The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-03
The History of the Protective SYSTEM

The History OF the Protective SYSTEM
In considering the magnitude of the struggle
successfully maintained by the American Colonies
against the mother country we are apt to dwell
solely on the hardshps endured, and the heroic
feats performed, by the soldiers But they were
not the only citizens who felt the burden Of the
war. The population in 1870 was $50 $780, du-
ring the war it may well be put at2, 0U0 geo. The
number of men who served during the war, for a
part OF the whole, was 231,971., The amount of
Continental money issued by the various States,
estimated at its specie palue, was $135, 1913, 703
During the war the outward pressure had kept the
States united but it was soon discovered that the
Articles Of Confederation were entirely insufficient
to maintain the Confederacy. The principal defect
was the want Of power in Congress to regulate
commerce by uniform system Of duties; each State
had its own tariff, and each adopted its own mode
of raising its quota of the annual tax recommended
by Congress. There was national character in
the Government created by the Articles and the
defect most plainly felt in the foreign relltions
of the States. The immense debt contracted du-
ring the war was dead weight. There was no
national credit, for the Government possessed no
means of enforcing its acquisitions, and conse-
quenty capitalists refused to buy our Continental LA
bilites Each State had its own tariff, and adopted
such measures for the protection Of manufactures
as it saw fit At length, after few years exper-
iment, convention was called which framed the
present Constitution. The right to levy and col
ect taxes, mposts and excuses" is one of the direct
grants of power given in express terms. And the
debates show that the protection Of manufactures
was one of the objects to be effected by the exer-
- g a.. I. La,
to the Legislature of Maryland, makes this one of
his objections to the Constitution. He says
"By the power to levy and collect imposts they
may impose duties on any or every article of COM
merce, imported into these States, to what amount
they please
Congress assembled on March 4th, 1889, and on
April sth, Mr.. Madison introduced resolution
recognizing the necessity of levying certain defined
duties on articles imported into the United States.
Some of the duties were specific, others on the
valuation of the articles at the place of importation
Mr.. Ftzimmons, of Pennsylvania, wished to
increase the list of taxable articles "as
age the productions of our country, and protect
our infant manufactures" Mr.. Madison said, that
however disposed the Committee might be, to pro-
mote domestic manufactures, some regard ought
to be paid to the present policy of raising revenue
If the Committee should delay levying and collect
ing an impost, until system of protective duties
shall be perfected, there would be no importations
OF any consequence, on which the law could oper-
ate. Though he was in favor of free trade as
general principle, he admitted the proprety of pro-
tecting important manufactures. Mr.. Hartley, of
Pennsylvania, was for protecting and promoting
domestic manufactures" Petitions were pre-
sented from Baltimore New York, Philadelphia
and Boston asking protection. The first Congress
which mot u,dar Tho ne,, C,ons,t,.;o, ,,.o,a,ao5
immediately IN enact "Ap ar, for tho pr,,oc,;on
If American M,nrf.o,,,rss,
The memorial from Raltimors was nrsssntsd On
April II. 1880 "Tbev confidently hone Thar tho
oro,ect;on and encourag sment of Amer;c,n ,n,n,,-
facture. will claim the e,rl;es, attention T., AN
oniversallv aclnoyledoad truth thai ,bs ITn;,ed
st,,es contain ,,,;tbir tho;, l;,ni,s
,rt1ic;ent n en,hle ,bou, 10 haoo,no r,o., 80,
f,ctur;n, country and on,,, ,ha
.,..,sf 1881 a.,...:. r,.-.D IN, :
hs.r;,, ,,,,t;o,, was o.Js n f.ro, If -,
,,,,;.,,I.. 81. -. :..-r-, :.l
,ecess,rv ~ orr ro,n,,f,c,,res Il r,,o s;ur,,
A. ~ ,hsor,,o Tho, ,ho cad.r,I;s,s ,f ,L,,
,nnosea 70 all res,r;ctons on conoworoa E;sbar
Ames WAS the leader in onDosit;on r. b;ab d,sos
He opposed the dutv Of three cents for the nrotec
ion Of American cotton. He onnosed tho dut, an
.,..,.. :. ;r,a-ea-;,a II r. r. nv Ivy VII
~ N Vi
um, ana IN some degree lessenlng the West India
market Tor sailed fish. MIR. Madison moved for
'ight cents gallon on all beer imported. He
loped this would be such an encouragement, as to
induce the manufacture to take deep root ig every
State OF the Unlon." Many OF the articles under
vent severe discussion, but not word was uttered
'aing IN ques'ioh the constitutional power OF Con
sfess 10 project manufactures Many OF the MEM
GERS Oh .he Convention were members OF this Con-
s'eS'' H, "aaiSon was one Oh the leading mem
'efs oi oo'h ooaies' lie was opposed to the prln-
P'e Vi pio'eoton' DIS question Oh poiitica econo-
my ou' Tue fight OF congress 10 pass laws Tor
not PuIPose' was hot uehieo ny MN.
IN 100 'ne secretary Oh 'he treasury, MIR.
'iaiii'oh' recommended ohahge from ad vaiorem
~ sPeoih' uuues' III l'9o' ne presented his cele-
oia'ea III a'of OIL encouraging and protecting
manufactures. lac argues Out the suolect purely
10 0,ie y. 'Apeuiehoy' anu say NOT WoFo IN re-
s''u ~ 40 o'r''i'u.ioi'an'y. Inc american ota'e
'io'i Tins " ''ie the reports oil COM
on 'Ae,iofais' e''her recommending or OBJ
ec"hg 10 adai'ional protection on particular arti-
''es' NUS IN looS' the committee report Ii
'avor Oh aoih''ung rags duty free, but against al
ai; nT au.y on paper. -, ,u.
eii ,,,, neace. in 1916. The
.. unerated as a prohibition of many articles
Of the first importance, and the people had suffered
from the privation of many of the ordinary comforts
of life. Prices had risen enormously. This un.
natural, but temporary encouragement, had warmed
into existence a large number of manufacturing
establishments; with the return of peace and the
renewal of commercial transactions the country