The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-03-01


have indicated us desirable. The small
est amout of money would be taken from
the people directly by Government: the
indirect tax TO the manufacturers would
be as small as possible. The burdens Of
taxation would fall as equally us possible
on all classes anl sections. As little in
reference rs possible would be had with
the industry Of the country. And it would
be strictly constitutional. invite scruti.
ny to my recommendations, and conf
IDENTIFY challenge the ablest financcrs in
this House to suggest tariff system
which will he more responsive to the great
principles of taxation have submitted to
you.
The difficulty from n revenue tariff is
not that we will have too little revenue,
but too much. AS an evidence OF this,
| would refer to the results of the present
tariE. Messrs. Webster, Evans, Winthrop
and Others, insisted that the tariff Of lS49
would not furnish sufficient revenue
They estimated the receipts frsm twenty
two to twenty-six millions, and yet in ls-
SO the receipts from this riff were $751;
93l ,S05 So, nearly three times times more
than the smallest estimate. have no
doubt that If we abandon the protective
policy, any reduction of the duties, which
it may be found practicable to make at
time, will bc followed in less than ten
years by another surplus in the Treasury;
for the resources of tho country are in an
extraordinary state of development. Our
commerce on one of our oceans, the Pa
citic, is yet in its infancy, excluded as it is
from the Eastern Archipelago 10y the Gu
pidity of the Dutch, and from Japan by
fierce conservatism. When it bursts these
barriers, and glitters with the treasures of
the gorgeous East, the most sanguine will
be astoundcd.
To prevent these future surplus accu.
mutations, would authorize the Secretary
Of the Treasury to reduce the duties a
regular per centage every SIX months, az
ter surplus began to accumulate, until
the receipts only equalled tho wants Of
Government. 1t may be objected that
this is dangerous power to an Executive
officer; but do not apprehend the pco-
pie can ever be seriously injured by a re-
duction of taxation.
From such tariff as have rccommcn-
ded the material advantages would be in
calculable. We would approximate rs
near as possible to free trade-thc great
privilege of selling where you can sell
dearest, and buying where you can cheap
eSt-the richest boon which, under a good
Government, can be extended to the in.
dustry, of any country. Agriculture and
commerce would feel the touch of a mag
ic wand. Manufacturers would rest OH a
more natural, and, consequently, more
permanently prosperous basis. or all in
tcrcsts, however, the commercial would be
the most benefited. OF all parts Of the
Eonsclcr"vy, no spot would be so electri-
fled as the imperial city of New.Iork.-
Tho golden streams which free trade would
pour into her lap would hr richer than
the sands Of the Pactolus. Her merchant
princes would light up their marble halls
with Aladdin's lamp. Horace Walpole
once sain, with foresight in advance Of
his age, make London free port, and
by consequence the market of the world"
| Make New-IUrk free port, and London
and Amsterdam will bc at the mouth Of
the Hudson. Indeed, the advantages
which would result from this advance to
free !rade beggcr description. American
industry would spring to her feet, and,
breaking chains which have hitherto i'm
pcdcd her progress, her giant tread would
shake the continent.
| have no doubt there are some around
me who will dissent from this picture, and
consider any departure from the pr"tec-
.,,.ta En all
such, recall to mind the notes Of woe
which were sounded in lS46, on the pas
sage Of the tariff of that year, modifying
to some extent, the more protective tariff
of 1892. Mr.. Niles, of Connecticut, said
that it the bill passed, it would he equiv
alent 10 general contiscation;" in de-
scribing the disastrous consequences to
result from the repca! ofthc act OF lS42,
growing eloquent, he said, 'the only par
allcl to it was to he found in the repeal of
the edict Of Nantz." Mr.. Simmons said
This bill (taritf OF ls46) was to take the
daily bread from the orphan, and from
millions whose employment would be
swept away" Mr. Huntington protested
agaist the bill in the name Of his people
who were about to be thrown upon the
world without bread or means of ob,ain-
ing it," Mr.. Webster, in his peculiarly
fcIicitous manner, said, "ail the industry
Of the land is against it the manufactur-
ers are against it; the importers are
against it; the importers are against; the
shipowuers are against it; no man cries,
God save it; it is against the sentiment Of
the land" such were th- melancholy
forebodings with which the modified tariff
of IS4G was ushered into being.
appeal to the signal progress Of the
country since then, though we are far
from having free t"ade yet. as the best
commentary on these protective prophe-
cies. / would, however, particularly refer
tn tho increase Of imports anil tonnage,
the best possible thermometers Of the pros
perity Of the country. In 1914, the i'm
ports were SlOs,435,033 against $685.
1881 in 1888, showing that under the
protective policy, while tie population had
increased one.half, imports remained sta
tionary. In 1883, under the less proiec.
i've tariff Of 1876, imports had run up to
$207,07s,847. In 1888, the tonnage
was l,606, ,l5l; in 1914 il had only in.
A. n "a N