Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-11-03
CONG ESSo
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
MONDAY, October "a.

On motion OF Nr. SeybeYt,
Resotved, That the Secretaries of State, Treasu-
ry, War and Navy Departments, and the Post
master General, be and they are hereby directed
to communicate to this House such Information as
may be in their power, in relation to the destruc-
ton official books and papers in their respective
Departments, in consequence of the incursion OF
the enemy in the month Of August 1884, deslgnat-
ing particularly what books and papers have been
lost thereby, and what the consequence of such
loss may be in the settlement cf the accounts of the
United States.
WAYS AND MEANS
The house then resolved itself into committee
Of the whole, Mr. Pitkin in the chair, on the re-
mainder Of tie report OF the committee OF Ways
and Means.
The Sd resolution came next under consideration
in the following words
Resoived, That it is expedient to add 100 per
cent on the present duty on sales at auction.
Some conversation took place between Mr..
Wright of Md and Mr. Eppes DIVA. as to the e.
quality Of the general system of taxation proposed
Mr.. Fisk of N Y moved to amend the motion
by striking out one hundred and inserting fly per
cent-under the impression that the proposed in
crease would have the effect by hro WING sales in
to the hands of commission nerch2iris t. Lia.istI
the present product of the tax.
Mr. Eppes made some observations in reply
He saw no reason why, when other taxes were to
be so generally increased, ibis item should be ex-
cepted.
Mr.. Johnson of XIV. made some observations to
shew the extreme inequality and oppressiycness of
the additional tax on dstillation, compared with
any other tax proposed, which he said, by the
way, would ne feared, operate nearly a prohi-
bitIon of that manufacture. He was surprised, af-
ter gentlemen had so strenuously insisted on the
enormous increase that tax that they should op-
pose the paltry increase of the tax now proposed
Mr.. Post made statement to Shcw that the in
crease Of the tax would increase the revenue at
all. The only taxes he appeared to conceive, on
which solid reliance could be placed. to insure
the requisite amount of revenue, were the land
tax and the whiskey tax. The Consumption of
whiskey, he said, would not be diminished es
sentially fit taxed hundred instead of IF
| teen cents per gallon--and, whatever was the a.
! mount of that tax, it eventually came out of the
pocket of the consumer, though Immediately
paid by the manufacturer.
Mr. Robertson, of Lou expressed his regr, at
the sectional discussion of the taxes He entreated
gentlemen TO abandon their local objections to the
various taxes, as he should himself do The state
which he represented, paid much more thar a due
proportion, according to its representation of the
internal taxes. But no system of taxation could
ever be carried into effect in this country without
a reciprocal spirit of compromise, which he there
fore hoped to see superceding the local feelings
which were displayed on this occasion
Mr. Wright said, so far from entertaining anv
sectional feeling this OCCASION he was prepared
to agree TO the whole system proposed by the Sec.
Rotary ofthe Treasury but protested against di.
yiding it and taking itby pecemeal.