The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-06


principle that this contribution is but limited
grant or power occurs, fnot directly, yet fire.
qientiy and efectually, 70 that it cannot be milf
taken. On the privilege afked for, to hermit
coicges and unvertities to import their books
free OF impot, we refer to the Sth fiction of ,he
lit article, where it is declared that Conpref,
man nave powert 10 levy ard collect taxes, du-
ties, impoit and excfes; but all duties, impots
and exc'ies, ihall be uniform throue bout the u
nitea States: The impoit fhsll be uniform. It
is lamentable fact, but nevertheless il is a fa0.
and cannot be too much dwelt and infiited AN.
on nor TOO well known, that the ambiguity of
language gives our contribution that character
which leaves It IN the power of civilians TO fay it
means any thing or nothing. Whatever may
nave been lard on other points, I think in this
inhance the language is 70 definite that it cannot
poiioly be mltaken. They ihal be uniform,
mat is to lay, there ihall be but one quantum,
one mode OF collecting, and one manner there
~, ma. NOT be two mcaiures to metc with.
IL congress undertake to exempt one clafs of
people from the payment of the impo(t they
may exempt others alto. If they beqin with
colleges and univeriities for the adv,ncement of
learning, iureiy they may go on to exempt the
clergy ana congregation for the advancement of
rehsion they may exempt their own mem
oers indeed 1t cannot be feen where they are
10 top' having once overleaped the conN;tu,i
onai barrier and entered on the wide field of Dri
viiege. The duties mutt be uniform no body
can be exempted, the Prefdent if he chufes 70
import DOCKS, mutt pay the duty rs well as any
P'Na'e C'uZen. In this country we have no
privileged c!lts, all mutt fare alike, every man
mutt bend tn the law, ard the tax muft be mi
form whether on land or books.
fernapsitmayb be faidthat the practice under TIRE
coNititution has decided asainR my conftrrcti
on for philosophical apparatus is exc,nDted
rom DUTY when imported for the benefit of fe-
minaries OF learning. agree that philofopbi-
cal apparatus is exempted by law; but I believe
that law to be an unconititutiona! law, as well
as iome Others Pafied by former CongreiIes. Bnt
40 not WIN TO Gait any odium upon its fra
'ierS' more tnan they deftrve; it might have
Paiied through inadvertence or want OF reDeqi-
on, naT, = mig III have been thc, refuit OF ,pre
motives, the advancement oflcience an Etera-
.ure' Yet to thew how intent the contribution
Is 10 guard aSanft powers drawn by conftructi-
on even ON this very fubiect, which il muf
nave been folicitous to have extended. II has Ii.
mlted the Efforts of Congrefs TO promote ltera.
ture and the ufeful arts by any other means
than that OF granting TO authors and difcovcr-
eis the executive ute of their inventions, and
Puon'hlnS their worss-And Congress have no
power 10 promote the advancement of fcence
or literature IN any other than this particular
way. If thefe observations arc not received as
reaions for the report of the committee, thew
VIII De coniidered as the ratification of one of
its members.
Mr.. FinaAy obferved, tina. an addition 20
me constitutional objections urged, he had o.
thers or the ground of expediency. The coun-
Try colleges and feminaries, whole funds were
i'naH' mad ieldom or never an opportunity of
Importing books they were happy to receive
tI n. III Inc country az donations, or by cheap
W.
leipohaing accommodation, and yet they were
more uieful and their ufe more universally felt.
.ndli 'hoie called higher initutions, which claim
~ oe exempted from paying impof. There are
oh'y = rev" CT the well endowed academies that
Can anord to procure foreign books, and when
'hey nave them, their circulation is extremely
cohilned to lay nothing more, thefc reafons
would engage me to fupport the refolution.
ERIK. GTyScold. The gentleman fromVirg. Mr.
kandolph) mutt have mifunderhood me when
ne iuppoicd objected to the report, becaufe
ehe committee had aligned no reafon for the re-
loiution-l mentioned the circumtance merely
to thew that we ought not then to decide.
with refped to the constitutional objection he
has let up, ] acknowledge it is new tome-
Such an enquiry may be of great weight, but it
does not appear fo to me. The paragraph QUO
ted from the 9Th fiction of firt article, that
Songreis ihall have power to levy and collect
taxes, has never nruck me in the way il has
that gentleman. The words are, levy and COL
|sf f0Fe5, duties, inIpeRJ and evriLc5 bit il
drops the word taxes, it being fettled in ano-
ther part of the contribution, and declares that
duties, impofs and excfes fial be uniform
The one ipeaks of direct taxes, the other of in
dTect-neaning that if an indirect tax is laid 10
HAL be uniform. No one fate ia to have an
excite laid upon its inhabitants unlefs it extends
to the citizens of every other. One part is not
to be excited, and another executed. This has
always been the contribution of that fcetion of
the contribution It'll the preiept moment, and
THINK 1t the true one. 1t is now faid that Con-
grefs can only promote fcience and literature in
one way. Why have not Congress made
grants of lands to promote thofe objects in the
weftern country? They have. IbeIieve the
power OF Congrefs adequate to promote litera
ture in the way applied for, and it has been
frequently the cafe that even after duties have
been paid into the treafury upon the uniform
iyitem, yet individuals have had thofe duties
returned. do not want to detain the houfe
hui am well perfuaded that the contribution
forms no impeachment, and the cxpedency mutt
beappareut.
Mr.. i. RaHd0Lbb believed the gentleman Jaff
up had mifunderttood him. But II was not We
~ material whether he was mifunderfood or
not, ss Mr.. &. had not thought proper TO an
liver him on the principal ground, namely the
constitutional objection. lie however faid
iioinct'ing. Duties, impofs and excifes flall