WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 10, 1832. VOL. VI.............. BY DUFF GREEN.. $2.50 PER ANNUM. FROM THE SOUTHERN PATRIOT. To the People of the Congressional District of .......No. 24 sed to make it the basis of a bill reported by them, which, after having received various amendments, became a law on the 15th of July, 1832. For the vote which was given by me upon FELLOW CITIZENS: In consequence of the the final passage of this bill, all the newspapers near approach of the period when the payment throughout the State, which are attached to the of the public debt was anticipated, it was natu- doctrine of nullification, have charged me with rally expected and desired, that the late Con- having sacrificed the interests of my constitugress before its adjournment, would revise and ents, and with having acted inconsistently with so modify the tariff act of 1828, as to reduce, opinions which I had previously expressed. considerably, the amount of revenue which it Anxious that my fellow citizens, whether they provided for, and also the rate of the duties be my political friends or foes, should be in which were levied under it, upon the importa-possession of the motives of my political contion of protected articles. As early as January duct, in order that they may be enabled to de1832, two resolutions of the House of Repre-termine whether I merit their confidence, or sentatives directed the Secretary of the Trea-have justly exposed myself to their censuse, I sury "to collect information as to certain ma- will submit to them the reasons that governed nufactures in the United States, and to commu- me upon the subject under consideration. nicate the same to the House, with such sugges- The provisions of the tariff act of 1832, are, tions as he might think useful, with a view to the by no means, such as I desired them to have adjustment of the tariff, and with such a tariff been; but when they were under discussion, of duties on imports, as might, in his opinion, before Congress, the problem for the solution be best adapted to the advancement of the of the members of that body, was not, in ordi. public interest." In the report made by the nary circumstances, what a tariff act ought to be, Secretary of the Treasury, in compliance with nor in what manner it should be drawn, so as to these resolutions, he remarked that the impost satisfy the manufacturers of the north, or the system "of the United States has been for ma-agricultaralists of the south-the exclusive ny years, incidentally, but so intimately con-friends of protection on the one hand, or of nected with the growth and protection of Ame-free trade on the other; but whether any midrican capital and labor, as to have raised up dle course could be devised which would regreat national interests indispensable to the concile conflicting pre udices and interests-alprosperity of the country, and which cannot be lay the fury raging in the bosoms of the two lost sight of, in any new adjustment of the sys-great tariff parties into which the people were tem. In the circumstances which require, at divided, and prevent the collision between present, a general reduction of the revenue, it them, which might not only disturb the harmo. is not deemed practicable to pursue, for any ny, but endanger the existence of the Union. length of time, the degree of protection hith- The difficulty of effecting this arrangement, erto afforded to those interests which have was, probably, greater than any which had ever grown up under the past legislation. The state been presented to the deliberations of Congress of public feeling throughout an important por-since the adoption of the Federal Constitution. tion of the country, which, with greater or less Whilst a large minority of the people regard a intensity, calls for a revision of the existing ta- protective tariff to be unauthorized by the conriff, is not to be disguised. Both patriotism stitution, a majority of them have arrived at a and wisdom dictate that this sentiment should diametrically opposite conclusion. If all those be respected, and as far as may be compatible who were hostile to a protective tariff, prowith the common weal, that it be satisfied, not nounced it to be unconstitutional, and all those from any unworthy motive, but under that obli- who were in favor of it, pronounced it to be congation of duty which requires that all be re-stitutional, it might, naturally, be presumed that garded with an equal eye: that all be borne up-these discordant inferences resulted from secon with an equal hand; and under that no less tional prejudices or individual interests. But solemn obligation, to preserve, by any reasona- such is not the relative position of the contendble concessions, our inestimable Union." In ing parties. The advocates of protection the spirit of these sentiments, which redound are unanimous, on this side of the quesso much to the credit of the head and the heart tion, whereas its adversaries differ among themof the Secretary, he prepared a bill for Con- selves. Many of the most intelligent delagates gress, which, with some alterations, would, in to the Free Trade Convention which met in my judgment, have been peculiarly adapted to Philadelphia in September last, expressed their meet the exigencies of the times. This bill conviction of the legitimate power of Congress was referred to the