Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-09-08

The imports of general merchandise into
the port of New York for the week ending
September l, were $5,77T425. The imports
since January are about SlO,0OO,OOO less
than for the same time last year, but the
imports of the week are about 81, 500, 900
greater than of the corresponding week last
year. This is probably but the beginning of
the increase in importations which will be
made on the strength of the exaggerated
estimates of the grain crops of the Northern
States. This will show such an improvement
in the Government revenue by the time
Congress meets, that the Republicans will
be deprived of the excuse Of an empty treas
ury and accumulating debt, for advocatinga a
higher tariff II will be shown that the
revenue is sufficient for an economical Ad-
ministration, and to redeem the public debt,
and party which advocates an increase of
The revenue will be charged with desire to
encourage extravsgant expenditures.
1t is not difficult to see that the extrava-
giant estimates of the prosperity of the eoun-
Try, and its real increase of prosperity, will
operate against the Republican protective
project. Hitherto they have had the excuse
of a deficient revenue for a demand for
high tariff, and could charge the opposition
10 it, with the accumulating public debt; but
The receipts from customs, for the next six
months, will cut off this argument and leave
them with nothing but high tariff for the
cake ofprotection
We have no desire to balk them, in taking
this position. Many Republicans exhibit an
anxiety to get up suit of national principles
which shall relieve them from the charge of
having no foundation for their organization
but the slavery question-as if any party at
this time had any other foundation but
slavery, except the spoils of Office. In this
effort they seem to be driven naturally to
the principle fprotection-a lively prospect,
certainly, to take up an exploded theory on
which one great party has died out, and
which has been condemned every time it
has ever come before the people, and which
will sink every party that ever bitches to It'll
But will they have national principle
then2 The country has gone through q sec
tional war on the protection question, and
ii came nearer causing q Southern secession
than the slavery contest ever will. None of
the parties occupy tenable position on the
question Of reyenue-the first and most i'm
portant in any organized government And
whenever politicians have exhausted the
slavery fanaticism, so that it will cease to
furnish means to carry men into Office, Or
perhaps when attention has been forced to
it by war, the unsoundness, injustice, and
extravagance of the present system will be
exposed, and the whole policy overthrown.
That a nation should, except during tenn
porary emergency, depend on system of
revenue, the mere collection Of which costs
not less than ten per cent. of the gross pro-
ceeds, the greater part of which is paid to
men who do not collect the amount of their
salaries, which would be cut off entirely the
moment war with any foreign power should
break out, leaving the country without
revenue at the very time when there is an
extraordinary demand on its resources, and
deprived of the sinews of war by the war it.
self, or even by the threat of war, a system
which almost exempts the great wealth and
property Of the country from the burdens of
government-thn nation should depend on
tLis as permanent system of revenue, would
be poor show of the boasted capacity of the
American people for self-government.