Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-12-13

period were $43,2lo,6S9. The publ
debt has been reduced since the last an
nual report from the Treasury Departmer
1906, ,276, SO.
BY the 18Th section Of the act of III
18th Of january, l847, the proceeds of III
sales of the public lands were pledged 70
interest and principal of the public debt
The great amount of those lands subse
quently granted by Congress, for militar,
beInties will, it is believed, very nearll
supply the public demand for sevcra
years TO come, and but little reliance cal
therefore be placed OH that hitherto profita
bic source Of government revenue.
A portion Of the public debt, amounting
to eight millions, seventy FIVE thous ant
nine hundred and eighty-six dollars an,
filty-nine cents, must be provided 70,
within the next fiscal year. 1t is mos
desirable that the accruing demand shoule
be met without resorting to new loans.
All experience has demonstrated the
wisdom and policy of raising large por-
lion Of the means for the support OF gov
ernment from duties on goods imported
The powerto lay those duties is nnques-
tionable, and lis chief object of course Is
TO replenish the Treasury. Duty laid UP
on an article which cannot be produced il
the country, such as tea, and coffee, add,
to the cost Of The article and IS chiefly Of
wholly paid by the consumer. But a duty
laid upon an article which may be Fro
duced here, stimulates the skill and in
dustry of our own country TO produce the
same article which is brought into market
in connection with the foreign article.
The importer is thus compelled to re-
duce the price at which the domestic ar
ticle can be sold, thereby throwing part
Of the duty upon the producer and the
consumer at home. The consequence oi
this is, that the artizan and the agricul-
tnralist are brought together. Each af-
fords q ready market for the productions
Of the other. The whole country thereby
prospers, and the ability to produce ev-
cry necessary Of life renders us indepen-
dent in war as well as in peace.
A high tariff can never be permanent.
1t will caise dissatisfaction and will be
changed. II excludes competition and
thereby invites the investment of capital
in manufactures to such excess that when
changed it brings distress, bankruptcy
and ruin upon all who have been misled
by its fatal protection. What the manu-
facturer wants is uniformity and perma-
nency, that he may feel confidence that
he is not TO be ruined by sudden changes.
But to make tariff uniform and perma-
nent, it's not only necessary that the law
should be equitable, but the duty should
not iluctuate To effect this all duties
should be specific wherever the n;ture Of
the article is such as to admit OF it. Ad
valorem duties offer strong temptations 10
fraud and perjury. Specific duties, on the
contrary, are equal and uniform in all
parts and at all times, and offer as strong
inducements 10 the importers to bring The
best article, as he pays no more duty up
on that than upon one Of an inferior quail
ity. | therefore strongly recommend a
modification of the present tariff, which
has prostrated some Of our most impor-
tant and necessary manufactures, and
that specific duties be imposed sufficient
to rase the requisite revenue, making
such discrimination in favor of the indus
trial pursuits Of our own country as to
encourage home productions without ex-
.cluding competition.
1t is also important that an unfortunate
provision in the present tariff, which i'm
poses much higher duty upon the raw
material that enters into our manufac,u-
ries than upon the manufactured article
should be modified.
The papers accompanying the report d
the Secretary Of the Treasury will dis
close frauds attempted upon the revenue
in variety of amount so great as 10 iustif,
the conclusion that it is impossible, unde,
any system Of advalorem duties levied
upon forign cost or value Of the article
to secure an honest observance and cflec.
tual administration of the laws. The
fraudulent devices to eyade the law
which have been detected by the vigil
ance OF the appraisers, leave us no room
10 doubt that similer impositions to those
discovered, to large amounts, have beer
successfully practiced since the enact
ment Of the law now in force. This stat,
Of things has already had preiudicial in
fluence on those engaged in foreign com
rnerce, because it has tendency to driv,
the honest trader from The business o
importing, and 10 throw that importan
branch Of Employment into the hands o
unscrupulous and dishonest men who ar,
| alike regardless Of law and the obligation
ofan oath. BY these means, the plain in
tentions Of Congress as expressed in tn
law, are daily defeated. Every motive d
policy and duty therfore impel me to asl
the earnest attention Of Congress to thi
subject.
Ii Congress should deem il unwise I
attempt any important change in the sys
TEN Of duties atthis session, twill becom
indispensable TO the protection Of the rev
enue that such remedies as in the iudg
ment Of Congress may mitigate the evil
complained Of should be at once applied
AS before stated, specific duties shoul
in my opinion be remedy for this evil
but ifyou do not concur in this view, the
i as Martial rencdv beu leava rasroo,