Committee on Manufactures to pass protective tariff acts, though they conof the House of Representatives, who profes- demned their principle, as fraught with evil and would be attended with the ruin of millions; merly, to use all my exertions to erase it from to endeavor to obtain an amelioration of its pro- our statute book; and I derive no little confivisions by compromise with their opponents, dence in the repeal of protective tariffs, from and to post pone all efforts for its repeal to a fu- the fact, that a diminution of the power of ture and more auspicious period. Gen. Blair, those who have hitherto, been regarded to be so far from conceiving that his vote was a re- the veteran and uncompromising supporters of cognition of the settled policy of the protec protection, was manifested, by the passage of tive system," declared that he did not vote the act of July last, in spite of their unremitting for the bill as a compromise of the subject, or and strenuous opposition to it, aided by the coas a quietus of the complaints of the south, but operation of several of those who term themon the principle of reduction," and Mr. Mitch-selves the friends of free trade, among whom ell, who spoke at length against the bill, gave were included both of our Senators and six of to it his support, for reasons similar to those our Representatives. These Senators and Repwhich had been assigned by General Blair. resentatives might have been able to reconcile Had my conduct in relation to this bill been the their conduct with what they conceived to be reverse of what it was; had I voted against it, policy and duty. I could not imitate their ex-, and had this vote been cited to establish that I ample, nor shall I be prevailed upon to think had been inconsistent and treacherous to my that I ought to have done so, until I shall be duty, I should have felt that I was incompe- persuaded-that theburthen of protective dutent to defend myself against these grave accuties is increased, by reducing their rate and sations. I might have urged, as a subterfuge, amount-and that where the choice is submitthat I would not suffer my name to be enrolled ted to a representative of subjecting his conin favor of any protective tariff; but would 1 stituents to a greater or a lesser evil, he ought not have been confounded and silenced by the to prefer inflicting upon them the greater. reply, that if the law which I refused to vote for Ameliorations in the existing tariff' have been had been rejected, a law more grievous, and achieved by the act of 1832. When that change which contained protective duties more one-shall take place in Congress, which will be prorous, would be in force; and that, by declining duced by the election of new members, accord. to exert myself to accomplish the passage of ing to the Apportionment Bill of the last sesthe act of 1832, I virtually contributed to rivet sion, there is every reason to expect that still upon my fellow-citizens the greater oppression further advances will be made toward the fulof the sct of 1828 ? filment of what is desired by the friends of unThe compromise which I recommended in the restricted industry. In the interim, what has House of Representatives, was declared tobe in-been done cannot impede, but will rather acceltended to meet the existing crisis, which, in the erate the progress of more just and liberal legis, apprehension of many wise and patriotic men, ation. Were I called upon to state what I threatened the destruction of the Union. To firmly believe to be the cause of the tariff sysavert this deep and dire calamity an immediate tem which now convulses our State, I should remedy was necessary-that remedy could not conscientiously reply, that it is to be attributed be administered without the co-operation of the to the act of the 27th of April, 1816, the pasfriends and the adversaries of protection; that sage of which was strenuously advocated by co-operation, to the extent which has been three-fourths of the delegation from South Ca mentioned, was obtained: it was unconnected rolina; that they insisted upon "the necessity of with any compact, express or implied, as to affording protection to the manufactures, to put "the settled policy of the country," or as to the them beyond the reach of contingency from fotrue construction of the powers to lay and reign competition." The restrictive measures collect taxes" or "to regulate commerce." of the Government before the late war with That the protective principle is contained in the Great Britain, and the interruption to our comact of 1832, is undeniable: it was also contained merce, during that war, had virtually protected in the bill which was reported by Mr. McDuffie, domestic manufactures; but when the act of as the chairman of the Committee of Ways and April, 1816, was under discussion, the duties Means; for in that bill, duties of 25 per centum which were intended for protection were gene, ad valorem, for prescribed periods, were to be rally so light, as almost to have escaped obserlevied upon the protected articles of Iron, Salt, vation. In April, 1816, the principle of proSugar, Cotton Bagging, Woollens, &c. :after-tection was openly avowed, and enforced in wards the duty was to be gradually reduced many instances by correspondent duties. Then 12 per centum, ad valorem, which, under that was invented the mischievous and delusive