trader through whose hands the
article passes before it reaches him. In other in.
stances the price is intermediate between what il
would be without any duty and that which il
would amount TO by the addition of the duty.
Want Of accurate knowledge Of all the facts rem
ders il impossible to determine precisely the effect
which our revenue system produces; but that il
is most powerful and controlling cannot be de-
MED The Government actually raises more than
thirty millions per year by these duties The
manufacturers, who are certainly interested in
selling their productions at high rather than a
low rate, and who understand their true interests
attach the greatest importance TO the tariff sys-
tenn, and attribute to its operation effects even
greater than have stated them to be. There
has been less complaint among consumers, because
the cost Of most manufactured articles has been
diminishing from time TO time. This fall of prices
however, is partly attributable to The great dscov-
cries made during our day in chemistry, mechan-
ism and the arts generally, by which these arti-
cles are produced with much more facility II is
also attributable TO the comparative reposc Of the
world, which has directed capital and labor for
merly consumed in wars, to Industrial pursuits
Hence, though there is gradual reduction of
prices In the United States yet il is still more strik,
ing on the other side Of the Atlantic, In Great
Britain particularly, well as in certain portions
of the Continent, such ia the accumulation of cap-
ldDOrer5
obliged TO work for mere subsistence, that prices
are at the lowest possible rate. We have a right
to take advantages OF this state Of things just the
lEu,opeans m DO Of our cheap production of cotton.
used TO do, they we'll the people of the north
ern States, seem glad TO get il for five cents per
pound In consequences OF our over production of the
article. We have therefore, natural right to pur-
chase their productions at the lowest rate at which
we can obtain them, 10 counterbaance the disad-
vantage we suffer from the accumulation Of dif-
ierent kind Of capital and labor To alleviate this
burden we Of the South get back very little in the
form Of protection Why, then, have southern men
been willing To submit TO system unequal in its
opcrationl Because, MS have formerly had occa-
sion 10 state, in the Convention which made the
Federal Constitution there was a bargain made be-
tween the North and the South, that provided they
would allow our slaves 10 be represented TO permit
importation for time, and TO deliver up fugitivss
the South would, on its part agree that ,aajoriiy
Of Congress might have power W pass navigation or
tariff laws. As the gift Of the power under the cir
cumstances necessarily implied that it was to be
exercised, We felt bound in honor TO acquiesce in
the action of the majofity. Because in the second
place, protection TO such extent might give our
infant manufacturers fair start, wns calculated 10
advance the interest Of the nation whole, though
for the time IL might bear hardly on us. And be-
cause, thirdly, we hoped that the southern States
would after time get 70 manufacturing themselves
as their interest required them to do, and thus es
men, even after the North had partially failed 10
pay its share Of the consideration with great mag
nanimity continued 10 sustain the system.
The manner of disbursement is also adverse 10
our interests. Of the forty odd millions which the
Government purposes 70 disburse this year do
believe that FIVE millions will in any way be ex
pended in all the slaveholding States North Ca
rolina, Tor example, N burdcned the extent of
not less than three millions, and yet does not get
back one hundred thousand dollars in any way
from the Government The clear loss in n pecu-
mary point OF view, on account Of the action Of the
Government, may be set down at three millions
annually. The southern States generally are in
the same situation.
What would be condition II separated from
the NORTH IL 10 difficult TO determine the preci..,
amount Of the exports Of the slsveboding States,
because IL h not practicable arrive al the exact
value of that portion which IL cold 10 the free
States. But the amount Of our leading staples
being pretty we'll known--I mean cotton, rice to-
bacco, sugar, &c.-we arrive at the whole
value OF our exports pretty nearly. They cannot
fall short OF one hundred and thirty millions Of
eeed ihat sum- This Z nearly ' =. %srs y ss ,sc
whole OF the exports Of the u nted States TO foreign
countries II must be remembered, however, thai
though The Tree States furnish part Of our exports.
yet that which they do afford II scarcely 30 much
as the portion OF our own products which goes To
them for consumption. IT, therefore, we were
separated, our whole exports 10 the North, and To
foreign countries generally, would be equa that
sum. Of course should import as much, and
in fact do at this time as much. duty
Of thirty per cent. ON these imports (and most Of
the rates OF the present tariff law hgher) would
4
As the prices OF almost all manufactured articles
are regulated by the production Of the great work
shops OF Europe, where the accumulation Of capital
and labor keeps down production 10 tho lowest pos
siblc rates, have no doubt but that sum would be-
raised without any material increase OF the prices
which our citizens nov pay. We might therefore
espcnd as much as the Government OF the United
States ever did in time OF peace up to he beginning
Of General Jsckson's administration and still have
ON hand twenty five millions of dollars TO devote 10
she making railroads, opening our hsrbOrs and
rivers, and ior other domestic purposes. Or, by
| ievying only twenty per cent. duty, which the
northern manufacturers found ruinous Ia them, as
they said, under Mr.. Clay's compromise bill.
should be able 70 raise twenty FIVE millions Of
| dollars. Half Of this would be sufficient for
the support OF our army, navy, and civil govern
ment. The residue might he devoted 30 the making
of all such Improvements now IN want of.
and especially cbeckerng our country with
railroads. Subjecting the goods Of the North ~
duty, with those from other foreign countries,
| would al once give apowerful stimulus 60 our own
4 manufactures. We have already sufficient capital
for the purpose hut II needed, II would come in
from abroad English capitalists have filed Bel-
gium with factories. Why did this occur sim
Il ply because provisons were cheaper there and