Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-13

the duty and create minimum in relation t.,
wool. Thus as they grow in years, they seem
10 decrease IN strength; and SO FAR from af-
'ording revenue, they cannot exist under di-
minutIon OF duty. So far from this they
cal aloud for an Increase of duty, as necpssa-
ryt TO their very existence. No. Mr. Chair
man, the deficit must he supplied by direct
tax. The reasoning which could convince
Congress that il was right TO impose high du-
lies on foreign goods, To aid our manufac-
tmes, would be strong enough To- prove, :hat
they ought not TO be depressed. as their ad-
vocates would say, ny an excise And thus
the community would he doubiy taxed: first,
b,y the high prices which they must pay for
domestic manufactures, in consequence of the
foreign being excluded by our duties; and.
secondly, by the tax which must be paid to-
supply the deficiency la the revenue, produc-
eu ny The same exclusion of foreign goods
whereas, had foreign goods been not exclud-
ed, they would have purchased them al a
cheaper price than the domestic, and have
saved that difference in price And even of
'rf price that they would have paid for them,
a part would, in the shape Of impost duty,
nave gone INTO the Treasury, and thus there
w"u'a DE no uehc'ency Ia supply, by them, in
the shape of direct taxation. But, to give the
gentlemen all they ask for, let us SUPPOSE, that
dn excise could be imposed, upon domestic
manufactures, what, let me ask. have we gain
ed: Surely need not attempt to prove 10
the committee, that the great BODY Of the
community who are consumers, would, as
such, ultimately pay this tax too. And thus
after losing all the difference between the hirb
price at which we have to buy the domestic
articles, and the low prize at which we could
nave bought the foreign, in supplying the def
GU IN revenue, occasloued by the exclusion of
the Foreign, we have the high privilege Of he
ing taxed with excise, instead of imposts. The
loss tn us, IN this arrangement, can easily per
ceive, but the gain | cannot, unless il he the
gain of more disagreeablc, instead of more
| agreeable mode of taxation.
Mr. Chairman, are the people OF this coun-
Try prepared, IN time of peace, for direct
TAX, and Tor an excise or for either?
DIR, we know, from actual experience, that
they are both more expensive in collection,
and that the direct tax being by numbers a.
inongst the states, is unequal in ;.s opera
tloD we know that they are more inconve-
nient, and that the direct tax subjects us to
me intrusive visit OF the -gatherer, whilst
The I'npost is included in the articles which
we purchase and that its payment is act
OF 'oilllon. In relation TO excise, though
England raised, according to Mr. Lowe,
21oOO,0e0 sterling, equal to Sl2O, 900 900, by
excise, IN 1925, though there are now twenty
lve different articles subject to excise in thai
oppressed Kingdom, yet, sir, we know that An
attempt 10 impose an excise on tobacco. in
the reign of George III. was considered by
some OF her best patriots, as dangerous to the
Constitution that its defeat was celebrated
with reJocings; that Walpole, the Minister
VINO proposed 1t, was burned in eiligv; and
mat he abandoned it because he thought il
could not he carried into execution without
armed Enr "a - -. IL a..
PIE OF England are now obliged 10 bear il In
multiplied forms; thank God that il is not
our condition, and hope never will be- But
gentlemen say that this bill will increase The
wealth OF the nailoDj L readily admit that If
will increase the profits and, consequently.
the wealth of the capitalists, whose capital is
invested in manufactures ; admit also, that
these establishments may afford some advan-
age, to a few hundreds perhaps thousands
OF persons, who reside CONTINUOUSLY 10 them
but utterly deny that it will increase the
aggregate wealth of the nation. And here, Mr.
Chairman, though fear il may be somewhat
unpalatable, l must beg leave to introduce
some principles of political economy.
The sum of my doctrines on this subject
Is this that the wealth Of nation is an aggre
gate OF the wealth of the individuals who
compose IL; this IS as plain principle as
That the whole is made up ofits parts That
there is an instinct implanted in man. the
naster-spring Of his actions, which, through
NE, lmpss him TO a perpetual endeavor 10
better his condition; that this principle, act
ing alike upon all, without concert, and with
Out even looking TO The public interest, every
man IN society IS constantly endeavoring to
increase his portion of wealth, and, conse-
quen'iy, every man Is laboring 10 add TO the
stock OF public weath-an increase of n
whole being the inevitable result Of an increase
of all its parts. From these principles. this
c0rolIary is dednced that government should
never Interfere but IN matters of siate that.
IN relation to the internal police of IA country.
" mas dobe all that is required of IT, all that il
ought TO do, wbeu IL has secured TO its CHI.
zens their personal liberty and private prouer
ty, and an impartial administration Of Justice
that, as to The appropriation Of his skin. CAPT
tai, and labor, he ought to be- left 49, free as
lhe ar winch he breaihfs, subject to no other
ilmitatoD than one which may be expressed
~ one maxim OF the civil law: $50 use ihy
own, as not to injure anOiher's." Now, sir. M,
gentleman viii contend, that the instinct
winch have mentioned, does not prompt
every man to desire tu improve biscondition
upon this point have the law of our nature
on my side. Before then, il can be justified to-
invoke the ald OfgOverument upon this subject
u IS incumbent on those who would do so 10
prove that government knows better how to
direct this desire, which all acknowledges fo
he universal, than the individual citizens them
selves. This they cannot do; but, on the con
'tary, think II can be clearly shown not only
mat government does not know better hut
that Il does not know so well nav. that. in
the nature ofthlngs, Ii is, and must be- wholly
incompetent tn the task. As gentlemen will
probably eject the authority of books, will
resort to other proof to the experience &c an