Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-10-08
GRt Stana4t0..
For the Standard.
FREE TRADE.
A SEQUEL 10 THE PAMPHLET ENTITLED "OUR
CURRENCY" -

(CONCLUDED.J 7
Whilst the minds of the whole people of the Con.
federacy were or ought to have been intently en-.
gagged upon the Constitution and before many of
them had even carefully studied and considered it.
or made up their judgments respecting it. and in
deed, before the ink of it was thoroughly dry
Congress, many of the mem bers of which had also
been members of the Convention that framed and
recommended the Constitution for adoption, by the
people, met, and under full, fresh, and imposing
sense Of their duties doubtless, and of their solemn
Obligations under the Constitution, and to it. sense
rendered the more intense and impressive by the
din of battles of bloodshed, and Of carnage and de-
structiOn all around and about them, and almost
sounding in their ears-all occasioned too unques-
tionaby by the protective policy of the United
Estates, and tariff result of their debera-
tons by which was laid amongst others, the follow
ing duties: Upon sugar and molasses 20 per cent.
upon iron, 10 per cent upon cloths and leather,
Is per cent, and upon salt 4 cents per hundred
weight, whilst coffee is admitted free of duty
Now, are there no indirect bounties in all this too
domestic industry? None to the sugar planter
none to the manufacturers of iron, of cloths
Of leather, and of SALT even? Are none Of these
branches OF industry promoted foStered by those
dities !? Why, if revenue aloneswas the object of
Congress- why not lay duty upon coffee? Of that
there could be no complaint because of it is
yet produced here, and duty upon it would be
productive source of revenue. The is too plain
to require argument. IT'S true, Congress has I'M
der the very clause of the Constitution from which
we have made the extracts above quoted, ''Pouer
to lay and collect tares duties, imposts and ercises
for rsrenue necessary to pay tile debts, pocide for
the common defence, and curry the government
Of The Confederate States" They may have re-
course to only, or to two, or to all the means
mentioned; that by duties and mposts is manifest
~ limited by the clauses herein above quoted which
Immediately follow in the Constitution. The means
by taxes and excuses are not limited TAXES"
Seem to have been uppermost in the minds of the
Convention, they being first mentioned. But, how
that may lie, tariff that will enable the Con-
federacy to pay the debts &C., &c, must run very
high in the scale of duties. Her war debt must be
a very large one, indeed is already, and the in
tcrcst upon it must be met annually, and to under
take to raise it. and the annual expenditures of the
government by duties upon imports alone, would
be 10 prevent importation in great measure, if not
entirely. Recourse to direct taxation it would seem,
then, must be had, and to adopt both modes would
be to consume very large proportion of her in
come in the collection of it.
True, We must have money from some source
Government must be supported, and, say Con-
gres:, all that intended by tariff merely
to raise the revenue necessary to that purpose. 1t
certainly not intention to promote or foster
any branch Of industry by it. and if that be in fact
a result of it. why, it is only an incidental one
All men of the Confederacy, Incidental protection
again, that phrase of vague and portentous import!
That hydra.headed monster of threatening and fear
full aspect! O5sta priacipiis" should be our
motto and our practice in this matter, no matter
uEder what pretence or guise, or for what purpose
the "principiis" may be presented.
But, why net, We ask, go directly and straig ht-
forward to the great and final source of revenue for
all purposes-the pockets of the people? 1t must
come from them at last, whatever means may be
rcsored to- and better, far better and cheaper for
them that it should come directly, than indirectly.
Why not, in plain words resort to direct taxation;
the tirest most equitable most reliable most Ger
tain speedy and econ )mical mode of raising reve-
nue-the mode whereby
The annual expenditures of the government would
be considerably reducedy
A more attentive and wa.chful eye will be kept
over them.
Each man will know precisely what government
cost him; under a tariff system he does not
Every man will be made to pay according to his
property; under tariff it is not So
The articles of necessity, that every man must
purchase, would cost him much less than he
would be obliged to pay for them under tariff, as
his taxes would amount to.
Tie expenses of collecting the revenue will be very
considerably reduced. Custom houses, ware houses,
revenue understandings which alone have cost
the United States not less than one hundred nil
lions of dollars, will be dispensed WITH to say moth
ing of the enormous amount paid annually for sala-
RES Of officers and men employed in and about them.
G vernment will be enabled to approximate with
a reasonable degree of certainty and accuracy, its
revenue for one two, or more years to come and to
govern itself accordingly; under tariff it cannot
do So The Treasurer must guess at it.
Frauds smuggling, and all evasions> of tariff
would be prevented.
Custom house oaths, another name, and pro-
verl.ia one for rank perjury, would be abolished
All taxable property would be fairly rated and
assessed. 1t would interest every man that his
ne,ghbor's property should be taxed and at an
equitable rate, opportunities for comparison would
be easy.
The revenue would be raised by means not to be
counleracted nterfered with by the action of any
other government, as is the case under tariff.
These and many other advantages would result,
aud, whereby, lastly, that Pandoras box filled to
the brim with evils ready to gush out at the slight
opening ofit tariff, would be efectually closed
The people certainly know that they must con-
tribute In some way, annually, for the support of
government, and why conceal the amount collected
from them by putting it upon the goods and wares
they purchase? Are they such dolts, so thought
less careless and Ignorant that they can easily be
deludcd in this respect? Or so unwise and stub
born, as to be unwilling to pay directly what they
willingly pay indirectly? By no means. 1t is a
libel W on them even to think so.
But it will be asked shall We in no way encour-
age and protect our domestic Industry Yes-yes,
we answer, promptly and cordially-but only by
safe, polite and legitimate means. Do it in the
most eficacious, stable and reliable manner; by
means not to be counteracted and set at naught by
the policy or continuance of any European or other
government. Do it by careful and enlightened
control and management and regulation ofour curren-
~. Do it as the governments of Europe do it,
Their examples, in this respect may we'll be follow
Cd They commend themselves to our attention
by their long and successful use of them. The
government of Great Britain for instance, does she
encourage and protect her home industry? Yes,
most thoroughly and effectually And how? She
controls and governs her currency keeps it within
the necessary, safe, and proper limits The Bank
OF England, and every other bank and banking COM
iany in the kingdom, limited and restrained in
the amount of their issues of paper Great Britain
protect her home industry? indeed, does she-and
sne SO protects it, as that whilst no imnorts from
abroad shall affect it. yet, that toher manufacturer
ana producers quite as important matter shall be
secured, viz the expectation of their products so
protects i, that her exports shall cost the lowest
ann, ~