equally protected. The largest portion of our people are
agriculturists. Others are employed in manufactures, commerce,
navigation, and the mechanic arts. They are all engaged in their
respective pursuits and their joint labors constitute the national or
home industry. To tax one branch of this home industry for the benefit
of another would be unjust. No one of these interests can rightfully
claim an advantage over the others, or to be enriched by impoverishing
the others. All are equally entitled to the fostering care and
protection of the Government. In exercising a sound discretion in
levying discriminating duties within the limit prescribed, care should
be taken that it be done in a manner not to benefit the wealthy few at
the expense of the toiling millions by taxing lowest the luxuries of
life, or articles of superior quality and high price, which can only be
consumed by the wealthy, and highest the necessaries of life, or
articles of coarse quality and low price, which the poor and great mass
of our people must consume. The burdens of government should as far as
practicable be distributed justly and equally among all classes of our
population. These general views, long entertained on this subject, I
have deemed it proper to reiterate. It is a subject upon which
conflicting interests of sections and occupations are supposed to
exist, and a spirit of mutual concession and compromise in adjusting
its details should be cherished by every part of our widespread country
as the only means of preserving harmony and a cheerful acquiescence of
all in the operation of our revenue laws. Our patriotic citizens in
every part of the Union will readily submit to the payment of such
taxes as shall be needed for the support of their Government, whether
in peace or in war, if they are so levied as to distribute the burdens
as equally as possible among them.

The Republic of Texas has made known her desire to come into our Union,