The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-06-26


TALLY suspended, as to afford q revenue, G.
quivalent to the estimated amount of the
proposed internal taxes, addition al tonnage
duty, and diminution of drawbacks and
IN such event whether the last mentioned
oojects OF revenue may not, for the present,
be dispensed with.
l am sir, with great respect
Your obedient servant,
-, LANGDON CHEVES. ,.s
The Honorable Albert Gallattiu, ,ar-
Secretary effhe Treasury.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
10th June, 1912.
SiR-l had the honor to receive your
letter OF Yesterday, asking whether. in nv
opinion, the non-importaton act NAV not be
so modified, or partially suspended, as to
afford revenue equivalent to the estimated
amount OF the internal taxes, additional ton
mage duty, and diminu.on of drawbacks
and IN such event, whether the last mention
ed objects of revenue may not for the pre-
sent be dispensed with
All the estimates Of revenue which have
been transmitted during this session. hav-
ing necessarily been madein conformity With
the existing iaSs. were pred;cated ON the
supposed absolute Prohibition of British pro
duce and manufacturer These, in ortlina-
ry times, amounted to more thaa one half
OF the foreign merchandise consumed in
the United States. The actual exclusion
or the greater part of the articles Of our
own growth from France, Holland. and
Germany, the consequent nudity OF our
commerce With those countries, and the con-
quest by Great Britain of their colonies, still
more lessons the proportion of foreign arti-
cles which, may be imported from other
countries than the British dominions.
II is therefore evident that the amount of
duties on importations will be more than
doubled in the event of a suspension of the
non Importation. and that they will, whilst
! that suspension continues, afford 4 revenue
| at least equivalent to the estimated amount
OF the proposed direct tax, internal duties.
additional tonnage and dminution OF draw!
| backs All these may be dispensed with.
so long as the suspension continues, provi-
ded that the contemplated increase of one
hundred per cent on the duties on impor-
tations shall take place.
| 1t is not believed that the result would he
materially affected by a modification or par
tial, instead of an absolute suspension of the
non importation For the amount of imDor-
tations would be principally regulated by the
arhoont OF American funds already in Eng
iana' and by the subsequent consumption of
| American produce in Great Britain, Snain
and Portugal, and the British West-Indies
respectively. If discrimination be thought
eligible, 1t would seem that the articles en-
Ibtied to preference are colonial produce.
particularly rum, coarse wUoiens middle
price Cotton goods, Irish linens, earthen and
glass ware, hardware and manufactures Of
steel. tin, brass and copper. Fine cloths,
| Huslins, plain cotton goods manufactures OF
silk, hemp, flax with the above exception
and leather, paper, hats, shoes and MILNE
ry may either be altogether supplied by do
nestic manufactures or dispensed with
| Inc annual lnportations of British coior:f-
al and domestic produce and manufactures
could not be estimated at less than thirty
Eve cDf 1oII
same grounds which the other estimates
of duties on importation in time Of war were
made) that the war and other restrictions
should reduce the amount to one-half the
| proposed double duties collected on the resi-
due, would produce a net revenue of at LEAST
five millions of dollars, and greater therefore
than all the proposed internal taxes and du.
ties and additional tonnage duty.
| Permit me, however, to observe, with res-
pect to this last duty, that. so far as relates
to foreign vessels, the proposed addition ap-
pears necessary, and is hardly sufficient TO
| compensate the great advantages whicfx
war will give them over American vessels
| i'll the American commerce.
1t IS proper to add, that all the bills for
laying and collecting the direct tax and in
ternal duties have been prepared IN con-
formity with the former request of the COM
mittee, so that the whole subject may be
taken up at this or any Other time without
any delay on the part of the Treasury. The
only detail on which the information is not
a. complete as might be desired, is that Of
the quotas OF the direct tax intended to be
Ilaid on the several counties in each state
1T is also believed that the system has been
prepared in such manner that it may be or
Iganized. and all the taxes be in full opera
ton in the month of April next, provided
the laws are enacted before the Commence
lment Of the year 1873.
| Ihave the honor to be,
With great respect, sir,
Your Obedent servant,
! ALBERT GALLATIN.
Honorable LANGDoN CHEvEs,
Chairman 2fthe Committee otTpays s. Means.
On Saturday the bill for imposing addi-
tional duties [of 100 per cent. on all former
duties passed through mmittee of the
whole, was amended so as to include an adj
ditional duty of one dollar and fifty cents per
ton on all foreign tonnage, and limiting the
continuance of the act to one year after the
end Ct the war, and was then, after much
debate, which shall be published hereafter,
ordered to be engrossed & read a third time,
1t was yesterday read third time. and, af-
ter debate, was Con motion of Mr.. Widgery)
recommitted, and the House Immediately
took up the subject in committee.
4 motion having been made to- strike out
m so, Il