The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-29

ReDOrt Of the secretary u inc sreaeuky.
The repor, OF the Secretary Of the Treasury is doc
omspt Of great value II sets forth the financial cond
lion Of the government in plain clear manner. and
sboauds with useful suggestions and sound views Il
rarely has happened that Secretary OF The Treasury has
made report equal in all respects TO that IN which Mr.
Guthrie has given the FIRST evidence OF his skill az
6panceT to the whole nat on. and on comprehensive
scale He has been called man, and sneeIed al as
a aeVos homo BY whgs, Ia pretty much the same
spirit Us the Roman astocfals were used 10 sheer al all
aprsnts TO public honos who were not OF .heir class
bat no one can read his first report without being con
vncsd that though he has not been much in public lie
he must have paid much attention TO public affairs. bis
with them being thorough, minute. aud &C
eurse TIE chief OF the Treasury Department has no
light or easy place. aud the man who proves himself
eoua 10 the discharge Of all its duties must be one OF no
common order Its but the justice to Mr. Gu,h
RE 10 say that he has in most respects answered the re-
auiremenis OF the country and that he powerfully urges
ina, mode OF legislation which is best calculated to re-
move all shacklss from commerce. and complete
yaxE TRADE TO fnally become the law Of the world
The two recommendations of the Secretary for the
decrease Of the revenuenamey large reduction OF the
tariff and the payment OF The public debt TO the amount
Of fifteen millions OF dollars, which would render the
entire payments that account but little short OF
,weny.eixht millions since the commencement OF Pres
,dent plece's administration, almost thirteen riions
having already been paid-are such as all friends OF
sound political economy warmly approve Mr.
Guthrie Is for having the free lst OF mportaons greatly
increased and recommends thai, with some exceptions.
the rsle OF duties shoui be fixed at Is per cent The
Id psoYt principle he does not propose to change bu,
he says for the consideration Of Congress whether
q specific duty iron. made from the average OF the
las, three or tour years. ad vslorsm duties might not
give greater stability The iron business, and be more
satisfactory consumers, and al The same me prove
.ouallv beneficial 10 the revenue" This is one OF
the very few things in Mr. Guthre's report that we
An No, like. We see no reason whatever for placing
iron on any protective ground than can be plaus-
;bv assumed for twenty other articles Of the frsmpor
ance bu we can see many why such an article
should be put on the free list, which is the only proper
place for it. il we are carry the enlarged and beneyo
lent views OF the Secretary OF the Treasury that to be
found 10 his report Iron the article OF prime necessity in
the great process OF civilizations and in the most ordinary
aas OF existence 1t is not possible to conceive OF any
advances being made by without knowledge OF il.
In peace and in war, by and by land in commerce.
in agriculture and in manufactures, it is alike ndis
pensable From the cradle Of the child TO the coffin OF
the octogenarian its everywhere apparent. II
free trade be the civlizing medium that told
and we doubt in the least of its being so-why should
not The greatest of the material agents OF civilization
have the benefits that arise from the prevalence of free
trade sentiments If we TO have exceptions made in
behalf OF any interest," the fon interest is precisely the
last one that should be made the recipient of public "a
vor for such favor cannot be shown TO it whou,
or less injustice being done 10 all the rest OF the people,
10 rich and poor to business and to the wants OF daily
life 10 the merchant who builds and sails ships and
the farmer who cuvates the SOIL to the manufacturer
and the mechanic the ar,ist and the laborer In
the days when there general scramble for The ben
efts (ss they caed of 'protection," il well
enough to allow the members of the "iron interest," TO
cheat and swindie members OF other interests as the
former were in their cheated and swndle by the
latter but that the principles of free trade are
recognised there should be fsvot,sm shown 10 one
class OF the people the expense OF the rest OF the ei
gems.
The recommendation TO pay OF much OF the public
debt as possible that the sound Of the coun-
try will thank Mr.. Guthrie for making The time has
gone by when any influential portion OF the community
consider "a national debt national blessing" though
the time when the doctrine mbodied in the ssn.
ment not altogether without a certain degree OF
truth The early debt OF the Union brought to the sup
port Of the then form OF government class Of mer
cenaries whose power and influence were great and
whose aid could have been obtained in no other way
than through appeals to their meanest interests These
men owned large amounts OF the government stocks
which they had obtained ia ways corresponding 10 their
actions in other respects Other men VINO owned similar
Stocks but who had obtained them in fair ways and who
were among the bes, members Of the community also
felt natural neres, in the we'll being of an experiment
with the of which their prosperity was den.
tiled. Men Of properly everywhere were more or lees ia.
teresed in the OF government which could not
have tailed without giving shock all the modes OF prop
erty These powerful Of support to the new
government. sixty years slnce and had able to do
with establishment OF that government, the pockets
oil the people well in their hearts Blu, things nave
loo strong, respects. fear because the ten.
dency cenalization and therefore to ultimate de-
struction, though 1t to endure tor many genera
tons under any circumstances. national debt therefore
ought 10 be got nd Of earliest possible day. and even
n pecunary sacrifice should become necessary
10 make it surplus is nuisance, and ought to be
promptly abaed We shall never want for money, for
the pockets Of all the bankers in Chsendom lew
ISL Chrsans and Christian Jews-wiIl ever be q, the
command of government and country ike ours
whenever we shall take ii into heads to "rssnnexs
eowe nation or fight for our rrkts or consirnct N d.