The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-07


should be added the of So 1888 72e which viii be
required for the service of the Post Office Department du
ring the present fiscal year This latter amount is not
taken into the foregoing estimates but is asked for by
that department. will appear from the letter of the
Postmaster General accompanying the annual estimates
When my last annual report was submitted To Con-
gress explained the embarrassments under whch the
estimated receipts into the treasury made. new
tariff act had just gone into operation under circum-
stances growing out of the then recent revulsion in trade
and business which made all calculation to its effect
upon the doubtful and unsatisfactory. This
opinion frankly expressed to Congress at the time
The present estimates ore submitted under somewhat
more favorable circumstances and consequently with
greater confidence in their correctness.
The tariff Of 1867 has been In operation than
year. and in ordinary times the experience OF that
would afford reliable data to judge of its effect well
upon the trade Of the country the revenues OF the
government. The continuance of financial difficulties
during large portion of the time, however and the ef
ects OF it, operating to great extent during the whole
period serious difficulties in forming satisfactory
Judgment upon the question The present estimates are
based upon the opinion that reaction IN the trade ana
business of the country has commenced and that
gradually but steadily returning to healthy and pros
porous condition. There TO be concurrence In
| the public mind on this subject, IL we may judge
| from the general tone of public sentiment The files
of the department furnish strong evidence of its truth
Our exports for the year ending the 30th june 1855
were 1924, GA being reduction from the preceding
year of only SS SIG 26l; whilst the imports for the
same time S2S2 6l3, l50-being SIS,276,99l less
than the year before This balance in favor of exports
imports doubtless appropriated to the payment
Of foreign debt thus relieving the country in part
of that source of embarrassment. 1t exhibits large
margin for increase OF importaons when the business
and necessities of the country shall demand It, The
restoration of confidence and reaction Of trade have al
ready been manifested in this regard.
BY referring to the receipts from customs at the port of
| New York for the months of October and November,
1885, the year preceding the revusion the months
of 1857 the of the revulson and the same months
of the present year. find that the receipts Of those two
months in 1856 So 202 227 in 1857, 81 OPS,
2l0; and in 1858, s., $40 Sl9 Whilst the country
has not recovered entirely from the disasters OF the last
year the increased receipts of the present year indicate
decided reaction and the promise of certain and speedy
return of prosperous times.
The foregoing estimates contemplate a deficiency in the
means of the government which, by the 30h june 1861
will amount TO the of 81 9l4,576. Provision should
be made by Congress at its present session to supply the
deficiency. In what manner shall it be done loan
for this purpose is not deemed advisable In view OF the
addition already made to the public debt revision OF
the tariff OF 1857 and the imposition of additional duties,
is the only remedy unless Congress shall take
on to relieve the treasury from portion of the cxpendi
| lures it is required to meet.
In revising the tariff the principles should direct
and control the action of Congress that would be consd
| cred in the adoption of an original act.
! do not deem it proper to enter into any extended
discussion of the thcoretc principles on which tariff act
should be framed
| They may be briefly stated. Such duties should be
laid will produce the required revenue by imposing
the people at large the smallest and the most equal bur
| dens.
1t obvious that this is most cectually done by tax
ing in preference to Others such articles not pro-
dnced in this country and among articles produced here
those in which the home product bears the least proper
ton to the quantity imported the tes for taxation
The is, that in taxing articles not made in the
country the whole taken from the consumer goes
into the treasury while in the other class the consumer
pays the enhanced value not only on the quantity i'm
ported, but the quantity made at home. This last
tax is paid not to the treasury but to the manufacturer
thereby rendering such duty not only more burensome,
but grossly unequal the home producer being benefit
! ed at the expense of the consumer.
If these principles sound it is obvious that no
tariff strictly for revenue has ever yet been enacted in
| the United States
The early legislation of the country contemplated other
objects such fostering then infant manufactures,
and encouraging the production of Indispensable articles
to render country independent OF foreign gov
ernments in case of war.
The objects which originally led to our system OF du-
ties have long since been attained but under that sys
tenn large interests have grown up which have always
claimed and received such consideration from Congress
as to prevent the abandonment of the idea of protection
do not expect that tariff will be framed on
rigid revSaBc principles but in all changes an effort
should be made at least to avoid further departure from
| them.
Assuming that the general principles OF the present
tariff act will be adhered to, all will admit that having
asceraned the additional revenue required as accurately
possible the least increase of duty that will raise the
sum is the proper rate to be adopted.
In Determining however, what articles the duty is
to be increased, strong appeal will doubtless be made
so TO discriminate afford relief TO certain interests
| said to be unusually depressed.
In period of general financial distress, such
have yet entirely passed. each interest in the country
naturally feels the want of any aid that would relieve its
embarrassInents and restore its prosperity In responding
to such demand should he taken not to afford the
required relief Mt the expense oil another interest equally
in want Of assistance and equally entitled to receive it at
the hands of the government. When general calam
ty has paralzcd the hand Of industry and camped the
energies of the people, it is unfortunate that at such
time when the country is least able to bear it, the
of the government should force increase of tax
alton In yielding to the necessity which compels the
imposition of the burden, let it be done with That spirit
OF justice which regards with equal and protection
all the varied interests of the country.
In connexon with this branch of the subject, would
respectfully refer to the views presented In my last
nual report to Congress
1t is also subject Of regret that public necessity
auires revision of the tariff act Of 1857 before sufficient
time has elapsed to test its legitimate effects upon the
business of the country well the of the
government False impressions to its operation must
be carefully guarded against The fact that this act went
into operation on the LIST Of July, 1857 and was follow
ed by the disastrous revusion Of that year. has
induced many persons to believe that the the
ccssary cause the other The advocates Of high pro-
tectve tariff have not failed to avail themselves Of this
circumstance to press upon the public mind their peculiar
system of afordng relief to distressed people, by n
creasing their taxes Every interest in the country Which
suffered In the general calamity has been earnestly APP
pealed to- and efforts been spared indncc each
and all to believe that their msortunes have been pro-
duccd by the passage of the tariff of 1861 There u.s. how
ever, important point in the argument where
the logic of the potcctioniss is wholly at fault The
reyuson not confined to the United States