Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-12-20

From THIS VIEW 4lItHC n'sus.S'''f' i, ~, /
t;ons 81 the government, the Secretary os
Treasury. With ereryssentiMeat Of dele
3, renee aid respect, presents the folIowinsI
peqleral conclusions, for the consldera-f
lion q. C onsress.:
I That the existing reyenue OF thel
United states. arises, 1st, from dutiesl
an "A. I'm imported merchandise, and the toni
mare Of vessels /; Cd, internal duties lrl-l
Guiding the direct tax upsn lands, houses
and slaves: and Sd, the proceeds OF the|
sales Of public lands but some OF these
duties and taxes are permanently I'M
posed, and some. are limited IN their du-I
|ratioH.'V ~ "a
2. That the following dnties or taxes
|are either partially, or Wholly limited mi
their duration. list. Tie duties an ner-
Ichandize and tonnage, will be redatedl
lone half on the 18th Of February, 1916 Il
except such as are imposed on goods Of
1.-The like description with the articles OF
domestic manufacture, on which duties
have been laid, and included in the gel
neral pledge. Cd. The new duty onl
lsalt the duty ON sugar refined within
The United States, and the stamp duty
on bank notes. pro,nissory notes discount
led; and on bills of exchange. are not in &
Icluded in the general pledge, and will
WHOLLY cease on the 18th OF february,]
1916.
/ s. That the following duties or taxes
lare not limited in their duratian, and are
Included in the general pledge. lst.
l'Fbe direct tax upon lands, houses and
slaves. 81, The duties upon licences to
,listillers of spirituous liquors. and upon
1.-THE liquors distilled. Sd. The duty up
lon licenses to retailers of wines, spiri..
|tupus liquors, and foreign merchandise.
i4th, The duty npon sales at auetion.-
18th, The duty upon carriages and har-
mess. 9th, The duties upon household
'iturniture and watches. 7th,. The duties
on articles manufactured or made. for
lsale within the United States. 9Th, The
lrate of postage.
A. That the faith of the United States.
land the revenue arising from the duties
land taxes, which are not limited in their
,duration, are pledged for the punctuat
payment of the public debt, principal and
Interest, according TO the terms OF the
'E,oatracts respectively; and for creating
ian adequate sinking fund, gradually to
lreduce ard eventually to extinguish the
1debt. But this pledge will be satisfied
lby the substitution of other adequate du
tiles or taxes and the increase in the
lproceeds of the duties on merchandise
land tonnage. subsequent to the pledge.
lafords an advantageous opportunity OF
making such substitution, in respect to
the more announcement and burthensOme
lportion IF the internal duties.
S. That the establishment Of revenue
lsystem. which shall not be exclusively
dependent upon the supplies of foreign
commerce, appears. at this juncture to
claim particular attention.
III. A view of the finances for 1915.
with estimates Of the public revenue and
expences for 1916.
! At the close Of the last session of CEN
|gress, the demands upon the treasury
were interesting in their nature, as well
is great in their amount. Exclusively
of the ordinary expepces of the govern
ment, they consisted of demands for the
payment OF the army, preparatory to its
reduction to the peace establishment.
with other very heavy arrearages and
disbursements on the war and navy de-
lpartments /; for the payment of the divi-
dends on the funded debt, and of the ar
rearages as well as the aecruing claims.
on account of the treasury note debt !;
and for the payment of the Louisiana d.
jvidends, with other considerable debts
contracted in Europe, in consequences OF
| the late war.
The efficiency of the means which
were possessed for the liquidation Of
these demands, depended upon eircum-
'stances beyond the control of the govern
Itnent. The balance Of money in the
fti;easupyl consisted of bank credits, lying
|Ellietly. IN the southern and western sec
|tsou of the union. The revenue, pro-
seedllig from the provision made prior to
session of congress was, compa-
SMALL amount. The revenues
fls,e from the provision made dur
b Rssspth could not be available
pprtjbn OF the present year;
bosil instances, the revenue was
able a ssury notes, or it assumed
the IL 4, 0f bsf kcredits, at the respect
)i s 81 fatectian. The only re-
al = apnFees for immediate use,