The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-05

cuently these fifteen States would be disfranchised
BY such a call. These fifteen States will be in the
SAME condition on the 4th Of March next. Ten OF
them cannot elect representatives, according TO
existing State laws until different periods, extend
ing from the beginning Of Angus. next until the
months Of October and November.
In my last Message | gave warning that. in
time Of sudden and alarming danger the salvation
Of our institutions may depend upon the power OF
the President to assemble full Congress, TO meet
the emergency.
II is now quite evident that the financial neces.
stiles of the government will require a modification
OF the tariif during your present session, Tor tie
purpose OF increasing the revenue. In this aspect,
l desire to reiterate the recommendation
contained 10 my last tEe annual Messages,
in favor'of imposing specific instead OF adyalorem
duties on all imported articles ts which these can
be properly applied. From long Observation anu
experience am convinced that speoidc duties are
necessary both to protect the revenue and TO Sc
cure to our manufacturing interests that amount OF
incidental encouragement which unavoidaoiy re-
suits from a revenue tariff.
As an abstract proposition II may be admitted
that adyalorem duties would in theory, be
the most just and equal. But II the experience OF
this ard of all other commercial nations has de-
monsnated that such duties cannot be assessed and
collected without great frauds upon the revenue,
then il is the part of wisdom to resort 70 SPECIFIC
duties Indeed, from the very nature OF an ad-
yalorem duty, this must be the result Under IT
the inevitable consequence is that foreign goods
will be entered al less than their true value. The
treasury will, therefore lose the duty on the dier
ence between their real and fictitious value, and
TO this extent we are defrauded
The temptations which advaorem duties pre-
sent TO a dishonest importer are irresistible. His
object is 10 pass his goods through. the Custom
House at the very lowest valuation necessary to
saye them from nfscation. In this he TOO offen
succeeds in spite of the vigilance OF the revenue
officers. Hence the resort 10 false invoices, one
Tor the purchaser and another for the Custom
House, and TO other expedients TO detraud the
government. The honest importer produces his
invoice TO the collector, stating the actual price
at which he purchased the articles abroad. Not
so. the dishonest importer and the agent OF
the foreign manufacturer. And here II may be OBJ
served that a very large proportion of the manu-
features imported from abroad are consigned for
sale TO commission INGREDIENTS who are mere agents
employed by the manufacturers. In such cases no
actual sale has been made TO fix their value.
The foreign manufacturer. If he he dishonest,
prepares an invoice Of the goods, not at their
actual value but at the very lowest rate necessary
to escape detection. In thus manner the dishonest
importer and the foreign manufacturer enjoy de-
cided advantage over the honest merchant. They
are thus enabled to underse the fair trader. and
drive him from the market. In fact, the operation
Of this system has already driven from the pursuits
Of honorable commerce many Of that class Of
regular and conscientious merchants whose cha
rac'er, throughout the world is the pride Of our
country.
The remedy for these evils is to be found in spe-
cifc Duties 80 far as this may be practicable They
into the actual cost or value Of the article. and il
pays the precise amount Of duty previously fixed
by law. They present no temptations TO the APP
praisers Of foreign goods, who receive but small
! aiaries, and might by undervalu4ion in Q few
cases, render themselves independent
Besides, specific duties best conform 20 the
requisiion in the constitution that mo preference
shall be given by any regulation of commerce or
revenue TO the ports Of one state over those Of
another Under our advalorem system such
preferences are To some extent inevitable, and
complaints have often been made that the spirit Of
this provision has been violated by lower APP
prasement of the same artc es al one port than ~
anutAer.
An impression strangely enough prevails TO some
extent that specific duties are necessarily pro-
iectiye duties. Nothing can be more faacious.
Great Britain glofiss ia free trade, and yet her
whole revenue from imports is at the present mo
nent collected under system Of specific duties.
1t IL a striking fact in this connection that in
the commercial trea y of Esd January, 1850,
between France and England, one Of the articles
provides that the advaloTem duties which il i'm
poses shah be converted into specific duties within
Fix months from its date, and these are to be ascer
tanned 10y making an average Of the prices for six
months previous 10 that time. The reverse OF the
proposition would be nearer 10 the truth. because
much larger amount Of revenue would be col.
lccted by merely converting the advaorem duties
Of tarlfi into equivalent specific duties To this
extent the revenue would be increased, and in the
ished.
Specific duties would secure to the American
manufacturer the incidental protection TO which
he is fairly entitled under a revenue tariff; and TO
this surely no person would object. The
trainers Il The existing tariff have gone further. and
in liberal spirit have Disseminated in favor
Of large and useful branches Of our mar u ictures
not by raising the rate Of duty upon the importa
ton Of similar articles from abroad but. what Ia the
same In effect, by admitting articles free OF duty
which enter into the composition Of their fabrics.
Under the present system II has been Of.
ten truly remarked that this incidental protection
decreases when the manufacturer needs II
most, and Increases when he needs ii least
and constitutes sliding scale which always ope
rates against him. The revenues OF the coun
Try are subject 10 similar fuctuation. Instead
Of approaching steady standard, as would
be the case under system OF specific duties,
they sink and rise with the sinking aud rising
prices Of articles IN foreign countries II would not
be difficult for Congress 10 arrange system Of
specific duties which would afford additional stab
lily both 10 our revenue and our manufactures, and
fhs night be accomplished by ascersnpg Tho avcras-
value Of given article for ssrss OF years the
o. advslorem GUY upon IL which might be deemed ne
csssAry for revenue toto the form q specific
o1y. s1en ~ srrsssemeas coaii pot injars The 600
year. this you'd be fbAisnced " lesser sm,uu,
he next and In tho c1d the aggregate would BE- lhs
ssne.
desire 10 cali your immediate attention 10 the prcss5t
condition Of sue Treasury 90 ably Aoa cesry presea,ei
end that be promptly adonted 20 easbe ~ 10
dsehsrse It's Tfe,ste obi gators Tue other mmen
ostofs q The fopcr are well worthy Of yoar favorable
CONFEDERATION
Itcrcsnh uapenit 10 Congress TIE reports OF the
crssrs q War, q tho Navy, Of TIE Iatsror, and Of
the pcsimsste, General TIE aad sux
ssssioue which they contain arc highly valuable and de
serve your careful attention.
Inc report q the Postmaster General de.ails tie cr
cuusarces uncer which Cornelius Vanderbilt 90 nv re-
ques', asreed IN the month Of July last N carry The
octsn male between Atlantic and Pacific coasts Hal
he not us seted tbs imyorlsnt intercom ,xloa
mrst have been susprcec At least for a season Tue
Postmaster Generh bad no poser 70 make n any other
coms alton than The pnstsgs the "a all matter which
be- might cary. IL trown at the time that theae
stages would fall far short Of adequate coupeusa
tcr, A. vell - Of tie which the scrvce b,t
Scyously coat the rovefnmenI Mr. Vanderbilt, Ia a
cnmmtr daoc spirit, was wiling 70 rey upon the jistl,e
OF orfrtss W make up tee dehcepcy: and therefore
rcommend that an appropriation may be granted for this
pvrpcse.
fhous do great injustice to the Attorney Gcuerai
wire 70 omit toe menon Of his Distinguished services
In the measures adopted AID prosecuted by for ths
defence of The government sssrst numerous and I'm.
ionsdes claims TO land 10 Caicrns plrportlpe 70 have
been mace by the Mexican government previous 10 the
ussty Of c,ssen The sucsessful opposition 70 these
csims las saved 10 the Uniied states public property
worth mspy millions OF dollars, and 10 ladiyidua hold
ing title under them 60 least 40 ca ral amount