Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-04-09
.iSTRACT or MIR. CAMBEELENG'S
REPORT ,&,NTINIAD

.iSTRACT or MIR. CAMBEELENG'S
REPORT. CONTINUED.
g cannot persuade ourselves To believe that
yrcss viii persist in u course so poorly cal
TED Ia encourage any braucb of industry
inevitably tending to result so calamitous
d. Illuminating. Whatever may be our opin-
Of the influence of legislative s,imulants, it
i DO evident TO all that prohi6i,ory duties
acver he permanently enforced in n country
n such vast and imaginary inland bounda-
and with a maritime frontier so extensive
. generally inhabited. We are now making
experiment very similar to that which we
Hcsscd during the late war. If that war had
.tinued five years longer. every part OF
Union would have been filed with British
eds through the agency of our own citizens.
Q have, fortunately, just commenced this sys-
~, and it is also fortunate ior us that the Nor
IN colonies were not entirely liberated till
, ~ When they were under system of CO.
"'"i Restrictions. and we enjoyed moderate
'cs' cur own merchants annually supplied
canadian markets with the produce of those
'h'rics with which :bo colonies were no, per-
Led to trade by Il charge policy by both
commercially obstructing our channels of
&c and opening those i'll the North the tide
smuggling now runs in the opposite direction
=! 1t rs no, alone on that iionticr that sinup.
~ Is carried on. We have oflarcd such
n premiums for the encouragement of I'M
''tul trade, that it exists TO very consdera-
extent on our Southern us well as Northern
'ntiers, and along all the CULTS, bays, rivers,
ii capcs, of our atlantic border 1t is impossi-
hn nxt t,I al,
zee of which depends on secrecy and despatch,
'."' we may form some opinion OF its growth by
A'ras'ng our present duties, revenue, and
g. 'Tulation, with those which existed more than
cnty years ago. Ia the mean time, some ar
'2s, formerly imported, have been supplied at
g nc, and ad va!orem merchandise has fallen in
NE, but the rapid increase of the consumption
Injuries has balanced these deficiencies
dcr our former moderate duties the nett re-
aue from customs had risen to sixteen mil
us annually. The rovcnnc c"!!ccisd in 1916
~ IL was extraordinary, owning 10 tho flood
lmportations after the war. The ten sue
ding years, rom Isis to I-21 inclusive aver
cd about eighteen millions annually, although
81 : mad, IN the meantime, doubled our popua-
- m and our duties. From 1852 to $50. accor-
'lg to Mir. Gall0t!n, the ratio Of increase cx-
2ded seventy per cent while that Of popula-
"'n was little more than Thirty per cent Had
r ccnsuinpncn continued 10 Increase even in
alto to our populations, AMI had our high du.
$ been enforced, instead of eighteen millions.
p, ought now To lavo COLLECTED an annual re-
"nue oil forty or fifty niliioas of dollars With
;'r present population, and eur existing tariff.
I n va -
Aount collected in 1896 and 1907 II is oyi
at, from !hiS failing of in our revenue. that
, smuggling trade is Uot Gmcd 10 nlanu.nc.
res, nor to tic Northern frontier, but that il
braces sugar, coffee, tea, hranly, rum. gin.
II, pepper, nay, every article charged with
IN duty, and that it actually extends alonr
II whole Atlantic and Sou:.lcrn frontiers But
rs extraordinary relative decline in our revcn-
%, Is owing principally, no doubt, to the
"orst ard unilo rm tendency % high duties to
;ninish consump,i"n. We say the worst for,
TeVor bad smuggling may be, en- The score of
'2nomy, industry, circulation, and national
;aalth, nothing can he SO detrimental as enfcr-
:aG laws which restrict ana diminish the natur-
consumption OF nations population We
NY form some idea oft.io influence of hirh Gu.
-, IN encouraging smuggling am ..nluishnc
" assumption, by examining the document No.
+, which shows the fluctuations in the rcoular
.portation of icof"e into England for forty
ears. These imPortations vary uniformly with
creased or diminished dutics ard 10 All extra
''iinaTy extent. How rruci, have Parliament
'ded TO the commerce, navigation, agriculture,
'ai general wealth of the British empilc. by di
finishing tho duty, augmcnting the revenue,
"a increasing tie consumption from eipht 10
'P"ardS OF sixteen millions Of pounds. The
'uc''op' IN iH', OF the duty on tea, from 4s
: , u.s. was followed by an Increased oonsumntion
!:pm 12o, loo to 4,6GG,1S9 pounds mokinr pro-
Ter allowance for smuggling under the oil du.
y. Alter tie second reduction in 1884, the
assumption was in three years irebled. In
-, the duties on French vines and brandt
ere reduced nifty per cent. under n CONNER
Il treaty bu; the revenue was increased wifi,
!: consumption 1t is dificat 20 devise nnr
-.ciont scheme for enforcing hiGf or proIibi.
--fy duties. Thoy have never been cllec:uaiIv
%acutod IN any country, and here il is utterly
Pracnc'oie. All our legal provisions to
1hrd against frauds, with tic exception of ac.
81 examination and appraiscncnt answer no
rpos" whatsoever. but 20 cnJarI ass fair traders
d TO encourage the smugglcr, whom the most
i-'gcnious contriyances Of law can never reacb /!
our Custom House officers should be well paid
"a the committee purpose 10 modify the very
1iactiyc system of su6jcctng their omoIu,nents
all the hnctu1tions Of trade In many in. |
'anccs, tho collectors and Surveyors have re- |
"Ivcd Tor years, scarcely any sniary or cmolu !
.'nts. Even where there is ljtlo commerce. |
"u cannot dispense with their services, if YOU
. IAN that the revenue should la Guarded trl,o
.<pcctors, aud every officer in the service ofthe
."stom house, should be well paid, if you ex-
Get to ensure vigilance and fidelity The com. |
Hog alsn n LII n.-.l-.- |