Washington sentinel., 1855-01-05
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.

Pursuant to notice, meeting of Democratic
members of Congress was held at the Capitol
on Wednesday evening. The meeting was
called for the purpose Of taking the tariff into
consideration and to consult as to the proper
plan Of reducing the revenue from customs.
Senator Toucey, Of Connecticut, presided, and
Mr.. Barksdale, of Mississippi, acted as Secre-
tary.
We are informed that the attendance was
not very large, that there was but little differ
ence Of opinion amongst the members present,
and that the proceedings resulted in the adop-
ton ofa resolution to the effect that the duties
on imports ought to be reduced to revenue
standard, and that the reduction ought to be
made in accordance with the principles Of the
revenue bill of 1916, which is now in operation.
We understand, further, that after the adop-
ton of this resolution, another was offered
affirming that the reduction ought to be made
by reducing pro rata the imposts of the exist
ing law, and that it was withdrawn because it
was thought that the resolution which had
been adopted, was a sufficient sanction of the
method Of taxation now in force.
These proceedings we understand to be in
effect reputation Of the protective innova-
tons recommended by the Secretary Of the
Treasury in his recent Financial Report. The
resolution to adhere to the principles of the
tariff Of ls46 in making the reductions de-
manded by the public interest is in direct an
tagonism to huge free list constructed for the
purpose of bene6tting particular interest and
it is in direct antagonism TO the plan Of reduc-
ing revenue by duties high enough to check
importations. These are the main features in
the plan of reduction submitted by the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, and as we hold them to
be Of restrictive origin and directly opposed to
the principles Of free-trade we are glad to see
that they have been condemned without diff
Guilty at meeting of Democratic members Of
Congress.
We have already expressed our views at
some length on the recommendations of the
Secretary Of the Treasury. We have explain
|sed their meaning as well as we could, and we
have showed how their adoption would be an
abandonment Of the revenue policy of the
Democratic party in the hour Of its triumphant
'success in order to return to the monopolies
and restrictions Of class legislation. A large
Free list composed of those articles which are
used as raw materials by the manufacturers has
always been favorite idea with the protection
lists, and they were consistent in favoring such an
idea. A free list constructed on that principle
must enhance the price of manufactured arti-
cles by requiring higher than revenue duties
on them, in order to produce the necessary
amount Of income for the government. The
manufacturers would have the benefit of this
enhanced price in the sale Of their goods whilst
they would enjoy the benefit of free trade and
low prices in purchasing their raw materials.
The raw materials used by the manufactu-
rers consists chiefly Of the products of the
fields, and of the forests, and they are grown and
gathered by multitude of laborers-not fabri-
Gated by few associated capitalists working
with machinery. They constitute the means
with which that multitude of laborers purchase
the manufactured articles they consume-arti-
cles which are fabricated by few associated
capitalists working with machinery. Yet, a
Free list after the plan of the Secretary of the
Treasury, and Of the protectionists, would di-
minish the value Of raw materials by strongly
increasing the price Of manufactures through
the agency of protective duties, and at the
same time give the benefits Of Free trade and
an exemption from taxation to the advocates
of restrictions on commerce and high duties
on imports. But it was not our purpose to dis
cuss the Tariff question when we took our pen.
We only intended to mention the meeting Of
the Democratic members Of Congress, held on
Wednesday evening, and to express our graft
ication that il adhered to the Free trade revene
policy of the Democratic party in preference to
the protective recommendations Of the Score
tsry Of the Treasury.