Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-12-12
duce every necessary Of life renders US inde-
pendent IN war as we'll as in peace

+ n huISh tdIin can never be permanent. 1t
will cause 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
mlsied by lis fai'hless protection. What the
manufactured wants, is uniformity and perman-
cy, 'ha, ne may feel confidence that he is not
10 be ruined by sudden changes. Bul TO make
tanH uniform aud permanent, il is moi only ne
cessary that the law should not be altered, bur
that the duty should not fuclua,e. To effect
this. all duties should be specific, wherever the
nature OF the article Is such as 10 admit Of il.
Ad valorem duties fuctuare with the price, and
offer strong temptations TO fraud. and perjury.
Specific duties, on The contrary. are equal and
uniform in all ports, and at all times, and offer
strong inducement to the importer to bring the
best article, as he pays no more duty upon that,
than upon one OF interior quality. | therefore
strongly recommend modification Of the pre-
sent tariff, which has prosraIed some of our
most important and necessary manuiacleurs, and
that specific duties be imposed sufficient TO raise
The requisite revenue; making such dscrimna-
ilon in favor Of The industrial pursuits OF our
own country as to encourage home production
! without excluding foreign competition. ltisalso
important that an unfortunate provision in the
present tariff, which imposes a much higher
duty upon The raw material that enters into our
manufactures than upon the manufactured ari
Gle, should be remedIed.
The papers accompying The report Of the
Secretary Of the Treasury will disclose frauds
attempted upon The revenue, in variety and a.
mount SO great 10 justify The conclusion that
II Is impossible, under any system OF ad valo-
l., 4 Il
ue Of The article, TO secure an honest observance
and an effecrual administration Of the laws
The fraudulent divices TO eyade the law which
have been detected by the vigilance of the ap-
praisers, leave no room TO doubt that similar im-
positions not discovered, TO a large amount
have been successfully pracriced since The
enactment of the law now n force This
state Of things has already had prejudicial
influence upon those engaged in foreign CON-
merce. 1t has a tendency 10 drive the homes,
trader from the business of importing, and 10
throw that imporIan. branch Of employment in
TO the hands Of INSCRIPTIONS aud dishonest
men, who are alike regardless of law and the
obligations Of an oath. By these means the
plain intentions of Congress, as expressed in
the law, daily defeated. Every motive of
policy and duty, therefore, impeI me to ask the
earnest attention of Congress TO this subject.
If Congress should deem it unwise to attempt
any important changes in The system of levy
ing duIies al This session, il will become indis-
pensable TO the protection of the revenue that
such remedies, as in the judgement of Con-
gress may mitigate the evils complained Of,
should be al once applied.
As before stated, specific duties would, in
my opinion, afford the most perfect remedy for
this evil but, if you should not concur in this
view, then, as partial remedy, beg leave
respectfully to recommend that, instead of ta-
king the invoice of the article abroad
means of determining It's value here, the cor
rectness of which invoice il is in many cases
impossible TO verify, the law be so changed as 10
require home valuation of appraisal, to be reg
Ulaed in such manner as 10 give, as far as Prac-
,icabe, uniformity in the several ports
There being no mint in California | am in
formed that the laborers 10 the mines are COM
PEELED to dispose of their gold dust at large
discount. This appears to me TO be heavy
and unjust tax upon the labor OF those employed
in extracting this precious metal; and doubt
not you will be disposed, the earliest period
possible, TO relieve them from it by the estab-
Iishmen of a mint. In the mean IlH.e, as an
assayer's Office is established there, would res
pecfully submit for your consideration the
propriery Of authorizing gold bullion, which has
been assayeG and stamped, TO be received IN
payment of Government dues. | cannot con-
cevo that the treasury would suffer any loss by
such proviseon, which will at once raise bull
lion to It's par value. and thereby save (if am
rightly informed many millions of dollars to
the laborers which are now paid in brokerage
10 convert this precious metal into available
funds This. discount upon their hard earnings
is heavy tax aud every effort should be made
by the Government to relieve them from so
great a burden.
More than three-lourth Of our population
are engaged in the cultivation Of the soll.-
The commercial, manufacturing, and naviga'
ting interests are all, to a great extent, depen'
dent on the agricultural. 1t is, therefore, the
most important interest Of the nation, and mas
just claim to the fostering care and Protec''ou
ofthe government, so far as they can De eS'
tended consistently with the provisions OIL tne
Constitution. AS this cannot be done Dy the
ordinary modes oflegislaticn, respectfully
recommend the establishment OF an Agrlcuitu-
raj Bureau to be charged with the duty OF
giyinp to this leading branch of American i'm
dustry the encouragement which il so well de-
serves. In view ofthe immense mineral re-
sources of our country, provision also should
be made for the employment of competent
mineralogist and chemist, who should be re.
ouired, Under the direction of the head OF the
hIreau IN eoliectE snecimeDS of the various