Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-12-10


loupe Hdalgo, leaving balance of sI4, 632, 1885,
81 in the Treasury on the st day of July last
Since this latter period, further purchases of the
principal of the public debt. to the extent Of ST.,
456, SAT 40, have been made, and the surplus in
the Treasury will continue to be applied TO that
object whenever the stock can be purchased with
i'll the limits as to price, authorized by law
The value of imported merchandise imported
during the last fiscal year was S207 ,240, oil, and
the value of domestic productions exported was
Sl49, SCI 9ll, besides SIT 2O4 026 of foreign mer-
chandize exported making the aggregate of the
entire exports Sl67 O65 937 exclusive of the above
there was exported S42, 5O7 ,2s5 in specie and i'm
ported from foreign ports S., 262,643.
In my first annual message TO Congress, call
ed your attention to what seemed TO me 10 be
some defects in the present tariff, and recOmmen-
ded such notifications as in nv iudgemedt were
best adapted TO remedy its evils, and promote the
prosperity of the country, Nothing has sincesoc-
CURED to change my views on this important ques-
I ton,
Without repeating the arguments contained in
my former message, in favor of discriminating
protective duties, deem it my duty to call your
attention to two other considerations affec-
ting hissubject. The first is the effect of large
importations of foreign goods upon currency.
Most of the gold of California as fast as it is coin
ed finds its way directly to Europe in payment
for goods purchased. In the second place as our
manufacturing establishments broken down
DIV COmpetltlOn Win foreigners, tue capital lnycS-
tep is lost, thousands of honest and industrious
citizens thrown out of employment, and the
farmer, to that extent, is deprived of home mar
ket for the sale of his surplus produce. In the
third place, the destruction of our manufactures
leaves the foreigner without competition in one
market and he consequently raises the price of the
article sent here for SALE is now seen in the in
creased cost of iron imported from England.
The prosperity and wealth of every nation must
dona,od NM ire r,roduntiya industry Tho for
mer 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 manufactures,
which his comfort or convenience requires. This
is always done to the best advantage where por-
ton of the community in which he lives Is engage
ed in other pursuits but most manufactures re-
quire an amount of capital, and practical skill
which cannot be commanded unless they be pro-
tected for a time from ruinous competition from
abroad Hence the necessity of laying those du-
ties on imported goods, which the Constitution
authorizes for such revenue in such a manner
as 10 protect and encourage the labor of our citi
zens. Duties however should not be fixed at
rate so high to exclude the foreign article, but
should be so graduated as to enable the foreign
manufacturer fairly to compete with the dome site
in our own market, and by this competition to re-
duce the price of the manufactured article, to the
lowest rate at which it can fairly be reduced This
policy VIII place DV inc sue OF the
farmer and create a mutual interchange of their
respective commodities, and thus stimulate the
industry of the whole country, and render us in
dependent of foreign nations for supplies required
by the habits or necessities of the people.
Another question, wholly independent of pro.
lection presents ITSELF and that is whether the du
ties levied should be upon the value of the article
at the place of shipment, or where it is practicable
| a specific duty, graduated according 10 its guam
tity as assertancd by weight or measure. All OF
our duties at present ad rdlore1n or a certain
percentage is levied on the price of goods at the
port of shipment in foreign country. Most com
mercia nations have found it indispensable, for the
purpose of preventing fraud or perjury, TO make
the duties specific whenever the article is of such
a uniform value in weight or measure as to justify
such duty.
| Legislation should never encourage dishonesty
or crime. 1t is impossible that the revenue off
GERS at the port where the goods are entered and
the duties paid should know with certainty what
they cost in foreign country. Yet the law re-
quires that they shonld levy the duties according
to such cost They are therefore compelled to resort
to very unsatisfactory evidences to ascertain what
that cost was. They take the invoice of the i'm
porter attested by his OATH the best evidence of
which 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 part only of the du-
directly receives from the Treasury of the United
States a reward for his fraud and perjury.
The reports of the Secretary of the Treasury
heretofore made on this subject shows concIusvcly
that these frauds have been practised to a great
extent The tendency is to destroy that high
moral character which our merchants have long
been distinguished, to defraud the government of
its revenues, TO break down the honest importer
by dishonest competition, and finally to transfer
the business of importation to foreign and TRES
ponsibc agents, to the great detrment of our own
citizens.
! therefore again most earnestly recommend
the adoption of specific duties wherever it is prac-
ticable, home valuation to prevent these frauds
would also again call your ate ntion to the fact
that the present tariff, in some cases, imposes
higher duty on the material imported than
upon the manufactured article, the consequence of
which is that the duty operates to the encourage
ment of the foreigner, and to the dscouragcment
of our own citizens.
For full and detailed information in regard to
the general condition of our Indian affairs | re-
speCtfuly refer you to the report of the Secretary
of the Interior and the accompanying documents
| The Senate not having thought proper to ratfv
the treaties which had been negotiated with the
tribes of Indians, in California and Oregon our
relations with them have been left in very unsat-
sfactory condition. In other parts of our terrific
nv, particular districts of country have been set
| apart tor the exclusive occupation OF Indians and
their right TO the land within those limits has been
acknowledged and respected, but in California and
Oregan, there has been no recognition by the Gov
crnment of the exclusive right Of the Indlands to
any part of the country.
They are therefore mere tenants at suffrance
and liable to be driven from place to place at the
pleasure af the whites. The treaties which have
been rejected, proposed to remedy this evil by al
oting to the different tribes districts of country
suitable to their habits offe and sufficient for sup
port. This provision more than any other it is be-
icved, led to their rejection and as no substitute
has been adopted for it by Congress, it has not
been deemed advisable to attempt to enter into
new treaties of permanent character, altho' no
efforts have been spared by temporary arrange
ments to preserve friendly relation with them
/ If it be the desire OF Congress to remove them
from the country altogether; or to assign to them
particular districts more remo;e from the settle
ments of the whites, it will be proper to set apart
by law the territory which they are TO occupy
and to provide the means necessary for removing
them. Justice alike to our own citizens and to
the Indians requires the prompt action of Con-
gress on this subject.
The amendments proposed by the Senate to
the treaties which were negotiated with the ST.