The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-19
Observation-Disclosures. .


Secretary of rhe Treasury.
Observation-Disclosures.
=, TIN Feb. 1913.
SIR-Ihave the honor to submit thefol-.
lowing answers to the questions in your
letter of the Sd instant.
= /. 1t is believed; fer. the reasons stated in
my letter of the 10th June lastto the COM
mittee of ways and means, that the amount
of revenue applicable To the year 1914,
WHICH would result from a modification of
the nom Importation acts as suggested. in
the said letter, may he estima ut ed at about
Eve millions Of dollars, provided that mo-
Obligation take place during the present ses-
sion of congress.
- 2. No better modification, for the pur-
poses therein intended, has suggested it,
self, than that proposed in the letter afore-
said. But il would seem requisite for the
same object that no drawback should be
allowed on the re-eXportationi of the mer-
chaud'ze which may be thus imported.
8. The most important legal provision,
which appears necessary to enforce the
non-mportation, acts, is positive prohibi,
on of a restoration by order of court, Of
merchandise, the i, importation. of which
is prohibited by law. Ii is also believed
that il will be necessary to order all the
Cargoes of salt. particularly from Lisbon,
proper officers; and it appears reasonable
that the expense should be betrayed by the
importers, ..t 49,.
4. Ii appears, I'm every point of view high
Iy desirable that the duty on foreign tom
mage should be increased. A duty of ten
dollars per ton does not seem greater than
what is required for the protection of Anne
Eican vessels. But ] cannot form any Corr
rect estimate of this probable addition re-
sulting to the revenue from such increase.
Much would depend OH the suppression of
trade carried on by American vessels with
enemies licences. ., nc
With respect to to the. necessity Of pro-
viding an additional revenue for the year
1914, beg leave to refer to the statements
made and opinions expressed, when had
the honor several weeks ago to wait on the
committee of ways and me ans. And beg
leave to add that this necessity has been
considerably increased by the Subsequent
expenditures authorised by law; amongst
which must be particularly mentioned the
act for the. increase of the navy, and that
for raising 20 900 men fer one year. In
deed, consider ring the general rate of ex-
penditure resulting from the war measure.
which have been adopted, | am of opinion
that it will be necessary to recur both to a
modification or repeal of the nom importa-
aion acts, & to the proposed internal taxes,
In order TO provide a revenue commensu-
rate with those expences. When an ad&i-
tional revenue of five millions was believed
sufficient, that opinion was prcdicated on
a supp osition made by the committee tina t
annual loans of only 10 or IL millions of
collars would be wanted. With revenue
Of IL millions Of dollars for this year, it is
sscertaincd that loan of at least sixteen
millions Is necessary.
/ have the honor TO be,
Very respectfully, sir,
Your obedient servant,
ALBERT GALLATIN.
Hon. Langdon Chepes,
Chairman offhe Committee of
Hays and Means. ,.o
The report and documents were read.
Mr.. CheUeS then Introduced the bill above
mentioned which was read the first time &,
ordered to be read I'd time by vote OF
81 To- SO.
The report and bill were referred to ,
committee of the whole house and mad,
the order of the day for Wednesday next.
An engrossed bill supplementary to tn,
act Tor INCREASING the navy of the United
States was read third time and passed
An engsossed bill directing the Secretar,
OF the Treasury toTemit certain fines. for.
FIXTURES and penalties therein mentioned
vas read third time. The question on
us passage WAS DECIDED by ayes and noel
as follows-Yeas. Sc NAYS 81.
YAZOO COMPROMISE.
The house in committee of the whole
Mr.. Pitkin in the chair, on bill from the
Senate proSiding for Il compromise will
the Yazoo claimants, and the report of the
committee on the public lands on the same
Mr.: Harper spoke at some length in ia
v0r of the bill.
Mr.. Clay (Speaker) moved that the com
nnistee rise and report progress. with the
thcpe that leave wou'd be refused to the;t
sitting again. Mr.. Clay assigned as rea-
son the great press Of business more jmpor
taot TO tive cation & tina shortness of tim,
1917 Tor Congress to ACT this session. Th,