The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-25
THE ADMINISTRATION.

Tho course of the Richmond Enquirer. and some of its
eoniederates, towards Mi. Buchanan is, in our judgment,
the least detensible ever before pursued by democratic
papers towards a democratic President, and deserve 10 be
sternly rebuked by the people. The ostensible causes OF
attack are his recommendations on the subject of '~specifc
duties and the = Pacific railroad. But we regard it as
a mere subterfugc, for his opinions were known when he
was nominated and he was elected to his high position
by a people fully aware OF his views. They endorsed
him.
Let us examine briefly his position ON the subject OF
the Pacific road, In the Cincinnati Convention the fol-
lowing resolution was adopted by a vote of 2O5 to 81
@ ResoUed, That the democratic party recognises the
great importance, in a political aud commercial point OF
view, OF a safe and speedy communication through our
own territory between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts Of
the Union, and that it is the duty of the federal govern
ment TO exercise all its constitutional power to the at
iainment of that object, thereby binding the Union Of
these States in indissoluble bonds, and opening to the
rich commerce of Asia am overland transit from the Pa
ciic to the Mississippi river and the great lakes of the
North
In Mr.. Buchanan's message of December G, 1853, ho
holds the following language
" would again call your attention to the construction
Off Pacifc. railroad. Time and reflection have but served to
confirm me in the truth and Justice of the observations
which | made ON this subject in my last annual message,
TO which beg leave respectfully to refer.
cit is freely admitted that it would be inexpedient for
this government to exercise the power of constructing
the Pacific railroad by its own immediate agents. Such
q policy would increase the patronage of the Executive
to a dangerous extent, and introduce a system of jobbing
and corruption which no vigilance ON the part of federal
officials could either prevent or detect. This can only
be done by the keen eye and active and careful super
vision of individual and private interest. The construc-
ton of this road ought, therefore, to be committed to
companies incorporated by the States, or other agencies
whose pecuniary interests would be directly involved.
Congress might then assist them in the work by grants
of land or of money, or both, under such conditions and
restrictions as would secure the transportation of troops
and munitions OF war free from any charge, and that of
the United States mail ut a fair and reasonable price"
IA II -. ~, I:- - a. nu-. . A.L.r a - n.
dent contrary to the resolution of the convention Mr..
Buchanan says it would be 'tiaerpedenf for the govern
ment itself to build tho road and only recommends
what he conceives to be the best means for carrying out
the measure recommended by the convention. Can be
be held censurable for it2 Or was the resolution only
designed as a piece of ~clap-trap for securing the aid Of
those persons known to be favorable to the construction
of the road If SO, we had better dispense with party
conventions and platforms. If not, the President was
but discharging his duty to the party which placed him
in power when he the construction of the
road.
Now for the ssspecifc duties. over which we have
heard no little w~rangling. 1t is a well-established prin-
ciple that the best means of raising q revenue for the dis
charge of governmental expenses is from a tariff laid upon
the foreign importations of the country. Whether this
should be high or low, and whether the duties should BIO
laid on the article itself Specific duty or upon tho value of
the article, lad gaiorem duty is a point upon which q diff
ference of opinion has always existed among our states
men. 1T is not our design here to enter upon an argu-
ment to ascertain whether s'specifc' or ad pdiarem duties
best answer the ends of revenue. Our own opinion is that
the system of taxation based on value is best. But a
difference of opinion as to the details of a system can easi-
ly be tolerated and we find no fault with Mr.. Buchanan
for taking a view contrary to ours.
Here is the recommendation to which exception is
taken. In his last message MIR. Buchanan says
'In my deliberate judgment specific duties are the
best, if not the only, means of securing the revenue
against false and fraudulent invoices, and such has been
the practice adopted for this purpose by other CONNER
cal nations. Besides, specific duties would afford to the
American manufacturer the incidental advantage to
which he is fairly entitled under a revenue taliff The
present system is a sliding scale to his disadvantage.
Under it, when prices are high and business prosperous,
the duties rise in amount when he least requires their
aid. On the contrary, prices fall, and he is struggling
against adversely, the duties are diminished in the same
proportion, greatly to his injury"
The great objection to specific duties among our
southern editors and politicians seems to be that they
snuff protection" in it, If there were anything in this
objection, it would hold equally as good against al ralo-
rem duties. Mr.. Clay, the great father of protection,
once favored the al caLorea system of duties and he
claimed that under that system ample protection could
be afforded to domestic products. If the objection be to
the Presidents views as to the incidental protection
afforded to American manufactures, it is only necessary
to say that Mr.. Buchanan occupies identically the same
ground as has been occupied by all the great lights of
the democratic party.