Answers to Questions. 
101 
tion, and Joint Stock Companies, whose statutes would have to 
be submitted to the Government for their approval. It deter¬ 
mines the conditions on which they, exist, and their mode of 
action. Under the control of this legislation companies could 
be formed, either for exploring the mines, or for the establish¬ 
ment of manufactories, and the Government would look very 
' favorably on all serious undertakings of this sort. 
The Government cannot bind itself to the adoption of a pro¬ 
tective tariff. Manufacturers would, however, have a sufficient 
guarantee in our actual tariff, whose mean rate for the last 
twenty years has been 20 per cent, upon the value of goods im¬ 
ported. As our fiscal legislation derives its principal revenue 
from the customs duties, it is not to be supposed that the exist¬ 
ing system will be given up, for a long time to come. 
We have no law on Patents. The principle, however, exists 
in our civil law, as regards literary property, and might, if need 
be, be developed, so as to afford protection to inventions. 
Though the law of the National Guard prescribes a monthly 
review thereof, on every first Sabbath in the month, measures 
would be taken not to disturb the conscientious scruples of the 
members of those churches which forbid such a use of that day. 
The sons of emigrants destined to a religious career will be 
exempted from military service. There will be no exception 
made in the case of those who may be engaged in secular pur¬ 
suits or professions. 
Provisions of all kinds being always to be had in abundance, 
there is no need of dispensing with the payment of the customs 
duties on provisions for the use of those who may arrive. 
Machines, agricultural implements, and personal effects, will 
be allowed to be brought into the country free of duty. There 
can be no exception made to the general rule in such cases, as 
regards the disposal of produce by the emigrant. 
The Government will engage to provide remunerating labor 
for honest and able, but poor laborers, who could not imme- 
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