[Hawthorn]

>> import duties accounted for most of Federal Revenue in the 1800’s, when there were no income or corporate taxes <<

Of course. But “tariffs for revenue” were understood during the 1800’s to be conceptually and morally different from “tariffs for protection.”

Tariffs for protection are morally indefensible, while tariffs for revenue are a legitimate (if not always efficient) government tool.

[ek_hornbeck]

19th century tariffs were both a source of revenue and a tool to protect startup American industry from cheaper goods from (long-established) British and European industries. Washington and Hamilton realized that without protective tariffs, the US would not become a manufacturing power, it would be an economic backwater selling raw material and agricultural goods to Europe.

For most of the 19th century, the most important dividing issue between Republicans (and their Federalists/Whig predecessors) and Democrats (Democratic Republicans) was tariffs vs. free trade.