Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-28

system Of duties upon foreign merchandise, the
Committee Awill close this report with few re-
marks GA the relative advantages s disadvantages
Of the two systems.
Under present system 1f imposts, the colec-
ton OF the costs less than three and s-half
per cent on the gross amount under Il system OF
intcrnaeaXes, il would cost more than seven per
cent, upon the most moderate estimate. The
objection 10 this increased expense of collection
would not be diminished by the consideration
tlati would grow out OF the necessity of having
a vast number OF excise officers and assessors
scattered over the country, clothed with inquisi-
toria powers, and necessarily intruding their irqui-
ries into the private of every citizen. But
this objection sinks into comparative insig-
niiicance, when viewed III connection with one
which rcmaius 60 be stated From the great cx-
tent of our territory, the sparseness of our popu-
lation, and the unayoidably unequal disbursement;
Of the public revenue, in a local point of view, a
system of internal taxes will always produce by
disturbing the equilibrium of the circulating uedi-
um, the most distressing embarrassments in those
parts OF the Union i'll which the smallest proportion
oil the public disbursement shall be made. II the
contributions Of the people and the expenditure of
the Government could be locally equaised, SO that
The money contributed by each county III the shape
OF taxes, should be returned 90 in the form of gov
crnnent expenditure, there would be scarcely
any limit 70 the financial power of this country.
but as the expenditures of this Government are,
necessarily, extremely Unequal and partial, the
only remedy Or corrective is 10 be found III Il
system OF revenue which makes the points of con
;ribution, nearly possible, coincdent with the
points OF disbursement. This is enlinently the
ease ina system ofimposts.. OF the annual rxpcn-
dit0re Of goo coo Tor the support OF the va
rous branches of the public service, and for the
payment Of the public debt, il IS believed thai
Iiiore than tourths is expended On the mari
,iine frontier, principally in The cities into which
! foreign merchandise is directly imported 1t is
obvious, then, that impost duties are the least bur
uensone imPositions that can be devised for such
country and such Government as ours. 1t would
not be extravagant to say that nett revenue o.
Si5O00,0OO, raised by internal taxes, would in.
Volve, IN the expenses of its collection and in thu
mode OF its operation, heavier, and more vexa
tious pressure upon the people, than a nett reve
nue. OF S2O,OOO,O 900, derived from impo5ts TIL,
very nature OF our country, and the ends for which
tins Government was obviously created indicat,
foreign commerce as the object Of our care, an,
source oil our revenue. IL was principally 20 pro-
tect foreign commerce that this Union was ori
ginaliy formed; and it may well be doubted whe-
Their the destruction o! the former would not pu
IN jeopardy the very existence of the latter b,
greatly iinparing, both the motive for preserving
and the means of sustaining, our expensive nation
al institutions. The Committee, therefore, believe
that the Representatives of the People are callet
upon, not only by considerations connected wifi
the national wealth and revenue, but by ever,
consideration which gives value to the union of tho
States, TO reject the Recommendation of the Score
tary oil the Treasury, and arrest the progress of
| system, the possible consequences of which no A.
rnerican can contemplate with indifference.