Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-12-10

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thcr purchases of the principal of the public debt
have been made to the extent of two millions
four hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred
and fortyseven dollars and forty-nine cents, (s2,-
5G,547,49,) and the surplus in the Treasury
will continue to be applied to that object, when
ever the Stock can be procured within the limits,
as to price, authorized by law.
The value of foreign merchandise imported
during the last fiscal year was two hundred and
seven millions two hundred and forty thousand
one hundred and one dollars, (S207, 1919
and the value of domestic productions exported
was one hundred and forty nine millions eight
hundred and sixty one thousand nine hundred
and eleven dollars, (SI49,S6l,91l) besides sew
entecn millions two hundred and four thousand
and twentysix dollars (Sl7, ,2O4 4,O26) of foreign,
merchandise exported; making the aggregate of
the entire exports one hundred and sixty-seven
millions sixty-fve thousand nine hundred and
thirty seven dollars, (l6s,O65,9 1879 exclusive of
the above there was exported forty-two millions
| five hundred and seven thousand and two hun
dred and eighty-fve dollars (s42, ,4o7,2S5) in
specie; and imported from foreign ports five mil
lions two hundred and sixty-two thousand six
hundred and forty-thrce dollars, ("5,262,64s.
In my first annual message to Congress cal
led your attention to what seemed to me some
defects in the present tariff and recommended
such notifications as in my judgement were best
adapted to remedy its evils and promote the
prosperity of the country. Nothing has since
occurred to change my views on this important
question.
Without repeating the arguments contained
! in my former message, in favor of discriminating
I protective Duties deem it my duty to call it
your attention to some considerations affecting
this subject The first is the effect of large i'm
portations of foreigns goods upon our currency.
Most of the gold from California, as fast as it is
coined, finds its way directly to Europe in pay
ment for goods purchased. In the second place
as our manufacturing establishments are broken
down by competition with foreigners, the capital
invested in them is lost, thousands of honest and
industrious citizens are thrown out of employ
mcnt, and the farmer to that extent is deprived
of home market for the sale of his produce
In the third place The destruction Of our manu-
f.cturcs leaves the forc gner without competition
in our market, and he consequently raises the
price of the article sent here for sale, as is now
seen in the increased cost of iron imported from
England. The prosperity and wealth of every
! avTerH1 'upoh It's productive Indus
try. The farmer is stimulated to exertion by
finding a ready market for his surplus products,
and benefited by being able to exchange them,
without loss Of time or expense Of transportation
for the manufactures which his comfort anil con-
venience requires. This is always done to the
best advantage where portion of the communi-
ty in which he lives is engaged in other pursuits
But most manufactures require an amount Of
capital and practical skill which cannot be COM
manded uulcss they be protected for time from
ruinous competition from abroad. Hence the
necessity of laying those duties upon imported
goods which the Constitution authorizes for rev.
enue, in such a manner as to protect and en-
courage the labor of our own citizens Duties
however should not be fixed at q rate so high as
to exclude the foreign article, but should be so
graduated as to enable the domestic manufactu-
rer fairly to compete with the foreigner in our
own own markets, and by this competition to
reduce the price of the manufactured article to
the consumer to the lowest rate at which it can
be produced. This policy would place the me-
chanic by the side Of the farmer, create mutual
interchange Of their respective commodities, and
thus stimulate the industry of the whole coun-
try and render us Independent of the foreign
nations for the supplies required by the habits or
necessities of the people.
Another question, wholly Independent Of pro-
lection, presents itself and that is whether the
duties levied should be upon the value of the ar
tice at The place of shipment or where it is prac-
ticaLle specific duty graduated according to
quantity as ascertaincd by weight or measure.-
All our duties are at present ad volarem. A GER
tain per ccntage is levied on the price of the
goods at the port of shipment in foreign coun-
try Most commercial nations have found it in
dspensablc, for the purpose Of preventing fraud
and perjury to make the duties specific whenev-
er the article is of such uniform value in weight
OF measure as to justify such a duty. Legsla-
ton should never encourage dishonesty or crime.
1t is impossible that the revenue officers at the
port where the goods are entered and the duties
paid should know with certainty what they cost
in a foreign country. Yet the law requires that
they should levy the duty according to such cost.
They arc therefore compelled to resort to We
ry unsatisfactory evidence to ascertain what that
cost was. They take the invoice of the impor-
ter, attested by his oath as the best evidence of
which the nature of the case admits. But every
one must see that the invoice may be fabricated,
and the oath by which it is supported false, by
reason of which the dishonest importer pays a
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