18 LETTERS. Letter from Mr. SAM’L HOOPER, Chairman Com. of Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Washington, and Mr. ALEX. H. RICE, M. C. [From the Boston Advertiser.] Some of the ladies in this city who have undertaken the movement in favor of a general league against extravagant and mischievous expenditure, lately made application to the Representatives in Congress from Boston, for their views as to the advantages and proper objects, of such a movement. The reply made by Messrs. Hooper and Rice is as follows: House of Representatives, > Washington City, Monday, May 2, 1864. j Ladies :—We have received the note with which you have honored us respectively under date of the 18th inst., informing us that a meeting of ladies had been held to consider the expediency of giving up, for the present, the use of some of the most expensive articles of luxury, such as silks, satins, velvets, laces, French millinery, etc. ; and asking our opinion respecting the advisability of the measure, stating also that you had been informed that the diminution of the foreign debt, or of the United States Revenue, from this movement, would be too inconsiderable to be of much moment. You are pleased also to ask us to give you our opinion of the expediency of your uniting to carry the proposed measure into effect, and we cheerfully comply with your request. As every dollar added to the revenue by the duty on importations involves an expenditure of more than two dollars for the cost of the article abroad, the national wealth will be increased by any reduction of revenue from that source. Whether the effect on the foreign debt would be inconsiderable or not, would, of course, depend on the extent to which the movement would be carried. Almost every country has special advantages in regard to the production of some articles, arising from peculiar causes, such as climate, soil, or the skill derived from the long pursuit of an employment. As a general principle, it may be said that our foreign commerce is beneficial to the nation only so far as it exchanges products, which we can furnish, cheaper and better, for the products other countries can furnish cheaper and better to us. So far, therefore, as the imported articles are necessary and useful to us, the foreign commerce which supplies them in exchange for articles of our own production is useful to the country.
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