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

exported 10 Europe to Dc f"NH""Se" 'N' t">'
products; but as we cannot import those pro-
ducts without raying a duty OF twenty-five or
thirty per cent, our ability t" receive these
products in exchange is diminished ; and as
their means for buying from us depends on
our means of buying from them, they cannot
afford to pay us the same price for our cotton
as they could if trade WAS free between US
If this cause operates ou y to the extent of dl.
n,inishing the price Of cotton one per ceut per
Mound. then if cotton is selling at ten cents
! Der pound, and the Gust of pr dnction be six,
cents per pound, our planters incur IN abso-
ute loss of twenty-five percent. OF tneI: clear
Income.
That the protective policy is in violation Of
the Constitution is 81 obvious that will not
stop t" enlarge upon it.
The pr tectiv" policy being thus in viola
ton of thr great principles Of taxation aud the
Co,stitutun >huuld be aband"ned. 80 tar aS
manufactures may he consequentiall! protect
cd hy a strict revenue tariff have no oblcc
ton, for | take as much interest in witnessing
the prosperity of that interest as any other III
terc>t in the country only insisted that the
taxing power of the government shall MT be
used unduy to foster this interest at the en-
pensc of all othe. interests.
Having seen what the principles of taxation
Iepudiate, lei Us see 10 what they lead. lhey
lead, conceive to the lowest rate of revenue
duties, universality of imposition -lmd disrrlm
ination against luxurirs. The revenue stand
ard, that rate Of duty upon every c"inmndty
" hich will afford the largest revenue, varies
upon different articles Some will afford the
Grn n hItrS a
teer, per cent; and others at twenty per cent.
The reason of this is obvious. The ability "t
commoily to pay tax on importation all
ses from the fact that the cost of production Is
less abroad than it is here. The degree in
which this cost is less is varinu>. Some com
modile> may he produced abroad fifty per
cent cheaper than here; others only twe"ty
five; Others only ten and some only five per
cent Tropical fruits ma! De produced sever
al hundred per cent cheaper abroad than with
us. Certain c"t"n manufactures not over ten
per cent cheaper. The revenue standard on
different commodities, j.. therefore, necessarily
various. | propose to ascertain as near as
NAV be, this revenue standard in reference to
every commodity ; and having found it, I"
graduate the tariff accordingly, to the lowest
rates b,lcw this standard whirh will furnish
sufficient revenue. This repudiateS a horizons.
tai tariff; which indeed all experience and all
,heu~v reiud,tes would have the duties
rlngr from iv" to twenty per cent. i" hr
r,,,. tho d,.,,;,s of ,uch :, tarif' would require
a good deal of consideration, but involves no
insurrmonnabIe difficulties.
By universally Of imposition, | mean that
every commodity should pay some duty
yyL', ,,,.,., oo,,u,rl;,, Mid s,pr d,,v .verv
..,,,,,,,d;,, anil ,,v ,he len r amount of d,,-
~ II !. like rai>inra il niven amount hy sub
Scripriun: the greater the amount of subscri.
hcrs the less the amount rf Individual Suhscrlp-
ii II The priuc e upon which The taxation
up.u. invr,,t> rests is, that is an assessment
universal; ANY departure from the princi pie Is
gru>s Inconsistency TO admit some a portion
If consumption or what is the same. articles
,lu,, free, and tax others. is to permit Il thug
a'Iurtiun of the consumers to 90 free from
Just hare oflayat"n. What justice there i
in this sort Of fav"rtrisrn, is beyond my con.
"crtinn. Il" lax consun,t,",l. as you profess
to do, ';,irIy, you mus, have nnvcrs;litv OF i'm
position, anI reject the i,lea Of free list
By this means You sill narin,aiz. taxation,
ever, consn ner will feel his due share of the
burden. The onIv articles would admit free
would be such as, at the lowest rates, produccd
a mere nominal revenue; AS 81 matter of con
venicnce, such articles might be admitted
free.
B, taxing uulv Il portion If the imports, rs
is ,,rurnSrd bv the Srcre,arv Of the Treasury,
and admitting a mass If articles free of dnt,
,hron.h ,h. exercise of i little legislative l,..
uer,:cmairr, the burden nf ,h. duties NAV be-
,hrown uu certain cla>spS and srrtjous IN the
.xemu,iou Of other Glasses and sections. | do
ma, ;,r.,,;,.o ,. ,.,, .,,,,;, r,S;,;yo .o,.,,i,,