Van
Buren, he forced his party to go with him. But as a whole, the
record of tariff legislation, from the very origin of the government,
is the record of enlightened selfishness; and enlightened selfishness
is the basis of much that is wisest in legislation.

It is natural that both sides to the tariff controversy should
endeavor to derive support for their principles from the experience
of the country. Nor can it be denied that each side can furnish
many arguments which apparently sustain its own views and theories.
The difficulty in reaching a satisfactory and impartial conclusion
arises from the inability or unwillingness of the disputants to
agree upon a common basis of fact. If the premises could be candidly
stated, there would be not trouble in finding a true conclusion.
In the absence of an agreement as to the points established, it is
the part of fairness to give a succinct statement of the grounds
maintained by the two parties to the prolonged controversy,--grounds
which have not essentially changed in a century of legislation and
popular contention.

It is maintained by free-traders that under the moderate tariff
prevailing from the origin of the government to the war of 1812
the country was prosperous, and manufactures were developing as
rapidly as was desirable or healthful. Protectionists on the other
hand aver that the duty levied in 1789 was the first of uniform
application throughout all the States, and that, regardless of its
percentage, its influence and effect were demonstrably protective;
that it was the first barrier erected against the absolute commercial
supremacy of England, and that it effectually did its work in
establishing the foundation of the American system. In the absence
of that tariff, they maintain that England, under the influence of
actual free-trade, had monopolized our market and controlled our
industries. Finally they declare that the free-traders yield the
whole case in acknowledging that the first tariff imparted an
impetus to manufactures and to commercial independence wholly
unknown while the States were under the Articles of Confederation
and unable to levy uniform duties on imports.

COMPARISON OF REVENUE SYSTEMS.

The free-traders point to the destructive effect of the war tariff
of 1812, which unduly stimulated and then inevitably depressed the
country. They assume this to be a pregnant illustration of a truth,
oth