The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-12-14

| HtutTui iusuuStiou tHut tut-t COutTucts tuOulI
aiwaysbe given to the lowest and best bidder. Il
has ever been my opinion that public contracts
are not legitimate source Of patronage to be
conferred upon personal or political fvoritcs;
| but that in all such cases n public officer Is
bound 20 act for the government rs q prudent
individual would act for himself.
AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, ETC.
II is with great satisfaction communicate
| the fact that, since the date OF my last annual
message, not single slave has been imported
into the United States. In violation of the laws
prohibiting the African slave trade.> This
statement Is founded upon thorough examina-
ton and investigation Of the subject. Indeed,
the spirit which prevailed some time since
among portion Of our fellow citizens In favor
Of this trade seems to have entirely subside'l.
| also congratulate you upon the public sen.
timent which now exists against the crime of
setting on foot military expeditions within
the limits OF the United States, to proceed from
thence and make war upon the people Of un-
offending States, with whom We are ut peace.
In this respect happy change has been effected
since the commencement Of my administration.
Ii ought surely TO be the prayer VI every
Christian and patriot that such expeditions
may never again receive countenance In our
country or depart from our shores.
II would be useless repetition to do more
tUiu TtlcT, With ciTut-t COulTntnuuuOU, tO my
former recommendations in favor VI the Pacific
Ralroad-of the grant Of power to the Pres-
dent to employ the naval forco In the vicinity
for the protection Of the lives and property Of
our fcllow-citilens passing over the central
American routes, against sudden and lawless
outbreaks and depredations ; and also tO pro-
tect American merchant vessels, their crews
aud cargoes, against violent and uul,wful
seizure and confiscation In the ports Of Mexico
and the South American republics, when these
may be In n disturbed and revolutionary con.
dition. II is my settled conviction that without
such power we do not Afford that protection
to those engaged in the commerce Of the coun-
try which they have right TO demand.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
Iagain recommend to Congress the passage
Ofa law IN pursuance ofthe provisions OF the
Constitution, appointing day certain, pre-
yious TO the ith OF March, in each year Of an
old number, for the election Of representatives
throughout all the states. A similar power
has already been exercised with general appro.
baton. In the appointment of the same day
throughout the Union for holding the election
of electors Cor President aud yice-presdent Of
the States.
My attention was earnestly directed 10 this
subject from the fact that the 35th Congress
terminated on the 81 OF March, 1859, without
making the necessary appropriation for the
service Of the Post Office Department. was
then forced to consider the best remedy for this
omission, and an immediate call Of the present
Congress was the natural resort.
Upon inquiry, however, | ascertained that
fifteen out of the thirty three states composing
the Coniederacy were without representatives,
and that, consequently, these fifteen states
would be lisenfnnchiscd by such q call.
These fifteen states will be in the same condition
on the ith Of March next. Ten of them cannot
elc:t representatives, according 10 existing
state laws, until different periods, extending
from the beginning of Augu't next, until
the months of october and November.
In my last message gave wlrning that, In
time Of sudden and alarming danger, the SAL
yation of our ins; iutiUns may depend upon the
power Of the President to assemble full Con-
gress. to meet the emergency.
TARIFF.
II Is now quite evident that the financial no
cessities of the government will require mod
ification of the tariff during your present scs.
sion for the purpose ofincreasing the revenue.
In this aspect, | desire Ia reiterite the recOm-
mendation contained In my last two annual
messages, In favor ol imposing specific, instead
of nd yalOrum duties on all imported articles to |
which these can properly be applied.
From long observation AMI experience am |
convinced that specific duties are necessary, |
both 10 protect the revenue and to secure To |
our manufacturing interests that amount Of
incidental encouragement which unayOidably |
results from revenue tariff |
As an abstract proposition II may be admit |
ted that al yalorum duties would, In theory, bc |
the most just and equal. But IL the experience |
Of this and OF all other commercial nations has |
demonstrated that such duties cannot he ASSESS |
cd and collected without great frauds upon the |
revenue, then II is the part of wisdom to resort
to specific duties.
Indeed, from the very nature 0f an ad yalor- |
um duty, this must be the result Under IL the |
inevitable consequence is, that foreign goods
will he entered nj less than their true value.
The treasury will, therefor, lose the duty ON
the difference between their real and fictitious
value, and 10 this extent we are defrauded.
The temptations which al valorum duties
present to adishonest importer are irresistible.
Ills object Is to pass his goods through the Gus
tom house ut the very lowest valuation neces-
sary to save them from conhscation. In this
he too often succeeds, in spite Of the yigilence
false invoices, one for the purchaser and an
other for the Custom House, and to other ex- |
pedients to defraud the Government.
The hopest importer produces his invoice TO
the collector. stating the actual price ut which
he purchased the article abroad. Not 81 the
dishonest importer and the agent Of the foreign
manufacturer. And here IL npy be observed
that a very large proportion ot tho manufac-
lures imported frOm ab.Oil are consigned tor
sale to commission merchants who are mere
agents employed by the manufacturers. la
such cases no actual sale has been made to ix
their value.
The foreign manufacturer, fhe be dishonest.
prepares an invoice of the goods, not at their
actual value, hut at the very lowest rate neces-
sary to escape detection. In this manner. the
dishonest importer and the foreign manuiac-
turer enjoy decided advantage over the hon.
est merchant. They are thus enabled TO UNDER
sell their lair trader, and drive him from the
market.
In fact. the operation Of this system has al
ready driven frum the pursuits Of honorable
commerce many Of that class Of regular and
conscientious merchants, whose character,
throughout the world, is the pride ofour coun
try.
The remedy for these evils Is to be found in
specific duties so far as this may be practicable
They dispense with any inquiry at the custom
House into the actual cost or value Of the arii-
Gle. and IL pays the precise amount Of duty
previously liked by law. They present no temp
tations to the appraisers Of foreign goods, who
receive but small salaries, and might, by UNDER
valuation In few cases, render themselves in
depenpcnt.
Besides specific duties best conform to the
requistion in the constitution that "no prefer
ence shall be given by any regulation OF COM
mercc or revenue 10 the ports VI one State over
those ofanother." Under our al yalorem such
preferences are to somc extent inevitable, and
complaints have often been made that the spirit
Of this provision has been violated oy lower
appraisment ofthe same article Mt one port than
at another.
An impression strangely enough prevails to
some extent that specific duties are necessarily
protective duties. Nothing can be more faIla, |
cious. Great britain glories In free trade, anu
yet her whole revenue from imports rs NJ .ns
present moment collected under system of
speci6c duties Il Is striking fact In this con;
nection that, In the commercial treaty OF 1ya
january, 1860. between France and EngIana,
one Of the articles provides that the al .Aols
duties which Il imposes shall be converted INTO
speci6c duties within six months from It's date.
mi these IRE 10 he ascertained by making an
average OF the prices for six months pS',Ian prsJGIu