The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-12-08

system has already driven from the pursuit of
honorable commerce many of that class OF reg
uiaT and conscientious merchants whose charac-
ter throughout the world is the pride OF our coun-
try.
The remedy for these evils is to be found in sre-
Cite uie. 50 far this may be practicable. 51hey
B d>pense with unE inquiry at the Custom House
nro the actual cost value OF the article, ana IL
nov. the PRECISE amount of duty previously liked
/ ty' law They present no temptations 10 the hl,,
nrai,,r, OF foreign goods, WHO receive put s'iIa'i
salaries aud uIg.; hy undery aiuatlon. m d ie"
cases render themselves independent. i.esiueH'
Sneciti,. duties best conform to the IcioiSioi III
the Cons titution, that no preference sai' pe GU ',
bv any regulation OF commerce OF re- '"" VI.
rcort. .of onn State over those OF ahother. ,hGer
nnur ,J ,,,I.r.la system such preferences are, 10
some extent inevitable, and complaints nave oiteh
be.n ,n,de that the spirit of this provision has
henn violated bv lower appralneieht Oh the sam c
- -, ono rort than another. : II impression
t-,r,l,- er,u,-h prevails TO some extent that spe
cifc duties are necessarily protective dutes,-
NotLin., can be more tai!hcIoua. Nfcat Britain
Charles IN free trads. and yet her whole revenue
{ on, ,uanorts is at the Present moment collected
unIer a system of specific duties. Ii Is striking
fact in this connection, that III the commercial
treaty of 23d January, $50 between France and
England one of the articles provides that the al
,Iorem Guties which it imposes shall be converted
into specific duties within SIX months from its date.
and these 10 bc ascertaIucd by making av-
crage OF the prizes for six months preyiou, to that
time. The reverse of the proposition would be
nearer to the truth, because Il much larger amount
Of revenue would be collected by merely converting
the Gd caoyem duties of tariff INTO gene al eqiva-
lent specific duties. 70 tins extent the revenue
would increase, and in the same proportion the
specific duty might be diminished. SPECIFIC du-
ties would secuIc to the American miiiuiacturer
the incidental protection 10 winch ne II larry en-
tilted under revenue tarIil, ana 10 ms snret no
person would object. The trainers OF tie oAis'!iS
tariff have rome further, and IN Il liberal spirit
have Disseminated in favor q! large and useful
branches Of our manuiaciUies-hu pN faisli9 'he
rate of duties upon the importation OF similar ar
ticics from abroad but, what Is the same IN effect
by admitting articles free of duty which enter luto
the composition al their fabrics
Under the present system ii has been often truly
remarked that this incidental protection decreases
when the manufacturer needs II most, and increases
when he needs 1t least, and constitutes sildirg
scale which always operates against him. The
revenue, of tie country are SUBJECT 10 II similar
iUctuatICn, instead OF approaching steady stand
ard would be the case under system OF specific
duties They SINK and rise with the sinking and
rising prices Of the articles in foreign countries. 1t
would not be difficult Cor Congress to arrange 4
specific duties which would afford additional sta
bility both 10 our enue and our manufactures,
aud without INJURY or injustice To any interest oi
the country. This might be accomplished by as
certaIning the average value OF any gwen article
Tor series of years at the place of expectation and
hv simply c'nycrtluG the state Of "i ct'orsm duty
upon II wh,ch might be deemed necessary torrevc-
ruc purposes into the form OF >iechc duty such
an Arrangement could hot Inlurc the consumer IL
:!
this would be Cuuutcrba!auc,d 10y Il lesser amount
the next, and in the cUd the aggregate would De
/ the same. desire 10 call yoTr immediate aticn-
ton To- the present condition Of tie Treasury, 50
ably and clearly presented by tie Secretary IN has
report to Congress, and 10 recommend that meas
ufcs lie promptly adopted - enable i 20 discharge
It> Pressing obi cations. III" other recommends
tons Of lie report are well worthy OF Your favor
able consideration.
herewith transmit to Congress the reports OF
the Secretaries Of War; OF the Navy, of the interior
and of the Postmaster General. 1he recommends
tons and suggestions which they contain are high
" valuable and d, serve yUUT CaTctI! attention.
The report "i the Postmaster Genera! details The
circumstances under wAiGh Cornelius vanderbilt,
on my request. agreed, III tie month of July last,
to carry the Ocean mails between our Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. Had he net thus acted, this Impor
taut inter communication must have been suspend
ed, at least tor q season. Tie J.. VI. General had
. no power - make h.ui any other compensation
than the postage mail matter. which he III -ht
carry, Il Was Known IT the time. these posta .
would tt!. iar hort OF an adequate cuInpcu>ajiar
a. vel! - OF tie which the same service Lad
previously cost r!c Cox -r;.!lcut. Mr.. Vanderbilt
ia cOtninyudIb.r -iiTIt willing 10 rely upon
the Justice ct Cou-ic>, 10 make up the deficiency
and therefore recommend, that an appropriation
be granted for tins purpose.
should do great iuju-rIcc 10 the Attorney Gen
era! were IL OLIt tie mention OF Ills distinguishes,
. services ia the measures adopted and prosecuted
by HIM for the defence, OF the Cos cru.et against
numerous aud Uu!cUuleI clam, 10 land Ia Ca.,'Ur
MIA, rurrOrituG 10 have been madeby the Mexican
Guvef5.u.'Ht, previous To- tie treaty uf Cc>siou.
The successful opposition To these claim, has
>aEed To the [. = public property worth many
millions % dollars. and - individuals holding ut.t
under ii.cm At least sac. equal amount
FAMINE ~ KANSAS.
IL has been represented 20 me from sources
which deem reliable. thai tine inhabitants "a
various portions of Kansas have been Tciue q -
state OF starvation on account o.: the almost tuta
failure of their crops whilst the haryes:s IN Cycrs
other portion Of the country have been abundant
The prospect before them for the approaching
winter - vel calculated enlist the >yi..uahc,
Of ev>ry heaTt. the de-tItut'ou appears 10 be s'
general ihHi it cannot be relieved by private con
tributlous, and they afc in such INDECENT cITcum
stances. IL 10 be unable To purchase the ueceS
of life for T. e.~clycs. refer tie subject To Cos.
-reSs. Il any constitutional measure for their re
lief can be devised, would recommend lis adOp
ton.
DISTRICT o? COLUMBIA.
- : 90 49, =