Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-25
70 rur VIRGINIA ekLKoA fi o n II o Sssr

mo III
II Is generally understood that strenuous cxertions
peal or very considerable reduction of the existing duty
ON sugars Having, within few years past. been led
70 invest the little property possess in sugar plant
my attention The result of tho consideration have
bestowed on the subject Is, conviction that upon the
course which Congress Pursues in relation to it, de-
penus the utter ruin, not oil myself. yet Of many
equally entitled with myself to Justice at the hands Of
our countrymen. Under this conviction address YOU
am Virginan by birth, and In feeling. know the
Virginia character aud therefore place the utmost
anco Oh your public spirit, your honesty Of purpose
and your sense of justice. II you commit injustice
WIN be through nadvertence, not from design. know
state: ou make no appeal to msgnanimty to gene
rSsy. Justice, strict justice, Is all invoke in behalf
oil the sugar planter In her scales let his case be
weighed-upon her decision let II rest
It's not my purpose to enter into an examination Of
the public utility Of tho measure la question. shall
notattempt to ascertain its bearings upon the many iu
oil this staPeto trace Its consequences upon the de-
mand Tor the produce oil western and northern labor
upon the already superabundant supply Of cotton nor
upon the vaius OF slaves in Virginia and else whe re
All these subjects afford abundant matter for con.dera
ton But shall not discuss them will suppose to be
determnedupon full consideration Of all its consequent
ces that the measure is called for by the general
that whatever may DO the consequent injury part-
cular interests certain reduction Of the duty Is due to
the general interest.
The question then Is, as 10 the time tchen the opera
ton OF this measure should be made to commence
In one respect, its operation would necessarily date
rom the moment IL was determined on. From that mo-
ment, would the whole capital engaged In the pro-
ducuon OF this commodity sink in value. In Louisiana
alone, this capital is estimated at sixty millions of dol
lars. Some persons talk of reduction of one and two
dollars per hundred weight, in the next two wears
Such reduction this, IL II were now determined On
10 take place at tho expiration of flee years would
instantly reduce the value Of all sugar-producing pro.
Perty from twenty-hv to fifty per cent This will readi
y be conceived by every who knows that the yalno
OF property Is fixed by the interest il Yields and who
aware OF the fact that the average price OF sugar to the
planter Is from five to six dollars per hundred weigbt
This would be the necessary and inevitable efiscs Of
such determination as have supposed IL would be
seyond the power of Congress to make II otherwise.
But there Is one particular In the operation of such
measure which il is within the power of Congrcss 70
regulate. This permanent injury 10 tho man who has
invested MS money In sugar property be lessen
ed; but II may he greatly aggravated IL NAV ba in
icted in such manner as 10 leave him lime ~ hrs,,h
and to save HIMSELF indeed from the loss but from
utter run Or II may be dealt with such an unsparipg
hand as to crush him at blow. Which of these two
modes OF proceeding prescribed by that Justice which
have invoked let every mans of Justice decide
Tor him. few unvarnshsd facts will place the sub
Ject IN strong light.
In 1900 an act was passed, imposing with view 70
revenue alone, duty of two and half cents pound
upon sugar. From the year 1889, the duty had been
SUCCESSFULLY raised to one and half and two cents:
where the act of 1900 found IT, In 1905 the purcbase
OF Louisiana incorporated that country with the United
states At this period the culture Of the sugar cane had
just began to be attempted but an experiment of We
ry doubtful success. The stimulus administered by
the existing duty compensated, however for the dis
lance Of the sun, and warmed this new branch of in
dusry into activity and vgor. Capital was atracte a.
and acre by acre it exended s field up the river Mis-
sissipp In 1916, the expenses Of the war which had
Just been crowned with unfadng glory upon cane
field, called for additional revenue: and The dn,y r %
and a half was raised TO three cents The s,imnIus
was thus Increased; lands were opened. and an
eniargng receptacle provided for the overowng slave
population OF Virginia and Maryland At this dsv the
capital engaged in the sugar culture in Louisiana alone
Is estimated at sixty millions of dollars The lands and
slaves OF which this capital chiefly consists have been
mostly purchased at the prices fixed by the nro6t. or
rather the supposed profts-for many have 10 their
cost discovered that these profits are greatly
ated-oi the pursuit in which they are EMPLOYED
Wihn the last three years, slaves from the north to
tue amount OF fourteen millions, have been purchased
principally on credit, by persons Just commencing tbe
culture and who, to meet their engagements rely en-
hrey on the proceeds of their crops several wears
come
Such is the character and the amount of the interest
upon winch the proposed measure Immediately bears.
ana the question Is, how far, admitting the of
the Immense sacrifice Of this interest which would ne
vtaoy attend an even prospective reduction;-how far
requires that the reduction should be made pros
pecVe! Inc duty Is not tax imposed for the benefit
OF the planter upon the of his fellow. citizens
ne planter had no art part in its mposon he has
become % s planter IN consequence of its imposition
ne duty Is tax upon the country large imposed bv
the people at large for the purpose of raising revenue
oil which they stood in need. But the incidental con-
sequence OF its imposition has been TO betray nor,ion
oil our fellow citizens into pursuit from which thew
cannot withdraw Five-sxhs Of this duty, were es,ab
hshed not Tor extraordinary revenue but for ordinary
revenue; not under extraordinary circumstances but
under ordinary circumstances: under such cjrcunns.n
ces as undenaby to justify the presumption up 10 be
present moment, that the duty would long continue.
certainly, that IT would not be suddenly Withdrawn =
Upon this presumption, the citizen has been led 10 in
vest his money in certain description Of property al
price determined by that presumption. This money
gone; he cannot withdraw il: nav he has in most in
stances, also contracted to pay money Under these
circumstances II Is proposed, by single stroke of the
legislative pen, not only reduce the value of his pro
perry TO one half OF what he had paid contracted TO
pay Tor VI; but to do this in such way as 10 appravae
the injury and irretrievably ruin him. Let The viz
gina farmer bring this question home HIMSELF and If
MS sense oil justice does not peremporly decide that
some respite, at least, is strictly due TO the planter LET
him instruct his representative to deny that respite
Let him, for the sake of saving one cent or two cen,s
in the price he pays for sugar nict an injury of twen
ty-hve or thirty millions of dollars upon portion Of hi,
fellow citizens; at the time that he infcts upon
himself loss OF fifty hundred dollars on every slave
he owns Let him further, for the sake of saving thar
one or TWO cents upon every pound OF sugar no TO use
In the next hve years. deny to the planter the respite
which IS necessary TO the wreck OF his
from the hammer Of the auctioneer.
NATIVE vIRGINIAN.
within the last three years tho amount of fourteen
millions Of dollars have been purchased by Louisiana Upon hi.
demand hos the Price Of slaves in Virginia chiefly rested An in
Simultaneous Of this
Lousnna would he by one half the sas
reduction would ensuo in Virginia.
EXTRACT of letter from a gentleman Of high stand.
ing in VaDdalis, Illinois, TO his friend In this Civ
dated DEc & lsao ~
1.-THE members Of our lie legislature are a.ssmbIiny,
We have two Senators TO e'ee and there are of course
a number OF candidates. think Mr. X ane will be re-
elected, and either Gov Bond, or Judge Young will
be the obef--alI JacksoBiaDs; but differing about
State concerns. We hear this morning the pie ssing
intelligence that Mr. Barttn has been supsrsedsd nv
N In. A In The G.