Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-12-19
The Tariff.


A fallacy prevails among certain class of poll
tioiaus that it is the duiy of the government to
project certain branches Of trade and encourage by
legislative discrimination particular pursuits and
employments The trainers of the Federal consti.
tuition did not think SO. They vested no power in
Congress to enact Tariff regulations, in order to
enrich particular classes. They thought it best
that every citizen should stand en- an equality, and
that each should rely upon his own energy enter
prise and industry for bis support. They provided
for the imposition of duties foreign imposs for
the purposes Of Revenue, and this is the extent Of
the powers Of Congress on this subject. Such
duties must however, be uniform and equal in such
a way that they will not operate for the benefit Of
one class of citizens aud to the injury Of another
With this view Tariff should be as low as it can
be made to meet the expenditures Of government.
It should be adjusted according to the value of the
article on which it is imposed. If the Tariff is
higher than absolutely necessary supply revenues
sufficient to carry on the government surplus &C.
cumulates in the Treasury encouraging exrava-
gauce, and creating corruption. If the duty is not
pr6poriioned to The value Of the article imported,
cheap articles Of foreign manufacture, such as the
mass Of the people use viii be excluded entirely or
their price 60 much increased as to be oppressive to
the people For instance, suppose that specific
duty Of fifty cents is imposed on every hat i'm
ported into the country without regard to value.
The man who wears hat that costs five dollars in
a foreign market will have to pay five dollars and
half in this country, the duty of ffty cents being
added to its first cost But the man Who wears
q hat that costs fifty cents in Europe will
pay one dollar for it in this country and the
purchaser Of the cheap article will pay as much
revenue into the treasury IS the purchaser Of the
more expensive article. This is unjust andOpPres-
sivs upon the people who are not able to purchase
thefnsr fabrics. According 10 the ad UaJoren sys-
tenn on the other hand, duty Of ten per cent (fOr
instanesl would be imposed on all atsimpOrted.
Under this system the hat worth five dollars would
nav a duty Of fifty cents as before. But the hat
worth Fifty cents would pay duty of only Eve cents
and would cost he purchaser fifty five cents instead
NJ one dollar as under the other system. None viii
hesitate 20 ssy that he dd UalOTem system is the more
eoual and equitable of the two. It can be SO sd-
usted as-tO supply just enough revenue TO the gov
orDment and it collects that revenue from those
who are able to pay it, and who are williugtO incur
,te.svnepse Of Injuries The President in his an>
mai message to Congress recommends specific du-
ties on such articles as iron, sugar, and liquors
Although less Objectionable when confined TO articles
~ tbis character, We agree with Mr. Com, thata
Uniform system of ad OaIorem dutissis greatly pre-
fersble to specific duties even when restricted to
1;r,i,sd number Of Imports. We do moi, however,
,,nlers,spd Mr.. BUCHANAN as advocating tie anti
Democrats and unconstitutional doctrine Ola pro-
teetive tariff he agrees with the Secretary o. me
Treasury in thinking that the tariff should be aq>
iusted With reference to revenue standard ana
opIy differs with him as 10 the best mode Of collect
ing Il.