The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-02-28


shilling three pence, and during the subsequent
four wears, the average annual consumption
rose to three hundred and sixty thousand four
hundred and fifty gallons. And an exhorbI
tant duty on luxures, by discouragIng ther
importation, may diminish the demand tor the
products of our industry, for which these IuXu'
ries are exchanged. TO explain, France is en-
abIed to buy our cotton and tobatc CO, to Ger
tain extent, with her hrandies, wines and SILKS.
If we tax these articles too highly, it will re-
act upon ourselves and affect the demand tor,
and consequently, the price OF, these staples.
Such tariff as the one have recommends
ed would, think, carry out as near as may
be- the principles of taxation have indicated
a< desirable. Th" burden, Of taxation would
fall as equally as possible on all classes aud
sections. As little interference as possible
would be had with the industry of the country.
And it wond be strictly constitutional. ~:
vite scrutiny TO my recommendations, ana
confidently challenge the ablest iinauclerS IN
this House to suggest a tariff system which
will I've more responsive t" the great principles
of taxation have Submitted to you.
The difficulty from q revenue tariff is not
that we will have to" little revenue, b"t to"
much. As an cvdercc of this, ] would reltr
to the results of the present taIllt. hlcsSrs.
Webster. Evans, Winthrop and others. INSISTED
that the tariff of 1916 would not furnish Snti-
cent revenue. They estimated the receipts
from twenty two to twenty-siy Millions and
=, ct in 1853 the rcccip,s from this tariff were
So 93l .S65 So, nearly three times more than
the smallest estimate have no doubt that If
L.. al, tirn ,Iii.v e.
ton Of the duties, which it may be found prac,
ticablc to make at this time, will be followed
in less than ten years by another surplus IN the
Treasury for the resources OF the country are
in an extraordinary stale of development. Our
commerce on one of our uccens, the Pacific, l.
vet in its ini;nncy. excluded as it is from the
Eastern Archipelago by the cupdty OF the
Dutch, aud from Japan 10y fierce conserva
tism. When it burst these barriers, and Gilt
te,s with the treasures of the gorgeous East,
the most SarIy nine will he astounded.
To prevent these future surp plus accnmula
liunS, | would authorize the Secretary Of the
Treasury to reduce the duies Il regular per
crntage every six months, after surplus be-
gan to accumulate, until the recei pts only G.
qualed the wants Of the government. 1t may
Le objected that this is dangerous power to
an Executive officer; but do not apprehend the
people can ever be serious y injured BY re
duclion of taxation.
From >uch Il tariff as have recommended,
the material advantage would be lncalruIahle.
We would approximate as near as possible to
{. ee trade-the great privilege of selling where
,ou can sell dearest, and buling where yon can
buy cheapes,-lhe richest boon which, under
Il cool government, can hc extended I" the iii.
dustrr Of any country. Agriculture and com.
mcrce would feel the touch of Il magic wand.
Manufactures would rest on more natural,
and consequently a more permanently prosre
ruus basis. OF all Interests, however, the com
mrrcial would be the most hrrehttrd. or al!
pat, OF the Coniederacy, no part would he SO
electrified as the imperial city of New York.
The golden streams Which free trade would
pour into her lap would be richer than the
sands of Pac,oiu-. Her merchant princes
wuuld light up their marble ball with Alad'iIh's
lamp. Horace Wa lpo!e once said, with fore
sight in advance of his age, ''make London Il
free port, aud hy c"n>cqnence the market OF
the wohI" Make New York a free port, and
L"ndnn and Amsterdam will be at the mouth
"fthr Hudson. njred the advantages which
would result from this advance to free trade
brggar hc>criptlnn American industry would
sprnu to her feet, and breaking the chains
which have hitherto impcdcd her progress, her
giant tread would shake the continent.
have no doubt there are some around me
who will dissent from this picture, aud consld
er any departure from The protective policy as
Il calamity. To all such | recall to mind the
notes of woe which were sounded in 1916, on
the passage of thr tar'of that year modifying
To some extent the more protective tariff Of
1872. Mr.. Niles, of Connecticut, said, that II
the Till passed it would be equivalent to Il gen
eral conii>cation In describing the disastrous
consequences to result from the repeal Of the
act of 1872 growing eloquent, he said ''thc
only par:.lIcl t. it Was To be- found in the re-
neal of the cdi,t of Nmtz" Mr.. Simmons
said this bill, (tarjf Of 1916 WAS to take
bread from the orphan, ald from millions
whose employment would he swept away
Mr. Huntington protested against this bill IN
the name OF his people, "who were about to be
thrown upon the world without bread or the
means of obtaining it," Mr.. Webster in his
peculiarly Iccit"us MANNER said, call the IN
tu,lrv OF the land is against i, the manufac
turerS are against il; The ship owners are against
it no man cries God save it; it is against
the sentiment ofthc land" Such were the mel
anchol, iorebodings with which the modified
tariff of 1916 was u>hrrcd into being
appeal to the signal progress OF the c"nn'
try since then, though we are far from having
free trade yet, as the best commentary on these
protective prophecies would, however, par,
iicullry refer to the increase of imports an"
tonnage, the best possible thermometers "i the
prosperity olthe country. In 1911, the imports
were sos, ,l35, ,033 against SlOS. 1871 IN