Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-03-21
Ma. LLOYD's SPEECH.
FEBRUARY q.
pEBATE On ZEE NEw DUIy BILL.

and the detailed consideration which was
Given to it Yesterday, should not again
rise. were the subject not a commercial,
and an exceedingly important one. Nor IS
it. now nv Intention to make more fhan a
fsw remarks, and these the Senate will pro-
badly think entitled 10 more than usual re-
spect, when / inform them they will princI-
pally be, neither my own nor Wholly ac-
eorliant with my opinions.
This bill can alone BE- advocated on the
Ground that war is about TO ensue, and
that to prepare the public treasuryt to sustain
the ptcsesutionof such war, this proposed
duty is-necessary.
NV parpose is, to cite some authorities
TO shew that neither the one nor the ether IS
either expected or necessary, and the au-
thorities I shag adduce to prove this, are
those to which the senate is accustomed nc
pay tie highest respect.
The first is from MIR. Gallatin's report &c
Ccnpress IN Nov. 1907, IN which ne says
"a maritime war will, IN the y. States,
whilst It continues, generally anil deeply at
feet the resources of individuals, as not on
II commercial projects viii be curtaiied,
8 but principally because great portion OF
the surplus of the agricultural produce, ne
cessarily requires foreign market. TIE
yedtsced price Of the principal articles e%-
parted from the ITnited States zoiA operate
mare heQgiy than any contemplated ta%.-
And without enquiring whether similar
cause may not more deeply and permanent
Z " affect nation at war with the y. States,
5 it seems to follow, that SO far as relates to
america, the hsses and briuati0ns caused by
q 1uar, shouM not 81 aggravated by taxes,
beyossa uohat IS stsic;iy mecessarg AN adj
dition to the debt is doubtless an evil but
experience having now shown with what
rapid progress the revenue of the union IN
crvases Ia .t;me of peace; with what facility
the debt formerly contracted has been with
IN a few years reduced F; a hope mag conf-
de,stly Be entertained, that. al he coils at
qpar all be temporary, and easily repaired,
oad thGt the return Of peace 1UiA, zDlthout
any effect, afford ample resources far re-
int5sYSing qrhQte0er may haze been b0rYozv-
ed during the 7var.
ssThe credit of the United States is also
uninapaired either ct home or abroad, and
it is believed that loans to any reasonable
amount may be obtained on eligible terms"
And the same gentleman Mir. Gallatin)
in his report to Congress the present SEES
sion fureher remarks, the expenditure Of
the wear 1909, ought not to exceed the sum
of is millions of dollars, which as has been
stated is requisite for the support of the
present establishment; and this would leave
for the service of the year 1910, a surplus
of three millions of dollars, which together
with the proposed loan OF five millions oil
dollars, would be sufficient to defray the
peace establishment, ard to pay the interest
on the public debt during that year. ThatS
t1uo years more 5oould be presided far, with
out increasing the Pu6hc debt or laying any
ne1u taxes. 1t is certainly only with view
TO war, either Immediate or contemplated,
that it will become necessary to resort, at
least to any considerable extent, to ex-
traordinary sources of supply"
Now, sir, as there is no doubt but new
duty is new tax, it is apparent from these
observations Of Mr.. Gallatin that if reve-
nue. is wanted hajas and not taxes ought to
be resorted,to and that Of course, this new
duty or tax ought not to be imposed-as
the opinion expressed by the secretary is
undoubtedly correct, 6 that the present re-
diced prices Of tie principal articles Of the
United States, already operate mare hea0ily
ubo,, the citizens than any Contemplated taH
that ought to be assessed. and that the losses
and bfi0ations caused By 10ar, should nat be
aggregated beyond zchaf IS strictly aecesaa-
r,.o And more especially should this not
~ done, when war as yet may be uncertain,
nd when 1t also appears that without war,
he secretary, according to his own state
snent: has resources enough without new