Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-04-28
TUESDAY, April 20.
TEA AND COFFEE.

The House then took Up the bill to re-
duce the duty on Tea aud Coffee. with the
amendment reported thereto to the Com
mttee OF the whole.
The amendment respecting lea was
concurred IN.
The amendment fixing the duty on cot
fee. at , ID cents a pound, after the 3lst
December, 1881, coming mp,
Mr. SENMES Of Nd. moved 10 amend
the amendment by striking QUIZ II cents,
and inserting one cent as the duty. This
duty Mr.. S. said, was not necessary forrev-
cnue. as under any modification of the Ia
uf. that was likely to take place. the rev
enua would be sufficient to pay otF,he Ma
iional Debt, az fast as It become due, and
as the article DID not come in competition
with any domestic product, the duty was
not necessary for protection. Further, the
article was no longer one of luxury, but
had become one OF general and necessary
use. and he for these reasons hoped the
duty would be reduced TO one cent, al the
time proposed, and ultimately abolished
altogether
NJ burgess suggested the Proprlety
of fylng Inc duty at tr0 cents. TINS
would be very heavy reduction, and he
'h5ught would be sufficient for the pres
eat
Nj SEMNES said he would vary his
.mouon. so as to strike on; lhe , ID cents,
nd leave the blank to be filled with t,0o or
me as the House might decide.
Mr. INGERSOLL advocated the poll
lev OF grcst aud sudden reductions Of du
ties. Tbs was the reason why the Com
mitlee of WAYS and Means reported in IA
,9r of ID cents, which was reduction
o. one half the present duty. This alone
would probably take off 2 million Of reve-
uue, aud with the reduction n tea. would
amount toa 6minutIou Of two millions Of
pvenue. The bcs, aud safest policy. he
argued, was a gradual reduction of du.'cs.
He feared the amendment, if pressed,
would em5urass, perhaps defeat, tie bill;
and the agitation Of the question so long
before us massage, had already ruined ma
ny merchants.
Mr.. SEMNES had abstained from GO
ing fully INTO The merits Of the question,
when he offered his amendment, surprising
that every member was ready 70 vote on
the subject As it was opposed. howev-
err, he would offer a few reasons, more at
large, IN favor of his amendment. he
did so. and avoued that he had himself
beer in favor Of a total abolition Of the du-
ty. for the reasons briefly stated above: but
had yielded TO the suggestions Of some
members who were practical merchants,
and who thought the total removal Of the
duty might afford opportunity for frauds,
&c and he had accordingly agreed to keep
on a duty of one cent. lie was Ia favor
Of repeating the duty on all articles which
do not come in competition with domestic
productions.
The question on striking out , II was
decided in the negative, ayes 20. noes 81.
Mr.. TAYLOR Of \. Y. then moved to
strike out the half cent, 50 as TO leave the
duty two cents.
This motion prevailed-ayes 60.
Mr. SEMMES then moved TO insert an
amendment to reduce the duty to one cect,
at the expiration ola year after the duty
of tsco cents should 90 into operation; and
for the first time asked the yeas and nays.
They were ordered; and
The amendment was agreed to-yeas
I0S. nays 20.
Mr.. REED Of Mass. next moved to in
sert a clause TO reduce the duty on Cocoa
to one cent per pound. The present duty
Is two cents; and Mr. r. said there was
last year imported 5,33lOOO pounds
The common price is only five cents a
pound, so that the duty was high one in
proportion. and entered largely into the
consumption Of the poorer classes. Il
would not argue the question, but hoped
the amendment would prevail.