The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-05-19
SA7URDAr MORNING, mar 10, 1904.

two and a half per cent duties on all goods
imported after the SOth Of June, which
now pay Il duty al valorem. 1t is well
known to the members of this committee,
that goods imported into the United States
charged with ad valorem duties, now pay
twelve and 4 half, fifteen and twenty per
cent. when imported in American bottoms (,
and an addition of ten per cent. on thefe
duties, when imported i'll foreign bottoms,
OF courfe, 1.-two and a half Fer cent. be adj
ded, it will bring up the duties to fifteen,
f~eventeen and a half, and twenty two and
half per cent, In my judgment theie du-
ties are higher than trade will bear. In
laying duties o. imported goods, there is a
point beyond which it is neither proper or
iafe to go. If we go beyond this point,
we create 4 temptation TO finuggling, 70
hrong as to be uncomfortable by any reve-
nue. laws. In my opinion the prcfent du-
ties are as high as it is fate to carry them ;
and | believe that nothing but the honefy
and integrity of our merchants, and its
being confidered difreputablc to fmug-
gle, has hitherto prevented its extern
five practice. If we carry the duties
higher, and impofe our whole taxes
on commerce, and embarraGs it in this way,
the meafure will have a tendency to bear
down the only barrier which has hereto
fore been Il fecIrity for 4 fate collection of
duties /; the feelings ofour merchants will
be changed the temptations to .fnuggling
will be increafed, and the practice will be
gone into. For thefe ~reafons, / think, un-
lefs the neccfitieS of government are very
prefing, it is improper to inCreafe the ex-
ining duties.
/ cannot, on this location, fee any flch
necefity. By an official report laid before
the Houfc, it appears that on the firt of
lat October, there was 4 ipecie balance in
the treafurv of 100000 dollars. The
PRECEDENT aifo at the opening ofthe FELTON,
informed us that it amounted to near fix
millions. Now, with this FUN in the trea-
fury at that time, which | know is charge
able with payments under the conventions
with France and Great Britain, but which
cannot be fwallowed Up by them, l think
this extraordinary taI unnecetIary. We
have been told from time to,timct that our
revenues were progrefing.
What eXpenie it is contemplated 70 in
cur on this oCcaion I know not. Y.Her-
day though, it my duty 10 go to the Ma
.vy Yard, ana 10 enquire what fhips were
orderedtp be got in readiness. I foupdt to
my inrPriie there Were only tSvC, IN addit-
on to thofe in the Mediterranean. This
.loofe information, l am fenfble, ought not
TO be relied on: and only mention it to
afccrtain, from gentlemen better acquaint-
ed with contemplated meafures, what adj
.dltional force it is contemplated to fend
out. What will be the eXpenie OF this eX-
petition BY turning to the eitimates o fthe
lat year, find the annual eXpenie Of 1T
gun frigate is ftatcd to be 5000 dollars {;
Il SO, $4,000 4 SO, $4,000 ; 4 vefel of 10
or II guns, 9i,Ooo. This climate is. he
'lieve, a little fhort of the climate of the
Prefent year. If this Ultimate be taken the
following will be the relult. If there be
fent into the Mediterranean two vefIels Of
4fguns, IN of SO, one Of 80 and 4 of II Or
.l4guns, the annual eXpenie will be G3s,o0O
dollars. This perhaps, will be 4 fu9icient
force. / do rot, however, know what is
fnficient. ! certainly wifi 2 ,fu!icient
force to be ient to prevent 2 new diilp-
p~ointmcnt, and on an location like the pre-
tent, we eight not to begrIdge the eE-
pcnie. IF this force be fuficicnt, The an
nual cEpenfc Of it viii be $4,000 dollars.
In addition 20 this, there will be fone fur
Their cxpenfe IN Fitting out the vcftle.
Under the circumstances this queniCa
p~efents itfelf. are the necenities Of 60
vcrnment fuch asto iuHify this great addi-
ton to the duties on imported goods? If
fairly collected, what will they produce?
| am fenlible this is 4 matter of climate.
The whole importaticns, exhibited b. the
laA fatemept, amounted TO forty millions.
Two and = half per cent. on that fun, will
produce a million of dollars. An allowance
is t. be made for drawbacks on goods ex-
ported. Making this and all Other allow
ances, on no computation can we climate
leG3 than. 10000 dollars. Why lay this
large tax at this time; when our exiting
revenues are 70 productive, and when we
had on hand on the firit OF October lnf, five.
millions of dollars ? Why make this great
addition to duties 70 high already ? do
not perceive any necefit-,s of The govern
mcnt 70 prefIing as to require this. d,
| am feniible that by the fecond feGion
it is contemplated to keep the fund by it.
1elf, and thai it is ditindiyely called the
Mediterranean fund. But gentlemen mua
perceive that this proyiiion is fallacious ;
and that it holds forth an idea not trictly
correG. The whole eXpenle Of the navy is
incurred in the Mediterranean, and the
whole expenfe of the navy may be paid ont
of this-fund, and in this way the ~trea!urJ
may be liberated from it entirely. Imut,
therefore, con6der this rs a bill introduced,
TO liberatc the other reiources ofthe Coun-
Try, from the expences attending the naval
etabliihment.
For thefe r%eaions, | hope the committee
st -.-H IL E-n r Al nj go