The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-18
Cnngrsfs.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, DEcEMBFR 7.

1
DIR. Lib moved that the committee of Com.
mercc and Manufactures be inhruced TO en-
CURE INTO the expediency of 70 far amending
the impoh and tonnage act as to allow the col
iector OF the port of Philadelphia an additional
deputy, and that they be authorized to report
| by bill or otherwie.
petition from VIM. A. Barron OF the corps
OF engineers, praying Il further allowance for
his expenles IN the military academy.
Referred to the Committee of Claims.
Mr.. Thomas faid, he rofe with view to pro-
pole an enquiry relative to the duty on fait--
On this article duty of fix cents per buihcl
was hlt laid, in the year 1890 it was RATED to
(, twelve cents, and in the year 1897 eight cents
more were added, making the duty twenty
cents per buihel OF 56lbs. at which rate it now
itands--But, as every meaiured buihel of good
ttrong falt which is imported into this country,
will weigh so or 90 lbs. this is in reality duty
OF about 80 cents per bufhel.
Three years ago, when the repeal of the
Stamp Act, excite and other internal tax laws,
were before ConGrefs, an attempt was made to
reduce the duty on fat, and retain part of that
fyfem.
AT that time, although he was confcious the
duty on this article OF real niece llary confumpti-
on was too high, and fell extremely heavy on
the agricultural part OF the community, parti-
cuarly thole living back from the fea-board,
who were obliged to ufe large quantities of il,
TOR Their black cattle and other BEATS of palture
notwithstanding the increaied price at which it
came 10 them, IN confequencc of the tranipor-
tatlon, and the profits charged on the amount
OF duty dS well as original colt by the feveraI
merchants or traders through whole hands it
Pafed, yet he did believe it better to allow this
DUTY TO remain as 1t was, a while longer, rather
than not be enabled to abohfh that eXpenlive
announcement, and anti-repubican fYftem of in
tcrnal taxation.
And fhould it now be found, on due enquiry,
that reduction of the duty on this article, at
this time, would be incompatible with Tie great
object OF paying off the national debt and meet
ing the other exegencies of government, for his
part he would not urge it-But he was per-
1uaded this was not the caie--He believed orr
finances are amply fufTicient to authorize the
meafure.
On examining the report Of the fecretary of
the treafury he found, that belides meeting all
the calls OF government, including the fun ap-
propriated annually towards the. reduction of
the public debt, there is furplus of 1885,, 22s
dollars IN the treafnry, and although there arc
Il grra' payments r. be made cut % t.Iis fun,
there will fill be large balance remaining.
IL aiio appears, from comparative view of
the bonded duties of the prefent with former
years, that there Will be an increafe of revenue
coming into the treafury the enfiiing year, and
ne believed there was no Reasonable probability
OF any new cautes for expenditure.
Ihis beng the cafe, he flattered himfelf it
would not be deemed objectionable or impro-
per opropoie reduction of the duty, on this
article of neceflary confumption at this time.
With this object, however, faid Mr. Thomas,
win to couple another, which coniider of
equal importance, as it refpe6ts the reputation
OF our beef, pork, fifth, and butter, put up for
a yVfzIl = ,lA.. r
towns, and feamen employed on foreign voya
ges.
lie laid by the treafury accounts it appears
that the aggregate amount of falt imported into
the United States during the year, ending the
3oth September lat, was S,S58,I95 bufhels of
SO lbs. each, of this about one fourth part or
S6s,355 were imported in foreign re1eis-All
this falt was brought from foreign places, and
no part OF the ialt prepared from the briny wa
tiers near the Onondaga in New York, the vari-
Gus iprngs in the Wefern ftates, and the fea
water at cape COD, Portimouth, &c. are taken
into this calculation.
Ofthis ialt fome parts came from the Swedifl,.
Daniih, and Dutch Wef-Indies--otber part,
were imported from the Britifh Wef-Indies.
the other Britiih colonies, from the French Wet
Indies, from Spain, from Teneriffe, and the o.
ther Canares, and the Spanilh WeR-Indies-
Parcels of the fame falt were likewife brought
from Portugal, Madeira, Cape de Verd Hands.
and Italy, and about 10000 buihels of GmiIar
Kind has heretofore annually been brought from
Louliiana' which is now part of the United
States.
But notwithstanding all this trade in fall. TO
10 many parts of the earth, the commerce in
that article between the United States and Great
Britain is very exteniive and important -
During the year he before mentioned, the pro-
portion of imported falt which was furniihed
by England alone, and OF the mandatory OF
that country, amounted to ,27I 1851 bufheis Of
SO lbs--So that it is evident at lsaft one third
ot the iat confirmed in our country is exported
from that part of Great Britain called England,
and chiefly from thole countries of which Liver
pool is the mart.
This falt, as he underfood, was prepared bv
the proceis of boiling the brine Of the rock fait
from Cheihire, and the water of the fea--And
on account of the great plenty and cheapnefs of
coal in Lancafhre, there being ALTO as he bcllev-
ed, no export duty laid on it, this falt was pro.
duced in abundance and fold on very low terms
1t is employed as ballaft for Britifh fiips
coming into our ports, and when arrived is fire
to fell and pay freight and frequently afford
profit own ihips alto very comn,nnly
take Sin for ballait and often as part of the car
go.
This traffic would be perfectly fair and con-
vcnient If Engiiih iat was of a Grength and qua
itV 1T to t1rtfrgye animal Ae0b f,r t,rc,;g,,,s