conbill, was estimated to be the rate of duty which trivance of the minimums, which was first apwas necessary for revenue. The constitutionali-plied to that fabric, the raw material of which ty of the protective system was as plainly constitutes the great staples of the south. It is admitted, by legislating for the continuance of true, that a provision was inserted, that the some protected items, during a single year, rates of duty upon manufactures of cotton and as by legislating for all of them, without any wool should be reduced within three years: but limitation as to time. Although the principle these were the only restrictions in that act. Its of protection has never been abandoned by any protective character, in other respects, was preCongress: although it is embraced within the served. The minimum upon cottons, by the provisions of the act of 1832, I have, yet, never operation of which those of the East Indies were supposed myself less at liberty now, than for-driven from the market, was to be retained at a of duty on all importations, excepting woollens, not furnished us with any data to support the being about 25 per cent.* positions, that upon the "manufactures receivIt not a little excites my surprise, that a pa-fed in exchange for staple productions of the per of so grave a character as "the address," southern States-the aggregate taxation is bewhich it is presumed, was drawn up with the lieved to be increased upwards of $1,000,000," utmost deliberation, should hazard the asser- beyond the tariff of 1828, while the reduction, that "the duties on the unprotected arti- tion" or repeal of the duties on those imports cles, are, with a few inconsiderable exceptions, which are received in exchange for the producentirely repealed," when the amount of all the tions of the tariff States, amounts to about $4,duties declared free by the act of 1832, are esti-000,000." How this gross inequality in the mated, in the statement of the Treasury, at no distribution of burthens and benefits is producmore than $400,000,† "The Address" has ed, by the act of 1832, I am unable to imagine. Upon some woollens, the duties will be * On a close calculation, omitting the 10 and rather higher than they are now, but the ag 20 per cent. addition to the value on goods gregate of the duties upon woollens, will be paying ad valorem duties, the following is the very considerably less. difference arising from the alteration of the pound sterling, and the cash duties with shortened credits. The reduction on protected arti cles will be Deduct interest on cash duties on woollens, amount of which being 1,953,159, for 10 months, at 6 per centum per annum, $97,658 Do. on duties on other protected articles, amount being $9,009,557 for 5 mo. at 6 per cent. per annum, 247,763 Difference originating from change in the pound sterling, affecting imports from Great Britain paying ad valorem duty, amount of these imports being $14,514,657, and the difference $1,075,160, at the average rate of duty on protected articles 37 per cent. is Net reduction on protected articles, Adding the 10 and 20 per cent. would increase the above to about $355,421 404,528 $1,869,056 The duties upon cottons will be reduced in almost every instance, and increased in none. Upon silks, the duties will be largely reduced. The duties upon iron, hemp, cotton bagging, sugars, and wine, are all diminished in greater or smaller ratios. The staple productions of the south being received in exchange for every one of the commodities which I have enumerat. ed, if the duties upon them be reduced, it ne. cessarily follows, so far as relates to those commodities (and they constitute the great articles of importation) that the burthen of southern taxation will be diminished. Neither can I dis. cover what "reduction or" repeal of the duties on those imports which are received in exchange for the productions of the tariff States, amounts to about $5,000,000." I have specified important articles upon which the duties will be reduced, after March, 1833, and it is known to every merchant, that for the more valuable proportion of them, the productions of the south are received in exchange, in a greater degree, than those of the north, whilst the cotton and rice of the southern States are almost exclusively exchanged for the wines of Spain and Portugal, and for the silks and wines of 759,949 France, and their rice and lumber for the sugars of the West Indies. The north will be benefitted by the reduction of the duties upon $1,109,107 indigo and raw wool not costing more than 8 cents the pound, and by the repeal of the duties upon madder, wood, cochineal, and some other materials used in dyeing, and as ingredi$1,550,000 ents in the process of manufacturing; but the community participates in those advantages, as †The aggregate amount of duties under the the effect must necessarily be to lower the price new bill, is estimated at Deduct duties on protected ar ticles, Leaves a duty on unprotected articles, $15,126,959 of manufactures. With respect to the repeal of the duties upon teas and coffee, and the re Add interest for 5 months shortened credits, at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, $114,516 Difference from change in the pound sterling on imports from Great Britain, paying ad valorem duties, amount of the imports being $7,400,852, and the difference $548,210, at the |