Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-01-27
Mr.. COrWin'S Report.

Mr.. COrwin's Report.
We submit the following article 10 our
readers, and ask their special attention.
1t is short-but shows chow plain taii'' is
sufficient TO put the blush upon the repua.
ted great when they weave the tangled web
of sophistry and deception:
TREASURY REPoRT.-We were curious
10 see what sort of report on the finances
would be presented by our new Secretary
of the Treasury. We were but surprised
when lawyer Meridilh consulted the feder-
al and Whig authorities for lhe last sixty
years; but we are much more to see Tom
Corwin, the wagon boy, following in the
same beaten track We did not suppose
that self made man rising to the head Of
the Treasury, could possibly follow in the
path strewed with exploded fallocies. We
thought every school boy would have un-
dersteod by this time, the absurd theory Of
the proteciionists about the Balance Of
trade-as if nation could be ruined by its
annual profits on its foreign commerce,and
by bringing that amour, home in addition
10 the cost Of its exports. All trade, inter-
nal aud external, is liable to occasional ex-
cess; but The higher the duties, the more
frequent and violent are such vicissitudes.
Mr.. Corwin's opinion to the contrary not
withstanding. That we may anticipate n
period of overirading ere long is probable !;
it will not arise, from the extraordinary
operations in California. He desires, TO
creote home market NOT by an addition
to our population in place Of those we feed
in Europe, but by turning some Of our
farmers into manafactures-our ploughs
in:o spindles. He also thinks it very un-
profitable to sell any af our raw cotton a.
broad and proposes that the youngest OF
nations shall supply the world with cotton
manufactures. To increase our revenue
some eight millions, lie recommends substi.
tuting specific and square yard prohibit
tions in disguise for moderate revenue du-
ties. This square yard minimum contri-
vance, which eompels the poor man 10 pay
three or four hundred per cent. on the
cheapest eottons, while the rich pay only
thirty on the finest, was a faverite and
original project Of Mr.. Calhoun in 1646.
Our revenue is immense, yet Mr.. Cor
win is alarmed at the numerous frauds on
the revenue, especially in the invoices of
figs and raisinsl We have our appraisers,
invested with the arbitrary power to raise
invoices as much as they please and yet
this is not security enough, we must have
home valuation-that is. different duty
at every port in the United States from the
eastern boundary of Maine TO the RE
Grande and California, on the same com.
modify, according 10 the different market
tion Of the United States. He wants be.
sides "a corps of appraisers at large"
whether a regiment or brigade he does not
say, ''to visit our principal ports from tirae
to time," and he might have added, super
intend our elections and take care of the
Whig ticket. MFR. Corwin is an apt schol.
ar and bold one-he sees breakers ahead
and he advises Congress to take prompt
measures to avoid them. He anticipates
an alarming increase of i,nporta;ions in
the current fiscal year, which he thinks
should be checked by law--he says it is the
duty of Congress $50 to regulate imports
as to confne the importations into this
country TO an amount about equal to such
exports of our own as can find market
at remunerative prices abroad" We won.
der tha: Mr.. Secretary 'Corwin did not fur
nish Congress with copy of his compre-
hensive and formidable ledger, embracing
the transactions or our commerce through.
out the globe. We know of but three
measures which Congress could adopt to
check importations-un embargo, non
importation act, or one to drive all the
miners out of California. We confess we
are disappointed in Mr.. Corwin. We had
that man springing from the
million, with talents above mediocrity,
would have recommended policy broad,
comprehensive, liberal, just and humane
designed to better the condition of ALL
We are sorry to see his elaborate report
devoted exclusively to the Cotton Lords Of
the East, the Iron Princes of the middle
States, and the Sugar Barons of the South.
Suffolk Democrat.