Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-20
VIRGINIA. LEGIsEATuar
HOUSE of DELEGATES

Mient, and for other purposes, being under
consideration:
Mr. HARRISON, from Cumberland, moved to
strike ou' the eighth sec ion which propo,es IN
increase the tolls on non enumerated articles on
the James river canal, and insert in lieu thereof a
section, providing tina, the toll on tobacco be re-
duced TO sixty-lw" and half cents
In supper, of this motion, MIR. Harrison made
the following remarks: That the tariff of 1925.
which increased the tolls on this section had nm
deTSohe revision at the last session. for the pur-
pose OF amslganating the items, and simpifyine
thel collection; thai the revision had produced a
strict examination before special committee. and
In both branches of the Legislature; that the bill
went up 10 the Senate with higher rate of tolls
charged upon non-enumeraied articles or merct,an-
dize, than is nav charged, and was reduced nv
that body toe cents and mills per hundred, as il
now stands That the toll on non enumerated ar
lcies, under The original charter of the James ri-
yer company, was only cents. That the orjsina |
'oii on TOBACCO, under The same charter, was for
ty-Iwo cents per hos-hesd. ard had heen raised.
az 1t now lands, % 100 cents. That in III.
amendment proposed, he had charged it at 622
cents, because the hog head. are heavier than for
merry. and although that difference does mi,
amount to 90 per cent, YET he was willing to
make that difference, that charge of iIlbsrali,v
might be brought against his proposition.
Mr.. HARRIsoN laid:
Mr.. Speaker Although The toll on mercha,--
die IS 20 per cent. higher than was stipulated for
in the charter, am willing bear it, because il
operates as an Indirect tax upon the consumers
But aIIect tax upon tobacco, an article of all
others requiring the most arduous labour. and tina,
to the enormous amount of l40 per cent above
what Is due under any semblance of Justice. can
MOI be borne by freemen where there is no eouivs
lent, without complaint. Sir, upon wha, ground
Is TINS tax justified! suppose the use of the na,u
raj stream, is natural right appertainine to The
sell, bought by the purchaser, aud paid for a. =
part OF Its price, and no uncomfortable norton
theleoi. presume no individual in this House
VIII venture TO say we ought 10 pay a tax for
the use of IL, and take it tn granted that ,bis
House will not se;up claim to the right Of i'm
posing such tax.
Is II then justified because new facilities h,va
been afforded by the improvement, of the navisa-
uoD?
Ish, as some gentlemen have said because tho
people upon james river asked you to imnrov.
the navigation OF it, and must pay for YOUR err
rors?
Or, IL it, that when the zeal for Intern,I Ir
provenent ran high, you were led away BIZ the
darling Success OF New York, in her splendid en-
terprize; vainly attempted to vie with her. w,,b-
out looking into the peculiar advantages b.s,oyx oil
on her by nature, and denied to you: and when
the means were wanting TO pay interest on vour
loans to effect your object, justice was oyerooI, ed.
this dollhouse at the basin this convenient sourc
OF revenue was seized upon, and tax laid unon
one Porlon oi the community, TO pay for the err
rors Of the whole?
Mr.. Spesker--If do not sbevy. most concI,-
sively, that he las; OF these three was the onIv
operating CAUSE and that this tax IL utterly ,vi,,
foundation, upon evety principle OF justice, il
viii not be because the materials are wanting bu,
because | have not the ability o present the sub
Jec IN such clear and convincing lights as il is sus.
ceptble OF.
Sir, am we'll aware of the unwilnpna.s of
this House to remove any portion of this burtben
ain aware too, that II is a common opinion for
have often heard it expressed, thit the people ON
James river rich and able 10 bear il. 4 sad
mistake indeed! am sorry 10 say, too many ex-
amples are afforded every year. of estates sold
rom under the owners, on James river on ar
count OF the difficulties with which they are over
whelmed.
But, sir, il is not The people on James river
whose rights am defending: il Is a large mass of
The most valuable population In the Stale: nu-
merous class OF honest, industrious people, who
labor hard for the maintenance Of their wives and
children; men in moderate circumstances who
have little left after accomplishing these great and
lsudable objects OF human industry; population
extending overs huge section Of country; all, in
sho {, who trade TO James aud Jackson's riv ers
and to their branches. These are the people,
portion Of the profits Of whose labor is wres,eJ
from them By The hand Of power, in violation OF
the principles Of justice.
Mr.. Speaker If shall succeed in proving, to
the entire satisfaction OF the House, that I claim
iof these bard-lsborng, industrious iobaeco-Dskers
nothing but what is usnIfesIJ their due, I cannot
persuade myself, | will no; allow myself TO be
persuaded, notwithstanding their aversion to the re-
duclion Of tolls, that shall appeal in vain to their
justice and msgnanimi,y.
will proceed, then, 10 tho FIRST enquiry, whe
ther new facilities have been AFFORDED by the i'm
provement oflhe navigation,
To bis enJ will beg leave % trouble The House