New-York daily tribune., 1866-04-07
TROY. N. Y. April 4. 1sG6.

r. Msssrs j. BOORMAN JOHNSTON Co., DEHoN,
CLARK & BRDGrs. NJ. K. JEsUP & Co., PERKINS,
LIVINGSTON & Posi-. and Others:
GENTLEMEN: ain accidentally in receipt of
-Four con fdsntial circular. dated March l9 1866 and
sssre to express my gratitude in behalf Of that portion
pf the Iron trade "ot our country" which you so
hthfaly represent" You state that with the cost
Of freight insurance and incidental charges, added to
khe present duty, there is discrimination OF at least
10 per upon the manufacturers price Of rails in
Favor OF the American Iron Master.
This is certainly surprising-if true.
Rylards' English Iron Trade Circular OF March II,
ts56 (ony days earlier than your Confidential Com
luncation) gives 81 the lowest prices Of Welsh
Rails at Works equivalent to s35. Seventy per cent
npon this would be SPA 80 which would make Rails
cost in New York $50 so yet at this date they could
baye been purchased for SIS in gold The duty per tun
f224O B) ia SIS 6s allow 81 80 for freight and insur
ance which is below average cost and we have 500
bddel to the first cost which makes up the s55. The
d 81 which remains OF the 20 per centand which it is
pres-med is that portion of the incidental charges
hch pays you for your disfRteresed seIvicemust be
baid directly by the foreign manufacturer 1t does
hot show itself in the quoted prices Of Rails 1 con
kratulate you upon being go proftably employed. If
without investment Of capital incurrng risk you are
making or 10 per cent the foreign trade in Rail
honpetition Of tie American manufacturers, and in
tonr effort confluence Representatives in Congress"
you may possibly be as much concerned for your own
saresis as for the entire Railroad Commercial aud
Agricultural interests Of the country"
You say it strikes you that this discrimination of 10
t,er cent should be enough TO secure the American
manufacturer profit. Now you know better than tins
Sou cannot fail to know that the direct and Indirect
fax paid by the domestic manufacturer, about equals
fhe duty on rails imported from abroad This Item oil
your 10 per cent thus nued. Then, as to freghts
A. costs no to transport tun OF iron from ares
20 Chicago via the Wenand Canal, than to send 10
the same point from mills located in the coal and iron
districts OF Pennsylvania The Welsh ron-master can
Deliver his iron in Charleston, NewOrleans and almost
any Southern port al less cost OF freight than the
American master Thus the item OF neight Is
pulihed. There remains the incidental charges, viz:
sour enormous commissions profits, which you may
Sustify upon patriotic grounds robbery Of the
Egvptans-doubess for the benefit Of that portion OF
the trade in railroad iron Of own country which
You represent and which viii be greatly increased by
Che publication Of your circular.
You seem TO fear that advance in the price OF rails
. preyent the restoration OF railroads in the recon-
structed South Your principals would naturally feel
injured by exclusion from their accustomed Southern
ehot snd she'll muskets great guns, &C.. 1t behooves
4he American Congress TO open Southern market ior
British railroad iron.
"Political money influence may prevail with Penn
svlvania Representatives, but such congressman as
Gen Banks of Massachusetts, Gen Garfield OF Ohio, and
Gen Rousseau OF Kentucky have been in pleasant con
tact with the products OF British industry and should
entertain for British manufacturers sentiments OF the
highest regard You cannot make tho American iron
Ant rest odious by calling it Pennsylvania II Is
aHoHol and all who consult the statistics Oh Internal
Revenue well knowNit
The American manufacturers as Is shown Dy the ID
sestig Of the Revenue Commission, hare not az
sAOl made prcfts Of tcO cent per dHHu~ on @
fRpsanenta
These men, who have thus far without adequate
yeward, expended their capital and devoted theil
energies to the development Of the wealth OF th'
nation and giving support TO thousand OF ta1'paylht
workingmen who ook to them for their means OF ying
will probably be regarded with more favor by al
American Congress than tie agents Of alien enemies
csmped for time upon borders, employing but @
score Of clerks and realizing princey fortunes none
of which go develop our resources or TO employ
our own people.
In speaking of a political moneyinhuence so power
ful as to warrant fair chance Of success" do you meal
iDsn1ate that the iron masters Of NewYork, Penn
sylvania or Ohio using money to corrupt Congress
and secure favorable legislation When you comment
this matter 10 the consideration of the favored few 4
whom your Circular sent and beg them TO u.s.
their influence with their Representatives in Con
gress" is it political money influence you would In
vokei II So your friends should know it, in order I
send round toe contribution box in time Under
equyocal phrase psed in unwarranted and unsolcite
confidence you sander the people Of this country an
their representatives; and were not the insnuaon
cowardy as to deprive it OF oil credit Congress nigh
well yindicate its honor by the action OF an lnvest
eating Committee.
Your concluding question is cinoher IT is VOL
thy Of Jack BuDsby 1t possesses in eminent degre
the clearnsss and pertineDcy which characterize th
Iessonings OF that distinguished navigator" Whic
will produce the most revenue to the Government, on
mile Of railroad or the duty one ton Of rails |" All
which And then what Do you mean to say that
mile Of railroad can be constructed with ton OF rails
My impression is that It takes about hundred tons
~ would be more pertinent 10 ask what would mil
OF railroad be worth without the freight and othe
bushnell furnished T. directly and indirectly by ia
nine and the Manufacture.
In conclusion. permit me to show you, and the Con
gress you would influence. that your statements