$4,395,096 Making an annual average amount of German produce and manufactures imported into the United States direct from Through France 525,000 2,500,000 Making an annual average total of importations into the United States of German produce and manufactures, of 7,420,096 11,130,144 There is no doubt that some of the manufactures of the zoll-verein are shipped to the United States by the way of Belgium, which, if it could be ascertained, would increase the above amount of importations; but, as I have not been able to obtain such information as I considered could be depended on as correct, I have consequently made no mention of same. According to the official statements prepared annually at the Treasury Department, there were imported direct from Prussia, and the Hanse Towns and other German ports, during the aforementioned two years, a greater amount than is stated in the aforegoing table; the difference arises from there being mentioned in the official statements the total importations, whereas, in the aforegoing table, I have only stated the importations of German produce and manufactures. The aforegoing table and statement evidently prove the great importance of the markets of the United States to the manufactures of Germany. The importance of those markets are annually increasing, keeping pace with the unparalleled increase of the population of the United States, as the following statement will show: During the year commencing the 1st October, 1836, and ending the 30th September, 1837, the importations direct from Prussia and the Hanse Towns, and other ports of Germany, according to an official statement from the Treasury Department, had increased considerably-say From Prussia From the Hanse Towns and other ports of Germany $497,829 Of which amount, the German produce and manufactures alone may be safely calculated at 5,500,000 3,200,000 8,700,000 13,050,000 To which should be added the importations of German manufactures through Holland and France Equal to Prussian thalers I would likewise draw your excellency's attention to the highly important fact, that, from the rapid increase of the population in the United States, arising partly from natural causes, and partly from the great annual emigration from Europe, the agricultural portion of our population are frequently not able to supply the wants of our country in bread-stuffs; and that, consequently, great quantities have, within the last few years, been annually imported principally from Germany: this fact shows the importance of our markets, also, to the agricultural interests of this country; but if our planters cannot find a market for their leaf-tobacco, they will have to cultivate bread-stuffs, and thus deprive Germany of the only market which is liberally opened to them for the great product of its soil. Should any other information be wanted respecting the great importance of the markets of the United States to Germany, I would respectfully suggest to the zoll-verein an application to that effect to the different chambers of commerce throughout this country, feeling confident that the unanimous answer will be, that the prosperity of the rising manufactures of Germany depends upon a continuation of the most friendly relations with he United States. 2d. I will now proceed to show the want of that reciprocity on the part of the zoll-verein toward the produce of the United States which is so liberally shown by the American Government to the produce and manufactures of Germany. By referring to table number 1, it will be observed that I have numbered each article. The numbers 1 to 16, inclusive, are admitted free of duty in the United States; the annual average amount for the two years therein mentioned $2,252,673 is Numbers 63 to 98, inclusive, pay specific duties, but when they amount to over 20 per cent. ad valorem the excess is subject to a deduction as above mentioned, and in June, 1842, no specific duty is to be charged; but the articles from numbers 63 to 98, inclusive, are to pay ad-valorem duties, which are not to exceed 20 per cent.: making an annual average importation of 460,137 - 1,396,684 285,6011 4,395,096 The articles of German manufacture shipped through Holland may be classed, as respects duties, in the same proportions as the above; but there is a much greater proportion, free of duty, of those articles sent through France than those shipped direct from German ports, as the principal amount sent by the way of France are silk goods and silk velvets, which are free of duty. Let us now examine the duties which are levied by the zoll-verein on the produce of the United States. Our raw cotton, it is true, is admitted free of duty; but the amount of that article imported, directly or indirectly, into the zoll-verein, does not bear so great a proportion (in respect to the amount of the other articles of the produce of the United States, which pay a duty in the zoll-verein) to the amount of German manufactures admitted free of duty into the United States, taking into comparison the value of the other articles of German manufacture which pay duties in the said states. But our leaf-tobacco and our rice pay very heavy duties in the zollverein. It is true that we have reason to believe that the duty on rice will be diminished to 2 thalers per centner; but as the price of this article in the United States may be estimated as averaging, during these last ten years, about 4 thalers per centner, the duty of 2 thalers per centner would still be 50 per cent. As regards our leaf tobacco, by referring to page 38 to 39, it will be seen that the average price of same in the United States, from 1826 to 1835, inclusive, was 5 dollars per 100 pounds American; which, at the duty of 5 thalers per centner, would be equal to an ad-valorem duty of 67 per cent. And in respect to tobacco-stems, the average value of which, in the United States during the last ten years, may be estimated at 3 Prussian thalers per centner; the duty being 5 thalers per centner, the same as on leaf-tobacco, it amounts to an ad-valorem duty of 157 per cent. on the first cost. In comparing these high duties in the zoll verein, with the moderate ones levied in the United States on the produce and manufactures of Germany, as shown on pages 19 and 20, it is easily seen that the duties levied in the zoll-verein, on the produce of the United States, are much higher than the duties levied in the United States on the produce and manufactures of this country. There is, consequently, no reciprocity in the tariff of the zoll-verein toward the liberal policy of the United States. It may be answered, that the tariff of the United States was made for our own convenience, and not to favor foreign nations. Strictly speaking this may be true; but the practical operation of our tariff is such, that German manufactures are greatly favored, which is one great cause of their flourishing condition, and of their being enabled to come in competition with those of England and France, there being a greater proportion of articles manufactured in Germany, admitted free of duty, than of any other country, in proportion to its commerce with the United States, and on those articles on which there is a duty ad valorem, it being levied on the value of the article, or rather on the first cost; consequently, as many of the German manufactures cost a lower price (from the cheapness of labor) than the same article manufactured either in England or France, they, in reality, pay a less duty than those coming from either of those two countries; the German manufacturers can, therefore, frequently undersell the French and English in the markets of the United States. But the practical operation of the tariff of the zoll-verein is, on the contrary, against the produce of the United States, particularly as regards the leaf-tobacco of our country, and greatly in favor of the Spanish colonies; for it is well known that the Cuba tobacco is far superior to that of the United States, and costs a much higher price, yet the tariff of the zollverein levies as high a duty on the leaf-tobacco of our country, as it does on that coming from the Spanish colonies. The foregoing are facts which cannot be controverted; and we are, therefore, justified in saying that the tobacco of the United States is not put on an equal footing with that from Cuba; and, consequently, the tariff of the zoll-verein does not treat all countries alike-nominally it does so, but practically we are the worst treated. Let us now compare the liberal rate of duties, as collected by the United States, with those levied in England, France, and the Spanish colony of Cuba, on the produce and manufactures of Germany: ENGLAND. Silk manufactures, per lb. 11 to 18 shillings. German sheet glass, per 112 lbs., £10. Plate glass, superficial measure, per square foot, from 6 to 11 shillings. The heavy duties exacted in Great Britain on German timber and grain, require no enumeration, as they are so well known and felt in this country. FRANCE. The manufactures of the zoll-verein, and of Prussia, particularly, are almost entirely excluded from the markets of France. The following artiticles are prohibited, namely: |