New-York daily tribune., 1856-06-09

Mr.. Verplsnck must have been enacted We nov
wish that Mr. Clay bad not interpssed-that he hsd
suffered the disastrous effect, of tariff reduction "a
fall more forciby ard positively SO that the cause
Of our following disasters could not have been mis-
undentood nor obscured. The disastrous effects.
thus speedily realized. would have insured a moro
instant and decisive reaction. Bu. Mr. Hewitt.
who clearly understands this mSeter, is not candid
nor fair in his mode of presenting it.
| The Tariff of lS42 bresthed new life into the
fainting victim of Free Trade experiment. Ore.
beds were opened or re5peDed; cold farnacS and
forses fred up afresh, and new ones erected; 20
that, IN 1916, Secretary r. j. Walker stated the
iron product Of that year at 765,0O0 tuns--an in.
crease of 535, SEQ tuns, or more than 200 pc
cent, in the short space Of four years. We bs.
lieve the country richer by the value of every
pound of this iron than il would have been IL tho
Tariff of ~ had not been enacted.
Congress, under the auspices of Msssrs. Polk
and Walker, By the casting vote Of Mr.. Dsllss,
proceeded in 'i6 once more 10 break down the Pro-
tectye Policy; but the momentum under which
the iron interest was then advancing could not at
once be arrested. The prOduc, of ls47 was stated
at 100000 tuns, which was maintained through
Is4s: but in I549 t fell off to CSC, 900; in 1850 to
564 O00 and in 1853 to about 500 900 tuns-leaving
us still second to Great Britain. But our present
duty go per cent. though nominsly for Revenue 10
really Protective except when iron is low; that
whenever the price of iron in Europe goes up, tho
duty is enhanced accordingly, and the American
production is stimulated into considerable activity.
The great European War helped American iron.
BY rssing the price of its European rival conss.
quenty the duty chargeabe thereon; so that, for
the last two or three years, the iron trade among
us has epioyed very decided prosperity, aud the
Or, duet Of 1855 is estimated by Mr.. Hewitt at
full, zoo, eco tuns The maintenance of this
prosperity depends in very great measure on that Of
the rival British interest. Let prices be maintained
10 England, and our iron masters may not only
tnue but increase their production; but let prices
fall thirty to fifty per cent. in Europe, aud our
duties are carried down with them, exposing
American iron.makiDg to staguatiOn aud temporary
ruin Our duties, under the present Ad Valorem
system, are highest when they should be lowest,
and lowest when they should be highest. They
are based on the principle, when man is going
dswn hill, let every one give him kick" To an
extraordinary degree, the fortunes OF our iron.
masters dc pend upon contingencies which they can
neither control nor foresee. The urgency Of their
need measures and intensifes the stubbornness Of
the National resistance to their prayers. Let the
price of iron fall SO that maker is obliged to dis
charge half his hand, and the duty is therebyso
cut down as to compel him to turn sdrft the re.
msnder Is this sound policy does it tend to
promote any interest but thas OF marshals aud
sherifis1 Let these points be considered, while
we proceed in our next to surrey in the light Of
Mr. Hewitts colloca,ion of facts, the prospect for
American iron. making.