The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-12-10

=
y dnts. gsls.OO7. .ess SO;) Of which nine mil
ions four hundred and flfty-6ve thousand eighs
hutdfed and fifteen dollars and eighty three
cepts re- A55, ,el5 49, was on account OF the
principal and interest Of the public debt, inclu-
ding the last installment Of the indemnity 70
Mexico, under the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidal'
dred and thirty two thousand, one hundred and
thirty six dollars and thirty seven cents in the
treasury on the first day Of July last. Since
this latter period further purchases Of the prin-
cipal Of the public debt have been made to the
extent of two millions four hundred and fifty
six thousand five hundred and forty-seven dol
lars and forty mine cents ($2 456 547 ,49) and the
surplus in the Treasury will continue to be ap-
piled to that object, whenever the stock can be
procured within the limits, as to price, authoriz-
ed by law.
The value Of foreign merchandise imported
during the last fiscal year, was two hundred
and seven millions two hundred and forty thou
sand one hundred and one dollars, ($207 ,240,-
lOl) and the value Of domestic productions ex.
ported was one hundred and forty mine millions
eight hundred and sixty -one thousand nine hun
dred and eleven dollars, ($l49 66l ,9l1 besides
seventeen millions two hundred and four thou
sand and twenty-six dollars ($l7 ,2O4,O26) of
foreign merchandise exported; making the ag..
gregate Of the entire exports one hundred and
sixty seven millions sixty-fve thousand nine
hundred and thirty-seven dollars, ($l67, ,065,.
937D exclusive of the above there was exported
forty-two millions five hundred and seven thou
sand two hundred and eighty-five dollars ($42,-
so. .265, } in specie; and imported from foreign
ports five millions two hundred and sixty-two
thousand six hundred and forty-three dollars.)
In my first annual message to Congress,
called your attention to what seemed to me some
defects in the present tariff and recommended
such notifications as in my judgment were best
adapted to remedy It's 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 discrimina-
ting protective duties, deem it my duty to
call your attention to one or two other consider
ations, affecting this subject. The first is, the
effect Of large importations Of foreign goods up
on our currency Most Of the gold Of Califor-
MIA, as fast as it is coined, finds Its way direct
ly to Europe, in payment for goods purchased.
In the second place, as our manufacturing es-
Establishments are broken down, by competition
with foreigners, the capital invested In them is
lost, thousands of honest and industrious citi-
zeus are thrown out Of employment, and the
farmer to that extent is deprived Of a home
market for the sale Of his surplus produce: In
the third place, the destruction OF our manu-.
factures leaves the foreigner without competi.
tion in our market, and he consequently raises
on 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
nation must depend upon its productive indus
try. The farmer Is stimulated to exertion by
finding ready market for his surplus products
and benefited by being able to exchange them
without loss of time or expense of transporta
tion for the manufactures which his comfort OF
convenience requires. This is always done to
the best advantage where eacommunity in which
he lives is engaged in other pursuits.
| But most manufacturers require an amount oi
capital and practical skill hich cannot be
commanded, unless they be protected for time
| from ruinous competition from abroad Hence
the necessity of laying those duties upon impor
ted goods, which the Constitution authorizes
for revenue, in such manner as to protect anC
encourage the labor of our citizens. Duties
however, should not be fixed alta rate so high al
to exclude the foreign article, but should be Sc
graduated as to enable the domestic manufac
turer fairly to compete with the foreigner in oul
own markets, and by this competition TO re
duce the price of the manufactured article to th'
consumer to the lowest rate at which it can b
produced This policy would place the me
chanic by the side Of the farmer, create mu
tual interchange Of their respective commodi
ties, and thus stimulate the industry Of thu
whole country, and render us independent Of
foreign nations for the supplies required by th'
habits or necessities Of the people.
Another question, wholly independent Of pro
| +oo.;o,, ,olf aud chat tl
duties levied should be upon the value of tn,
article at the place OF shipment, or where it i.
practicable, a specific duty, graduated accord
ing to quantity, as ascertained by weight OF
measure.
All our duties are at present AD vALoREM eertai,
per centage is levied on the price ,of the goods a
the port of shipment in foreign country. Mos
commercial nations have found it Indispensable
for the purpose Of preventing fraud and perjury
to make the duties specific whenever the article i
of such uniform value in weight or measure q
to justify such duty. Legislation should neve
encourage dishonesty or crime. 1t is impossible
that the revenue officers at the port where the good
are entered and the duties paid shonld know witt
certainty what they cost in the foreign country
Yet the law requires that they should levy the dut,
according to such cost. They arc therefore com
PEELED to resort to very unsatisfactory evidence
ascertain what that cost was. They take the in
voice of the importer, attested by his oath, as tn
best evidence Of which the nature Of the case ad
mits. But every one must see that the invoic
may be fabricated, and the oath by which it i
supported false, by reason Of which the dishones
importer pays apart only Of the duties which ar
paid by the honest one and thus indirectly receive
| from the treasury of the United States rewar,
for his fraud and perjury The reports Of the Sc
cretary Of the Treasury heretofore made on thi
sub ,ect show conclusiyely that these frauds hav
been practiced to great extent. The tendency
to destroy that high moral character for which ou
merchants have long been distinguished to de
fraud the Government Of its revenue to brea
down the honest importer by dishonest competi
ton; and finally, to transfer the business Of i'm
portation to foreign and irresponsible agents,
the great detriment Of our own citizens. there
fore again most earnestly recommend the adoptio
of specific duties, wherever 1t is practicable, or
home valuation, to prevent these frauds. 81
Iwould also again call your attention TO the fax
that the present tariff in some cases imposes high
or dutyupon the raw material imported, than uI
on the article manufactured from it, the const
quence of which is that the duty operates TO IL
encouragement Of the foreigner and the discoui
agement of our own citizens.
For full and detailed information in regard
the general condition Of our Indian affairs, n
spectfully refer youto the report Of the Seeretal
OF the Interior and the accompanying document
The Senate not having though proper to rati
, the treaties which had been negotiated with Il
tribes of Indians in California and Oregon, Of
relations with them have been left In very VI
2 satisfactory condition. s..,.,g
In other parts Of our territory particular dis
riots of country have been set apart for the excl
sive occupation Of the Indians, and their rights
the land within those limits have been acknow
edged and respected. But in California ar
: Oregon there has been no recognition by the Co
!. eminent of the exclusive right Of the Indians