Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-07

county. Nothing has since occurred 10 change
my views On this important question.
Without repeating the Arguments contained IN
my former message, in favor of discriminating, pro-
ltecteetiye duties, Fleeni il mI duty o call your
6tiion to one or two otheHe
inR this subject The inst IL the effect ofslaTge
Iimpotiaiions Of foreign goods npon QUIZ currency.
BnSt of the gold Of CafoInil IS fast rs itsc oin-
ia. firids its way directly to Europe In payment
lfof goods pu9chaseds In the second place, asRouI
ma hi iaeIuEihs establishments are broken down
by competition with foreigners, the capital invested
in theui IS lost, Thousands ofhonest and industrou
citizens are 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 on 4mar-
ket, and he consequently raises the price oil the
article sent here for sale as Is seen IN the IN,
creased cost Of iron imported from England. The
prosperity and wealth of every nation must de-
pend upon its productive industry. The farmer is
stimulated TO exeni0n by finding 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 comlolt or convenience requires. This,
Is always doRe.to the best advantage Whele npor-
ton of the community in which he lives ID en-
gagged in other pursuits. But most manufactures
require an amount of capital and a practical skill
which cannot be commanded unless they be pro-
tected FOX time from Iilinous competition from
abroad. Hence ths necessity If laying those da-
ties upon imported goods which the CONSTITUTION
authorizes for revenue in such manner as 10 pro-
t.sct aud encourage The labor of our own citizens
Duties however should not be fixed at q, rnte so
high aS to exclude the foreign article, but should
be so graduated Us 10 enable the domestic manu-
acturer fairly TO compete with the In our
own markets, and by this competition % reduce
the price of the manufactured article to the consul
mer to the lowest atwLich it can be produced.
This policy would place the mechanic by the side
Of the farmer, create notwithstanding OF theu
dustIy Of the whole country, and render US indie
pendentof foreign nations for the supplies Tequi-
red 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
tce at the place of Shipment or, where it prac.i
tcable, specific duty, graduated according to
quantity, as ascertained by weight or measure
All our duties are at present ad yalorem. Gel
tain per centage IS levied the pnce oil the good
at the port of shipment in a foreign county,
Most commercial nations have found it indespensa-
BILE, for the purpose of preventing fraud and PERU
", 10 make the duties specific whenever the att
Gle Is of such uniform value in weight or measure
as to Justify such duty. Legislation should new
er 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 the foreign coun-
try. Yet the law requires that they should levy
the duty according to such cost They are there
fore compelled TO resort tOYery unsatisfactory evil
dence to ascertain what that cost was. They take
the invoice of the importer, ateSted by his OATH
as the best evidence of which the nature OF the
case admits, But every one must see that the in
voice may be fabricated, and the oath by which
it Is supported false, by reason CT which the dis
honest importer pays part only oil the duties
which are paid by the honest one, and then
indirectly receives from the treasury Of the Uni
ted States a reward for his fraud and perjury
The reports of the Secretary of the Treasury here
tofore made on this subject show conclusively that
these frauds have been practiced to great extent,
The tendency IS TO destroy that high moral charac-
ter foI which merchants have long been diStin-
guished; to deiraud the Government ofits revenue;
TO break down the honest importer by dishonest
competition; and, finally, to transfer the business
of importation TO foreign and irresponsible agents,
to the greatdetrnent of our own citizens. thele-
fore again most earnestly recommend the adoption
of specific duties, wherever tits practicablet or
home valuation, TO prevent these frauds.
would also again call yoar attention to the
fact that the present tariff in some cases imposes
higher duty upon the raw material imported than
upon the article manufactured from it, the cOnSe
quence of which is that the duty operates to the
encouragement of the forei5ner and the discour-
agement Of our own citizens.
For full and detailed information in regard to
the general condition Of our Indian Affairs, re-
spectfuy refer you to the report of the Secretary
of the Interior and the accompanying documents.
The Senate not having thought proper to ratify
the treaties which had been negotiated with the
tribes of Indians in California and Oregon, our re-
lations with them have been left in very unsatis-
factory condition.
In other parts OF our territory particular districts
of country have been set apart for the exclusive
occupation or the Indians, and their right to the
lands within those limits has been acknowledged
and respected. But in California and Oregon there
has been no recognition by the Government of the
exclusive right of the Indians to any part of the
country. They are therefore mere tenants at suf-
ferance, and liable 10 be driven from place place
at the pleasure of the whites.
The treaties which have been rejected proposed
toremedy this evil by alotng to the different tribes
districts of country suitable TO their habits Of life.
and sufficient for their support, This provision,
mole than any other, it is believed, led TO their
lection; and no substitute for it has been adopt
ed by Congress, it has not been deemed advisable
to attempt to enter into new treaties of perma-
uent character, although effort has been spared
by temporary arrangements to preserve fnendlyT re-
lations with them. .suL
II it be the desire of Congress to remove them
from the country altogether, or 10 assign to them
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
10 it. Justice alike to our own citizens and to the
Indians requires the prompt action of Congress on
thus subject.
The amendments proposed by the Senate, to the
treaties which were negotiated with the Sioux In
dams of Minnesota, have been submitted to the
tribes who were parties TO them, and have received
then assent A large tract of valuable territory
has thus been opened for settlement and cultivation
and all danger Of collision with these powerful
and warlike bands have been happily removed.
The removal of the remnant Of the tribe Of Se.
manole Indians from Florida has long been cher.
ished object Of the Government, and it is one TO
which my attention has been steadily Directed
Admonished by past experience of the difficulty
aud cost Of the attempt TO remove them by militia
ny force, resort has been had to concIltatory
sures. BY invitation of the Commissioner of In
yam Affairs several Of the principal chiefs recently
visited Washington. and whilst here acknowledge
ed in writing the obligation of their tribe 10 re-
move with the least possible delay. Late advicss
from the special agent of the Government repre-
sent that they adhere to their promise, and that
council of their people has been called 10 make
their preliminary arrangements. A general emf
grafton may therefore be confidently expected at
an early dav