Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-16
REPORT

REPORT
~ The CnnliTiiice on agriculture rrl HIf,yE,cFyy.e
The Committee agriculture and Manufacturers
nave, according 10 order had under consideration tho
report from the Auditors Office relative to che du
les on tobacco exported or manufactured, and ben
leave 20 report thereon
The account from tie Auditors oflro has mn co-
neXon with, and dogs not embrace the various char
ges on tobacco f0rstorage, ront coopernr brcakinp
urnngiup nas &c; but IS confined TO what is usual
~ denomInated the shipping duty" A duty of this
character existed anterior TO the ADOPTION the Com
stliutIon ofthe UBied States. The General Assem-
bly,, st It's May session. 1882 degroRs of aurlnoptiop
set apart for defending and PROTECTING the
traoe OF the chesapeake bay passed act, impos-
ing "toS or duty of six shillings per hooshead on
all tobacco exported by land or water" This du,v
has been continued, at rates varying with tho ext
genclos OF the Commonwealth TO the present time:
some years past 1t vas changed 10 fifty cents per
hogsheed, and such is it's present rate Ii is believed
to constitute solitary instance in VIRGINIA of us
cuninry charge on produce exported, beyond the a.
mount absolutely necessary for defaying the cx-
2enseS of inspection.
The account reported from the Aud;tot's Office a.
mits the receipts of twelve years next cn-uiny the
passage OF the act Of 1882 time not allowing that Of
icer to examine for, and state the accounts of those
years BY that statement, incomDlete IN tho ahovo
IL appears that the account is follows
Amount Of shipping duty tobacco
from lst October, 1894, to lst Oct.
1929 st1o oc1 90
Add for 1e years omitted, at rates l.
veraging with above 1919 90
Total of rcceipts S5G2oio ~
Total amount paid by Commonwealth
Tor tobacco burnt ia warehouses 64,732 SO
EHce9g Of receipts over payments for
-. tobacco '.t!,S burnt sio7.e7o DO
have been other disbursements, on
various accounts, from tobacco fund,
amounting to 1851 O.
From which deduct cxpen.
Sos OF building public
warehouses;, DcW owned
by The Common wealth,
and productive 1921 SO
10000 IS
Leaving tobacco fund in advance 10
Commonwealth, after paying all
charges on it's nccount 1905 0eO 90
This exhibit Of debris and credit of The tobncco
fund, shows that the shipping duty has produced an
amount considerably exceeding the sums necessary
TO dcfr1y iha expenses Of inspection and d,scharro
Tic claims arising from losses by The rayaaes of Ere
80 that, II the duty be considered Is the pTice of in
suTance tine experience Of foTty-sevcn wears proyes
iha The rate is unreasonaby high; but if considered
IS tax for the support Of government IL volgtcs Tho
Constitution Of the United States The second clause
Of the tenth section Of the first article Of The Cons
tuition prescrbes that "Eo State shall without tho
consent ofhe Congress, lay any imposts duties on
imports or exports, except what may DO absolutely
necessary for executing It's inspection law: and tho
nett produce Of al duties and imposts laid by any
|
The Treasury tho United States"
In order TO ascertain tie rate Of duty necessary to
guard the Commonwealth from any charge for the
expenses Of inspection, though the claims Of the
''Jacco interests Oh the advanced 10 tho Trea-
sn'y should scarcely be confined 10 indemnify for losses
~ lire, your committee has prepared a statement
founded on the report from the Auditors Office the
number Of hoRshcads inspected, the expenses Of IN
Spoction chargcabc on the tobacco fund.- the salaries
d inspectors arc deducted from the amount received
by them, and the Commonwealth is not answeTob biz
Tor them, when the receipts at the warehouses re-
rpeciycly iusulliccnt and the surplus paid into
tic Treasury, for the three last years.
Number Of hogsheods, paying duty,
~ 1896, 9oo
do. do 1921 I,'aet
Go. do 1925, 34,3JO
Total ofthree years, 1869
Averaging annually, 1881
Duty paid, after deductng Inspectors
ealories, in 1925, St6OO7 90