Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-10-06
Tariff OF 1857.

hIhH Nh Assoc
Much is said about the Tariff of 1867 Just
ut this juncture ofpoitical affairs in this Con-
gressional District, and laborcd but most
impotent effort has been made to convict Mr.
Hoffman Of having favored the reduction OF
20 per cent on coal and iron which that tariff
made. Let lis examine the state Of political
parties in reference to that measure, and sec
who is responsible for it. That Tariff was
passed 10y the Gath Con ress The Democrats
had clear majcrity Of eighteen in the Sen
ate, and Democratic President was in the
Chair. This is enough to show that the re-
rponsibility for its effects rests with the Dem
ocratic party, because t could never have
become law without tie concurrence of tie
Democratic Senate, and the signature of the
Democratic President, Gen. Pierce
But this tariff ill was introduced at the
instance Of the Democratic Secretary Of the
Treasury, James Guthrie, who says in his
communication
"As the law Tariff of ls4Gl now stands,
therefore, upon the construction which the
Courts appear inclined to give to it, the for
fign manufacturer or producer is not subject
ITO an additional duty for under valuation ;
while the importer who purchases in the for
cign market, and imports into the Z. States,
is. The foreign manufacturer, or producer,
in any experiments he may choose to try upon
the public rerenue By under raludtions Rms
no such risk Of additional duty a, that to
rhich his competition, the american ms7chant
Sho purchases his imports aJfoa2, ise.posed
This discrimination againsth the domestic i'm
porter in .faror Of tie. foreign is as nnloiitie as
iii unjust"
Car any additional evidence be wanting
that it was foisted upon the country by the
Democratic party? 1t is democratic from be-
ginning to end 1t was introduced at the in
stance Of Democratic Secretary of the
Treasury, passed by a Democratic Senate
and signed by a Democratic President. By
every rule of logic, therefore, tie Democratic
party is responsible for it.
Another object to be secured was the re-
duCliOu VI tIt lltIt " 40 u OH lilllS
of some eighteen millions OF more, and the
Secretary of the Treasury computed that by
the assembling Of the next Congress forty
millions would be locked up in the vaults of
the sub-treasury. This calculation was based
upon the supposiion that the annual expen-
ditures of the Government would no. exceed
fifty millions, which the Secretary declared
amply sufficient. But it seems that there are
more things in heaven and or earth than was
ever dreamed of in his philosophy. He never
Imagined that by the time Congress assembled
the surplus left by the extravaganza admins
tration of Gen Pierce, would be exhausted by
Mr.. Buchanan, and more be needed. But
such turned out to be the fact
However, let us not be carried off the sub
ject by these incidental illusions Mr.. Letch-
or, of Virginia, a democrat, proposed an
, amendment to the amendment of his colleague
Mr.. Millson, to the original bill which amend
ment of Mr. Letcher reduced the duty on coal
and iron 20 per cent. On this amendment
the yeas and nays were taken, and how did
Mr.. Hoffman vote? He voted nGy-drectly
against the reduction And yet the Dem
ocratic journals and stump-spouters of this
district have the unmtigated impudenee to
charge Mr.. IIoffii en- with being inimical to
the coal and iron interest The lie is given
TO their declarations by the vote Of Mr. lIof'-
man against the proposition to reduce the
duty on coal and iron twenty per cent. 1t
seems. however, that tie reduction suited the
Hon. Jacob NJ. Kunkel and his actions JUS
tify us in saying that if be had been in Con-
cress he would have voted for the reduction
Do you ask, why, reader7 We will answer.
Be feioe roted against any disturbance oflhe
Tariff II 1887 He was so peI pleased ,c''k