REPORT

OF

A COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS

OF

BOSTON AND VICINITY,

OPPOSED TO

A FURTHER INCREASE OF DUTIES

ON

IMPORTATIONS.

BOSTON:

FROM THE PRESS OF NATHAN HALE.

No. 6, Congress Street.

1827.

At an adjourned meeting of the Citizens of Boston, assembled to take into consideration the proposed increase of duties, especially upon Woollen Goods, the Committee heretofore appointed, having had the subject under consideration, ask leave to submit the following

REPORT:

THAT they have had various meetings upon the subject referred to them, and, as far as their means of information would permit, have collected a variety of facts, and taken such views of the subject, as appeared to them best calculated to illustrate the impolicy and injustice of any further increase of the existing burthensome duties on imported articles, and especially the injurious consequences to the community at large, of further duties on imported Woollen Goods. These facts, views and illustrations are embodied in the form of a more extended report, which is herewith submitted. Your Committee are aware of the peculiarly difficult position, in which this question is now placed, by the accidental, if not designed connexion of this subject, under the specious name of the American System, with certain controverted political questions, between which and that system, your Committee believe there is no natural or necessary relation. On this ground, and considering how widely many of the citizens of the United States are divided upon those questions, and the injurious influence which party zeal and political prejudice are likely to exert upon a question which ought to be dispassionately considered and decided upon its own merits, your Committee have hesitated in deciding whether it is expedient at the present time to bring the subject before the public. But considering the importance at all times of establishing just and sound principles of general policy, of counteracting those erroneous impressions, which might be made by misrepresentations often repeated and never questioned or corrected, of endeavouring to enlighten the public mind to the true state of the question, and as far as can be done by collecting and presenting useful information, to give a right tone to public opinion and a right direction to public measures, without regard to the question, what men shall preside or what party shall predominate in the councils of the nation; and considering also the importance of shewing that the general voice of New England is not in favour of the restrictive and prohibitory system, your Committee