Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-12-16

remedy It's evils and promote the pros
perlty of the country. Nothing has since
occurred to change my views on this inn
portant question,
Without repeating the arguments con-
tanned in my former Message, in favor of
discriminating, protective duties, deem it
my duty to call your attention to one or
two other considerations affecting this
subject. The first is, the effect of large
importations of foreign goods upon our
currency. Most of the gold of California,
as fast as it is coined, finds its way d.
rectly to Europe in payment 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 employment, and the far
mer to that extent is derived Of q homo
market for the sale of his surplus produce
In the third place, the destruction of our
manufactures leaves the foreigner without
competition IN our market, and he conse-
quently raises the price of the article sent
here for sale, as is now seen in the ineeras-
I edcost Of iron imported from England.
The prosperity and wealth of every ma
ton must depend upon Its productive in
dustry. The former is stimulated to ex-
ertion by finding a ready market for his
surplus products and benefited by being
able to exchange them, without loss Of
time and expense Of Transportation, for
hn onf,
convenience requires This is always.
done to the best advantage where q por-
ton of the community in which he lives
is engaged i'll other pursuits. But most
manufactures require an amount OF capi-
tai and a practical skill which cannot be
commanded, unless they be protected for
a time from ruinous competition from
abroad. Hence the necessity of laying
those duties upon imported goods which
the Constitution authorizes for revenue,
In such manner as TO protect and en-
courage the labor Of our own citizens
Duties however should not be fixed at a
rate so high as to exclude the foreign ar
tiele, but should be so graduated as to
enable the domestic manufacturer fairly
to compete with the foreigner in our own
markets, and by this competition to re-
duce the price of the manufactured arti-
Gle to the consumer to the lowest rate at
which It can be produced. This policy
would place the mechanic 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 foregn
nations for the supplies required by the
habits or necessities Of the people.
Another question, wholly independent
Of protection, presents itself, and that is,
whether the duties levied should be upon
the value Of the article at the place of
shipment, or, where it is practicable, q
specific duty, graduated according to
quantity, as ascertained by weight or
measure. Al our duties are at present
I oo,taloreas. A certain per centage is
levied on the price of the goods at the
port of shipment in foreign country
Most commercial nations have found it
indispensable, for the purpose Of prevent
ing fraud and perjury, TO make the duties
specific whenever the article is of such
uniform value in weight or measure as to
Justify such a duty. Legislation 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 GER
tainty what they cost in the foreign coun-
try Yet the law requires that theyshould
levy the duty according to such cost
They are therefore compelled to resort to
very unsatisfactory evidence to ascertain
what that cost was. They take the in
voice of the importer, attested by ms oath
az 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, bv reason of which the dishonest
importer pays part only ofthe duties
which are paid by the honest one, aud
thus indirectly receives from the Treasu-
ry of the United States reward for his
fraud and perjury. The Reports of the
Secretary ofthe Treasury heretofore made
on this subject show conelusiyely that
these frauds have been practiced to a
great extent. The tendency is to destroy
that high moral character for which our
merchants have long been distinguished;
to defraud the Government of its revenue;
to break down the honest importer by
a dishonest competition; and, finally, to
transfer the business of Importation to
foreign and irresponsible agents, to the
great detriment of our own citizens. |
therefore again mostearnestly recommend
the adoption of specific duties, wherever
it is practicable, or home valuation,
to prevent these frauds.
| would also again call your attention
to the fact that the present tariff in some
cases imposes higher duty upon the raw
material imported than upon the article
= -