Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-16


graduated the country, that from This
time the people would .be exempted from
system as unequal in is operation as il
was unjust. Our citizens, he said. had
sustained IL with patience and long suf-
fering which was remarkable, and afford
ed pledge thai, should it be necessary
hereafter again TO resort 10 internal taxes,
The government might do so, and trust 10
the good sense ofthe people for their JUS
ilfication. The people, he argued, were
always willing TO pay faxes, when The ne
ceSsliy OF them was apparent. Bat, for
more than year past that necessity had
not existed for the internal duties. and.
therefore, the people had demanded the
repeal of them. Mr.. W. referred to the
estimates OF the revenue from imposts
Tor the present and last wears, to shew
that The actual product had nearly dou-
bled the estimate, as had been shewp and
predicted by the gentleman from Virginia,
who was his able coadiutor al tie last
session, (hr. Jolinson) and himself. lie
mentioned these facts, he SAID, To shew
that, If there was blame any where for the
occurrences OF last session having refer
encefo this subject--and blame had been
imputed-the blame belonged 10 those
who opposed the repeal of the taxes al
That time, and not IN those wlIo advocated
II. we reJoioe, now, said Mr.. W. that
the PRESIDENT has thought proper to re-
commend tie measure, and that there ap-
pears to be an unanimous disposition al
this time favorable 10 il.
No further remarks being made on the
general object Of the bill
Mr.. ALLMADGE, Of n. York. moved
to'amend the bill so as to except the du-
ties on sales at auction from the general re-
peal proposed. He assigned as a reason
for this motion, that he believed thai tax
to have beneficial operation. as limos
ing an additional bnrihen, however small
on foreign products, protecting the fair
dealer, and so far also serving as an en-
conragemeni TO our manufactures.
lms motion produced a debate. re-
pieie with Information on The subject of
the value and equity of this tax, on one
slae or the ofier, and on the practices of
smuggling and undertaking. foreign i'm
portailons, which II had tendency TO
correct. We have room and time for liz
tie other notice of the debate than the
names of those gentlemen who engaged
III 1t, and the sides they took
MIR. LoWNDES opposed the motion.
though not unaware of the beneficial eff
iectS ImpGted TO the duty on sales AT aucti
ons' III winch he himself in degree be-
lIeveG. But he opposed the retaining il
because 1t would require the machinery
oil taxation 10 be retained for this object
making the collection of the dulv yerv
expt nsiveand inconvenient 10 the govern
ment. The benefits arising TO The ccn-
munity from The tax, he said. would no,
probably be lost, for he believed. that
chen the fax was relipquished by the q
STATES, II would be immediately Subslitul-
ed by like tax, wherever il was impor
'anl, Tor corporation and state purposes.
mar. lALLMADGE spoke in support of
ms motion, and, anticipating tile contents
OF petiuonS on tins subject which he ex-
pected would be laid before Congress al
The present session, he took view of The
process by which, by the aid of yendue
sales, foreign merchants deprived the go
vernment OF part of its revenue, and
superseded the fair merchant in The mar
kct, &c.
M.. WHITMAN, of Mass. opposed the
motion. In some of the large importing
cllles, he admitted, thegovernment might
with much propriety, derive a revenue
rom thus source, where the duty would
nave the operation attributed TO ii bv Mr.
la'lmadge; and, ifa discrimination could
he made, be should be willing that in
those commercial depOts the tax might be
suffered TO remain. Bat he said, IN the
smaller sea ports, IN The towns and vii
lagos, this duty was, almost without eX-
cepti0n, levied on the necessilous and the
poor, whom il was neither the policy. nor
could IT be the desire of The House 10
make liable TO fax, to the exclusion of
others. He believed. besides, that the
cost of collection of the tax, if retained
alone, would not fall far short Of the a
mount OF the duty, if ii did not exceed
it.
Mr.. SToRRs, Of New York, supported
The motion on the same grounds as Mr..
ialmadge, d stated extensively the ope-
ramon OF the system, under which Tie
country was deluged with goods BY the
foreign dealers, with advantages in their
favor, by the aid of the vendue system.
which favore false invoices, against which
no fair merchant could compete. He ar
gued besides, that in so far as the opera
| ton OF tins duty was TO favor the fair mer-
chant, and TO embarrass tie foreign mer-
| cliauf ~ his object of Cutting opr mar
hei with foreign supplies. ii operated as
an encouragement to our manufactures.
| AS TO the operation Of this tax on Tie poor,
lie numerous exceptions from its opera
ton, contained in the law, in great de-
gree obfiiated that objection.
Mr. SMITH, Of Md. opposed the motion
also at some length. Tie object of the
gentlemen from New York was very desi-
rabIe, could it be Obtained by reiaininr
this duty. But that, he argied, was i'm
possible. lie admitted, to heexient, his
belief the existence Of extensive frauds
on iheTevenue, against which he thought
scarcely any provision wonid be sufficient
TO guard. a duty on sales at auction, 10
produce tile desired eject, ought to be so
ugh as ~ amount ln a nrohibllinn. DIS