Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-12-19

preference W ire weak ana impure Scl-
manufactured in England.
lie therefore moved Inc following reso-
luton:
Resolved, That the committee of WAYS
aed neans be Instructed 20 enquire into
the c:pcd;ency OF reducing The duty or
sait, and also Into the propriety OF masking
I distinction il the duty, SO as - encou
rage line io,portations of salt lrosa the do
minions of Denmark, Sweden, the United
Netherlands, SPAN, France. Portugal and
the British West Indies in preference
to that OF any other place or places; and
that they report thcrcupon By bill OF other
wise.
Mr.. J. Randolph said that he resolution
which the gentleman from New York had
submitted, and III relation To which he had
favored the house via such cop!ous de-
authenticated two obie9 The Reduction
ot the duty on salt, generally -und sac EN-
couraremcnt OF the importation OF 4 par;i-
GUAR description of thai article. The la i
SUBJECT belonging 10 4 class which was
consigned 10 the commutee OF commerce
and manufactures, he should con.inc HIM
Sell 10 Inc iics; branch ot the resolution ::
nor shoult he have troubled tn; house al
al Sere not the motion of the gentleman
from New York calculated To excite an
expectation, which he WISHED 10 repress,
because he feared it could aot be gt4tiiiec.
Il w2s no, to oppose enquiry, bat to ap
prize The mover and Tie public that
the result Was likely to Prove unpro-
p'uous 10 his wishes, That he had risgn.-
Inc country ca which the SILK duly fell
with peculiar force was Tia, middle ,e-
goo, near enough 10 the sea board 10 be
supplied altogether by importation, bu.
tSo remote To have it, conauDlp;io0 oiimi-
nlshed by vicinag= to the sea. Ihosc
whose stock had access to salt water fsIt
the duty, bet partiaiy--tht.e, whose ST
tIation obliged them to uss salt uf home
m2nutactur: only, not IL ~. rs an in
hA6lIant of that district Of country by
Which the d1ty was principally paid, and
as q TREND to agriculture, he had at an
early period of the session, in cnniuuct,-
on With his friend the Speaker, Iurneu
his attention 10 the praGlicabilily Of rsau-
eng the duty On salt a. you well know,
Sir, (said Mr.. r. that the result, OF our
enquiry satisfied US that this desirable Oh
Ject WAS no' at present suaiuahls. lie
mentioned this 10 shew that other mem
oers iIlt an interest in tais subject, a. veil
as the gentleman from New-Y..s, al
though they had not brought il before the
mouse. he Treasury statemrn On
winch that gentlemen relied lor the sup.
port OF his position, that W. can dispense
VITA porto" Il our existing revenue. 81
tahiiah lhco2posi,e opinioa, bcyoud con
troversy. The estimated revenue OF The
ensuing ysag after GefFayirg the est:aaa,-
ed eHpense, yielded only surplus Of
100000 dollars. and the specie ba!2nca IL
the treasury, which The gentleman had
brought To- his aid was large indeed, Eu.
charges wiIh near four fniiionE of dollar,
on account OF Great Britain, MARYLAND,
anG Ame!,can claims upcn France, "..csc
payment We had assumed by CT inventions
With that power. The delay &C these
claims wlch were expected 70 have bcsn
pad and iur which We hid made rfo.;si-
on accordingly G~ring tke present year,
had swciied tte specie balance IN the trea-
51ry--Gn; certainly had r1i liberated tsat
resource On this t.iLiect what wgs The
inference drawn 81 the head OF that d.
pArtnien, preci,eiy Inc reverse OF shat
d ihe move. al The :cao!ution -" a. the
greater part cf these dSmauds viii bs
paid in the course Of gbe year 1895, The
balance viii no!, p.nb-t.y At tn: end Of
that year, sHcsed tbs .u,n which il is al
ways eEPedient 10 ye,a,n IN The treasury"
nc House would rccolI. e ihat By oar last
accounts oar iloiiiia va, bombardinr Tfi.
Pcii.--W" az could answer for IL fate
Who could uad-Ftase TO say that, hs-
tore tne Christn,ss holidays, intelligence
lniShi not te received s. ON that quarter
Z. as vas the ease sst year) Witch you'd
render u necessary To impose new bur.
'he"s, lrsieae of taxing them CT. The
remarks which he bad offered we're moi
IN opposition TO The motion 1T enquiry.
ne thought it his duty, aud was aj1sys
'e-dy to go into a. ~ profitable research
whether 1t tented 10 diminish the public /
Osrlheno or 10 promote the agriculture. I
trade or manufacture .c the country.
lie had their interest ianc,r at heat. .
re was IS mach Interested ia lower.i,,, /.
he impos; Oh salt as Any member in thst
house could be, but he fcit it 10 be MS duty
explicitly 10 stale thaithe Obirct 1T which
he resolution aimed was iluaury. If
iows'er The prosperous condition of our
/ ~. Z