Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-10
RICHMOND VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1924

the address of new editor OH taking charge of
one OF the newspapers printed at the seat of 20
vernment Ill that State. That tone is not likely
to be moderated by any experience of the ef.
iects OF these measures, especially if the respon-
siollity OF them can be charged upon an adverse
political party. Abiding to the proposed Tariff
this editor says
In that we see dangers Of the first magnitude
AN embarrassed commerce ; a crippled reye-
nue.; system of excise men and internal taxes,
ana one part OF the same government tributary
10 another-and for what? Why to assist a
Few Inonopolzing companies, or CRAFTY the vi
slonary dreams of few theorists. Is not the
actual situation of England enough to warn US ?
Is not the degraded state of the majority of that
country sufficient to convince US Of the ruin
winch must follow all restrictions on fair enter
prise and equal privileges Most certainly it
ls-or, has our anxiety after John Bulls old
clothes become SO confirmed, that we must even
clap on his strait jerkin the very minute when
the hrst blink ofreason made him lay it off,
Having made these general remarks on the
tendency OF the project of an increase of duties,
winch have been spun out to length far beyond
our original intention, we proceed to take no
tce OF some of the details OF the bill, which do
not appear to indicate any great share of wis
dom and Judgment on the part of the trainers
OF It, In the Sd section is a provision which
savours much more of spiteful hostility to the
importer and consumer Of foreign goods than
Oh sound judgment. Ii is, that in addition to the
other duties imposed by the bill, there shall be
collected and paid, g the full amount of such
bounty or premium, or allowance in the nature
thereof, as, on the expectation of similar articles
may be given, paid, OF allowed in the country
or place wherein the same shall be produced or
manufactured.n
ms Is indeed master stroke in political e.
economy. 1t must be obvious to any one that
the immediate effect Of such a provision will BE
the repeal, In Great Britain, of all grants of
bounty or Premium ON the expectation of o-oods
TO this country, by which means the additional
duty thus imposed, and paid by the American
consumer, will be paid into the British Treasury
instead OF our own. 1t might be Well to inquire
"he'her congress has any right to lay duties Oh
our own people, for the use and benefit of TO-
reign government. These bounties and premi-
ums, 1t will be understood, consist of the renis-
sion by the British government to the foreign
purchaser, OF part Of the excise duties which
are pad by the consumer in that country, Our
government IN this provision say, that the A
| merlcan purchaser shall have no adyantape of
that remission, but in addition to other heavy
duucs here, shall pay the same duty as the Brii-
fish consumer. On the expectation of books.
| for example, the British government allows
county or DRAWBACKS : - pence per pound,
winch OF course reduces the cost of the books TO
that amount to the purchaser in this country
AS this bounty is allowed for the benefit of the
purchaser, to induce him to become a more il
| beral customer, and not for the benefit of our
treasury, there can be no doubt that it will b.
Withdrawn, as soon as it is known that its object
Is defeated. Our government viii then so far
gam their object by this provision of the BILL as
TO increase the price of books to those who NAV
be inclined to read something not printed in this
country, and instead of adding this increased
cost to the receipts of the national treasury, will
save that amount to the British government.
But 1t will be said that there is still another
object gained, the prohibition of the article on
which this bounty has heretofore cen allowed.
Here again occurs the question of the right of
ievying duties for the acknowledged purpose of
prohibiting Importation. We DENY the exis-
tence ofany such right. Besides, it will not in
general have that effect. But it will in all ca
ses have the effect which we have stated, of
compelling our citizens to pay to foreign go
vernment, higher excise duties on the goods
which they import, than that government volun-
tarly demands, and oftalSing from them the pri-
vliege of purchasing goods on the most favora-
BILE terms on which foreigners are willing to sell
them.
We shall next remark upon the rate of duty
proper to be laid on some of the articles emu
merated In the bill.