Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-12-19
Fir day, Dscem5er ?.

Fir day, December, z.
DIR. Leib moved that the COMMITTEES Of
commerce and manufactures be Instruct
cd to enquire into tic expediency vi so
lar amending the inpoSt aud tonnage act
as to allow the collector of the port OF PHI
iadelphia an additional deputy, and thai
they be authorised 10 report by bill on o.
therwiss.
4 petition from William 4. Barron OF
The corps Of engineers, praying rurthrr
allowances tov has expense IA tie Gll!.;zrT
academy.
Referred 10 the committee OF claims.
nv. ihonas saia, ne rose with view
to propose an eueu,yy relative 10 The duty
OH sall--On chiG article duty Ct six cents
per bu3he! WAS i.r:l laid, in the year 1880
ii WAS raised 10 twelve cents, sad in the
year l797 eight cents more we're added,
making the duty twenty cents per bushsl
OF SIS los. al which rae il now stands
But, as every iCcasurcd bushel Of rood
strong salt which is imported into this
country, vii weigh so or 30 To-. this is
:" reality L duty OF about 80 cents per
bushel.
ihree years ago, when the repeal of the
Stamp Act, excise and ether internal tax
Laws, were before congress, an attempt was
made 20 reduce the dut? on salt, aud re-
tain part of that system.
At tina; tine although he vas conscious
The duty ON this article Of real necessary
consumption was too high, and fell eX-
treme'y heavy on tue agricultural part Of
the comnuEi;y, particularly those living
back frsm the Ssa-board, who were ohlig
ed TO use Large quantities. u il, for their
black cattle AID other beasts oe pasture.
notwithstanding the Increased price II
which II came % them, in consequence OF
The transportation, and the proh.s charged
Gu the amount Of dCtT II wei rs original
COST 10y the several ngrcnants or trsders
through whcte A=nds it passed, VT he did
bti'eNe II better to aiioa tins duty 20 re.
ns'n as II wss, while longer, rattle. ,san
not DC enabled 10 abolish that expensive.
iacorvenicnt and ant!-rep ubMc4n systcuor
iat~ynA. taxation.
And SHOULD x aqv lie found, on due en-
quiry, ,hai ycduc<ioa Of the duty on tI:i,
s'tcie, al THE iiH.e, would be inconIDa,i.
bic with the great oblet& Of paying ofthe
"ai.a;'A! deht s"d i..sci.Dg the o;uer e,.l-
geHc'-s 81 government, for his part he
"ouiN not urge it--Dut h.. was persuaded
th.S WAs liz. he case-.i.s believed our t.
n"nccs are amply suE.ciSnt 10 authoris.
the Eaeasgre.
On examining he report OF the secreta-
~ OF 'he treasury he found, iEat besides
- eetinS al tiie calls &c government, in
GUIDING. iHs Sc appropriated annually To-
"Sfds ne rcdUcsion q. the public debt.
there Is surplus Of A,sg9.2Z5 dollars in
the treasury, and although there are seve-
raj payments TO be made out OF This sum,
tasrc viii be large balance remain.
ing.
IL also appears, from a comparative view
OF che bonded duties Of the present win
iormer years, that there viii be an increas,
% revenue coming into the treasury the
ensuing year, and h- believed there was 40
feasohaDle probability OF any new causesr for
expenditure.
hIs being the case, he ila;tcred HIM
sell, IL would not be deemed unreasonable
or improper 10 propose d reduction OF the
duty, on tb's article OF necessary coDs.r,.-
ton al ibis tine.
Widl dis object, however, ,aid MIR.
! h1iiias, wisa 10 couple another which
consider Of The greatest Importance, as
i respects tie reputation Of oCr beef porA +
ish and butter, pa; up for expectation, ,
a. well as the he4l,h OF our sca9ort
owns and seamen employed Oh foreign .
'oyaSes.
lie said by The treasury accounts It ap
'ears that the aggregate amount Of salt .
imported into the Uuiied States during
Ice ysdr. ending the 3O,h Sep,emberlsst,
80 1858, % bushels or SO 10, each. Of
hie about onc fourth part, or s6s.355 were
imported IA foreign vesseis-hli THIS salt
Vas brought from foreign placcs. and no
'att of ihe sal, prepared from tie brinv
ssiefs near The Onondaga in New You,
ne various springs in the Western states,
hd Tie sea water At Cape Cod, Ports.
nouih, &c. are taken into this caIcula-
on