Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1852-12-11

within ihe limi,ssas 20 pt authorized BY
law. ,s !, asF as =
1 The value Of foreign merchandise i'm
lported during the las, 6sca| year was two
4 hundred and seven millionS iwo hundred ant
forty thousand one hundred &nd one dollars
and The value of domestic productions ,ex.
ported was one hundred and lony.nine mil.
lions eigh. hundred and sixiS,one thousand
nine hundred and eleven 1elIars, besides
seventeen millions Two hdnited and lsu,
shoasand and swensy.six dollars Of foreign
merchandise exported; uakibg the aggregate
lofthesenlire exports nne hu and sixty.
seven millions sixty.fve thousand nine hun.
dred and thirty seven dollafs; exclusive Of
The above there was exporiel foriy.two mil.
lions FIVE hundred and seye. thousand ,wo
hundred and seighiy-fye dollars 10 specie;
and imported from foreign poris FIVE millions
Two hundred and sixty.two thousand six
hundred fony.three dollars. 4 . '2o' r 9ss
In my first annual message 10 Congress |
called your attention TO whit seemed 10 me
some defects, in the present tariff, and re-
commended such notifications as in my
judgment were best adapted toremedy lis
evil and promote the prosperity ofthe coun.
trys Nothing has since occurred 10 change
my views on This simporianiqu saiab I
Without repeating The arguments coniain-
ed in my former message, in favor Of dis.
eliminating, protective duties, deem |. my
duty 10 call your attention to one or TWO
other considerations affecting this subject
The first s,-she effect Of large impor,a,ions
Of foreigngeods upon Eour currency. Most
Of the gold Of California as fast as /, is
coined, finds its way directly 70 Europe in
payment for goods purchased. In the sec.
ond place,,as our manufacturing establish.
mems 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 farmer 10 that extent is deprived Of a
home marketfor the sale Of his surplus pro.
duce. In The third place, the destruction Of
our manufactures leaves The foreigner with :
out competition in our market, AMI he con.
sequently raises the price Of the article senl
here for sale, as Is now seen in the increased
cost of iron imported from England. ,is7a ed
The, prosperity and wealth of every na.
lion must depend upon i,s productive indus
Try. The farmer is stimulated 10 exer,ion,
by finding ready market for his surplus
products, and benefiued by being able 10 ex.
change them, without loss Of time, or ex.i
pense Of transportation, for the manufac.
lures. which his comfort and convenience re.
Yuites< Tit. 20 -siwuy ys dvse 10 The hest nd.
van'age, where q portion 81 the commumty
in which he lives is engaged in other pur.
suits. But most manufactures require an
amount Of capital and practical skill which
cannot be commanded, unless they be pro.
lected for time from ruinous competition
from abroad. Hence the necessity of lay.
ing those duties upon imported goods which
the Constitution authorizes for revenue, in
such a manner as 10 project and encourage
The labor Of our own citizens. Duties how.
ever should not be fixed at rates 50 bigh as
10 exclude the foreign article. but be so
graduated as TO enable the domestic manu-.
iacsurer fairly to compete with ihe foreigner
in our markets, and by Ibis competition to
reduce the price Of the manufactured article
10 the consumer 10 the lowest ra.e at which
it can be produced. This policy would
place the mechanic by the side Of The farm.
er, create a mutual interchange of their re-
spective commodities, and thus stimulate the
industry ofihs whole country, and render us
independent Of foreign nations for the sup.
plies required by the habits CT necessities Of
the people. 5s l
Another question, wholly Independent of
protection, presents itself, and thai is, wheih.
or the duties levied should be upon the value
Of the articles at ihe place Of shipment, or,
where il is pracIicable, a specific duty grad.
uated according 10 the quantity, as ascer.
tained by weight or measure. All our du-
Ties are OF present ad valorem. A cerlain
per centage is levied on HE price Of the
goods at the place Of shipment in foreign
country. Most commercial nations have
found indispensable; for the purpose ol
preventing fraud and perjury, to make the
duties specific whenever The article is ol
such uniform value in weight OF measure as
10 justify such a du,y. Legislation should
never encourage dishonesty or crime: Gltis
WlPOoSipiO tuue AuG AoNCuuC OnhCoIo " tut
porl where the goods are entered apd the
duties paid, should show with certainty whal
they cost ID the foreign country. "a
i TeI the iHw requifes iIiat they should lew
the duty according 20 such cost. They are
therefore compelled 10 resort 10 every un.
satisfactory evidence 10 ascertain what thai
cosl was. They take the invoice Of the i'm.
porter, attested with his oath, as the best ev.
idence of which the nature Of the case i'd
mils, Blu, every one must see that The in,
voice may be fabricated, and The oalhs BY
which il is supported ia. SCI, by reason o.
which the dishonest importer pays par
only Of the dulies which are paid by III,
honest one, and thus inditectly receive,
from The treasury of the Uniled States q re
ward for his fraud and perjury, The re
ports Of the Secretary Of the Treasury here
tofore+ made on this subject, show conclu
sively that these frauds have bsen practice,
TO greet extent. The tendency is TO de
J stroy thai high moral character for which
eur merchants have long been distinguished
! TO defraud ,he Government Of lis revenues
! 70 break down the honesI importer BY dis
} honest competition; and, finally, 10 transfe
J the business Of importation 70 foreign an
{ irresponsible agents, 10, the great deMimar
/, Of our own cilizens. 4 therefore again .mos
/. earnestly recommend The adoption Of specl
. fic duties, wherever Il Is prac,icnble, Or