New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-09
NUMBER 81.

t...-..r. .. 1SOIlDLEG e2l
will then be too late to accomplish what nov
might easily be done. Amend this clause by addn;
4 these words: g That all duties and in1posts ahal
be levied at the same rate ad vaIorem on al
articles imported"
Taken in it's literal sense. the Constitution, as
atanda means this and nothing else. Future agita
tons then, growing out of present mfseonstraetion
shonid be avoided by such an amendment as have
motioned e
The members of the Convention should bear in
5nlha the real cause Of our present revolution
Ihat it originated in the tariff question there can
/ be no doubt. 3e
The embargo and non-intercourse policy of Mr..
| hadson's administration diverted large amount
of capital from ordinary purauits into
! ing enterprises during the last war with Great
| Britain AT the close of the contest when this
| policy was abandoned, the infant manufactures
| havng been forced into premature development
by prohibition, claimed discrimination for their
protection in the imposition of duties. Under the
peculiar circumstances, the protection was ac-
corded. the act of 1916 was the result, to which
Mr, Calhoun was party both by vote and speech.
The principle having been unfortunately ad-
mitted, from that time forward there was cease
less CRY for discriminating protective duties; and
the principle was embodied in, while the measure
was was enlarged, by the acts of 1918, 1922 and
1924, and finally eliminated in the bill of abom-
nations of 1873. The glaring inequality OF this
last act, and the grinding oppression produced by
it on the staple States, resulted in the notification
Il
| ing the country in civil war. The compromise
Of 1888 stayed the uplifted hand of civil strife,
and by providing that no tariff should be imposed
/ except for revenue, and that no more revenue
/ should be collected than was necessary for an
| economical administration of the Government
promised what was believed to be an equitable and
| final adjustment of this disturbing question, ON
terms which, il not entirely satisfactory, were at
| least acceptable to all. But in 1872 the suhieet
was again rdopened; the free list was enlarged
| determinations for protection asserted on one
| side and denounced on the other; ending in the
adoption of tariff oppressive to the South, which
speedily spread disquiet and alarm. Agitation
| succeeded to disquiet, and the contest between
| what Mr.. Seward has since not naptly termed the
capital and labor Statesthe first claiming equality
| Of right under the Constitution, and the other
! demanding bounty on its labor-shook the coun-
try to its CENTER This ended in the passage Of the
act Of 1876, which, while it abated somewhat the
measure Of protection still retained the principle
| BY adhering to an extensive free list and wide
4 range of discrimination. i#
No immediate discussion followed the passage
OF the last act. Other matters for the time ab-
sorbed public attention. The smoke Of the battle
fields of Paio Alto and Resaca de la Palma still
hoated on the breeze. The blood of American
soldiers cried aloud from the ground for revenge
However much aggrieved by the tariff, the South
felt it was no time to argue at home for her rights
under tax bill, but Ito engage in vndicating her
| country's honor abroad. Sue therefore girded on
! her armor, and went forth conquering and to
conquer. The war ended in blaze Of glory,
mainly through the gallantry of her sons.
! The questions connected with the government OF
| the territory acquired at its termination by the
| treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stirred the political
waters to their utmost depth and the negro irnmedi
ately foated to the surface. Seized upon with
| avidity, as means of infaming the public mind
| the canting fanatic and schemng manufacturer at
sought to deepen the convictions Of their sec
ton by arousing its bitterest preiudices. This not
| for any love borne to the negro but in order to
obtain the control of the Government to the end
| that its legislation might be so shaped as to pay
bounties to their labor and impose burdens on ours.
Itwas never dreamed by them that this negro agita-
| ton would dissolve the Union. Such a result has
defeated their object. They only meant to enrich
| themselves and impoyerish us. To obtain their
| object, they sowed the wind. They have reaped
| the whirlwind.
! The quarrel, then, that has recently ended
| in disunion is not of day Or a year. 1t
grew out of the tariff question it was based on
the tariff system; and only embraced the negro as
an incident to it, and as means to help to end
| Such quarrels and such results must, sooner OIL
| later, grow out of all unequal and unjust legisla
tion. One portion of the community will not stand
as it ought not TO stand an oppressive tax for tht
benefit of another portion 1t s the duty of all t,
bear equally the burdens of government as all ar.
| alike protected by it. And hence my anxiety a
the outset Of our career to SO clearly define th
power of Congress over this question of taxation
to preclude the possibility of mscons truction in th
future.
The sixth paragraph, 9th section, lat article is {
sad blunder. 1t distinctly ignores the wisdom
/ gathered from the experience of more than si1
| hundred years.
An export duty on cotton (for it means only
this) is wrong in principle and offensive n its ap
| plicaion. 1t is wrong in principle, because it is
| a burden imposed on particular interest for the
benefit of all other interests; is offensive in its
| application because it compels part of the cammu-
nifty to discharge an obligation due by the thoze
| l am consoled by being told this tax will not
come out of the planter, but will be paid by the
purchaser and consumer. If this be so, how stupid
not to impose cent or two pound SO as to obtain
all the revenue we want without taxing our people
| at all. A cent per pound on a moderate crop
would yield at least SIG 900 900, which would be
ample in time of peace. ~ gE-
| But does not every one know that on export
duty takes just that much from the local price of
the commodity? Does it not have the same effect
as any other port charge? Who does not know
| that when sterling exchange diminishes in value
cotton Immediately recedes in price? Who does
not know that when freight goes up cotton goes
down? Who does not remember that the whole
planting community few years ago was thrown
into storm of Indignation at tax of ten cents q
bale imposed by the authorities of this city on all
cotton landed at this port?
If be true, however, that the export duty is
charge on the consumer, and not on the producer
why was it imposed on the single article OF cotton?
Why not include the sugar and rice crops in it?
The sugar interest has large representation on this
floor, and il they believe in this theory, beg they
will consent to an export duty on sugar. Putting
the crop at 350,00T hhds. and giving $4,000 as
the animal amount consumed in the Con-
leuefAte StdLeS oUuuUJ WOuln De lett FOR export
alton. This, at small rate per pound would
| add considerably to the national income. And as
by this theory it would cost the sugar planter moth
ing, we, by all means ought to have it. | observe
some of my cane.growing friends smiling incredu
lously. They evidently doubt its correctness as
applied to their production. But. if the theory be
false in regard to sugar. it must also be fase ia
gard to cotton, and should therefore be discarded
in toto. The heroes and sages who achieved the
independence of the old thirteen colonies and
framed the Constitution of the United States un-
derstood this matter thoroughly, aud provided
that no export duty should be levied on any arti-
Gle; and until now export tax has been levied
on any agricultural production since the corner
stone of American liberty was laid in the cement
of revolutionary blood. & ~"
1t would seem there ought to be no difference of
opinion on this question at this day It is one of
those subjects on which nations have grown wise
by experience. During the darkness of the mid
die ages, when Europe was governed by the feuda
system, the royal treasures were replenished by
Scutage, Tallage and Danegeld. These aids prov
ing at times insufficient the cHpricous vacilaton
of those who then ruled the people aIternated in
the then infancy Of commercial traffic. between i'm
port and export duties. But as civilization ad.
vanced and commerce increased, the impediments
to trade one by one disappeared. And now, all
the leading commercial powers of the Old World
have abandoned export duties Spain, not at all
remarkable for her material progress or CONNER
cial success, being the only European power that
adheres to it. --.- -
It would hardly be the part of wisdom in us to