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

WIS "i'sinS from Tie circumstances
lhey mad referred 10. But, he argued,
ah4 proceeded 10 show, that some of those
evils did not proceed from sales az auc,;-
ON, but from defects in our revenue laws
orln the administration of those la,vs--,o
winch subject he earnestly invited the ar
1entlon OF the committee of WAYS and
Means, as greatly 10 be deprecated. TIE
system al sales at auction, Mr.. C.. did mi
consider an evil of such magnitude as re-
presented but fairly conducted. as
Deneilt 10 The community, as affouiinu
goods 10 inferior merchants. &c. al less
cost of commission, profit, &c. than if
bought from the shelves of tLe vha.ssaIe
dealer. Mr.. G. dwelt on the importance
OF protecting our manufactures by cor
reciinS abuses OF the revenue systeG,.-
lie believed the fair dealer had much
cause 10 complain and Was happy in saw
ing that he believed the frauds IN The reye-
nue. 10 winch he had referred were not at
uiouta'ie 10 Inc American merchant, but
to the host ot dealers cast on out shores
ny ,he present state OF Europe, and inyit-
ell here by the prospect of advantageous
markets. The remedy was no, 10 he
found, he concluded BY saving. in dntv
OF one per cent. on sales al auction. vol,
mnst go deeper IL was in the entries at
me cusion-house, &c. that the evil must
be sought and corrected.
Mr.. j ALLMADGE said he and his col,
league had been entirely misunderstood
IT ii was supposed thai the simple reteD-
ton OF this duty was their sole object.
Their intention, he said. was TO nursne
the subject IN detail. the preseRt motion
being intended only TO bring the matter
before the House, with the hope OF OBJ
tanning a decision favorable 10 their ulti-
mate views. Although not Directing TO
dh augmented duty on safes at auction, as
suggested by MIR. Smith, he thought it
would be better 10 suffer the present duty
10 remain, ana let the auctioneers go on
IN their usual course, IN preference 10
breaking in upon the system, and then re-
Installing Il, &c.
Mr.. LoWNDEs spoke again in oDposi-
ton to the motion, on the ground thai the
repeal should be total or none. If one ex.
cepilon were granted, the same reasoning
would admit others, till the object of the
bill was defeated. Mr.. L. replied To sue.
sestions which had fallen from MIR. Smith
and Mr.. Clay. He was not persuaded
that any decisive injury resulted from
sales at auction and, if not productive of
considerable convenience TO the commu-
nlty, they would not be generally resorted
to. He was not, therefore, in favor of
putting a stop, by prohibiiory dutiec, 10 n
mode OF traffic generally adopted, and
convenient both 10 The buyer and seller.
10 The continuance OF fhe present duty lie
was decidedly adverse, ii for no olheT
reason, Tor The great inconvenience which
would attend lis collection ifretained.
Mr.. SToRRS stated The manner i'm
which he thought the duty might be req
Oily collected, through the agency of col
lectors OF the ports, dc.
The question being taken on Mr. Tall
madge's motion, was decided in the Ne
GATlvE by large majority.
Mr. LITTLE, of Md. moved to amend
inc Dill by inlroduclng provision that If,
during The late war, any diStillers hal re-
ceived licenses from the government.
which they were prevented from nsing by
the events of the war, on proper represen-
'aiion, 10 the Treasury OF. such cases. the
duties paid should be refunded ia propor-
tlon TO the time lost.
MIR. LoWNDES suggested tina: this was
| provision too general, and related TO ca
ses on which the House could decide in
dinduaIiy with more propriety than in "a
general manner.
Mr.. LITTLE declined Withdrawing his
motion, and stated the case of gentle
man IL Baltimore during the late war, all
ry were Withdrawn for military service.
and not only their time, but the materials
provided had been destroyed. He thought
tins a proper opportunity for proyidine
Tor such Cases generally.
Mr.. Us motion was negatiyed.
The question being put on reportino
the bill 10 the House
Ms, BALDWIN, OF PENNSYLVANIA. expres-
sed lis desire Of further time 10 reflect
on ihis subject, thus early called IN. He
vas not satisfied, he said, from what he
| had seen, that the expenses ofthe govern
tnent could be paid without the aid of the
internal Taxes. il was very doubtful 70
him, from the slight view he had taken Of
the Treasury Report, whether they could
safely beTepealcd. He found. in flat re-
port no estimate was made for The add
tional expenditure for public buldjprs
| and for several other objects. A bill Was
nov before the House he said. for COM
muilug Military Bounty Lands for money.
ne amount of expenditure this measure
would involve, would be ten millions Of
dollars. There was in the estimates no
provision Tor this contingency. IN look
ing at the estimates he did nof see from
what source these monies were 10 accrue,
II Voted. 50 important a bill as thc, he
ihoJght, ought not to be hurried through
the House. II had come bv surprise oa
ihemembers, VINO euld not havehad time
fully to eXamine the details Of the bill 49,
For hmselihc VAS not disposed 10 act on
the calculations of others, when he had
fine 10 make his own. he tboueht he
saw Weisniy reasons Wby tic b.ll shout3
n"t pass IS It stood; and he cld lot know
that Inc public exigency required "a I'm
Of tbs kind TO be hurried Trough witlppt