The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-25

measure, be liberated from duties, are Injuries,
the remark is equally true OF some Of the articles
remaining subject to duties In the present
advanced stage of comfort and civilization, it is
not easy to draw line between Injuries and neces-
saries. 1t will be difficult to make the people be-
leve that bohea tea is luxury, and the article of
line broad-coths is a necessary of life.
In stating that the duties on tie protected class
ought TO be retained it has been far from my wish
TO preclude inquiry into their adequacy propre
ty Ii 1t can be shewn that, in any Instance they
are excessive or disproportionateiy burthensome
on any section of the Union, for one | am ready
TO vote for their reduction modification. The
system contempates an adequate protection /; be-
YONG that 1t is not necessary to GO. Short Of that
Its operation will be injurious to all parties
me people OF this country, or large majority
cf them, expect that the system will be preserved
And Its abandonment would produce general sur
Prise, spread desolation over the land and coca.
SION as great shock as declaration of war forth
with against the most powerful nation of Europe
but If the system be preserved, it ought to be
honestly, fairly, and faithfully enforced That
there do exist the most scandalous evasions of it,
and the gressest frauds upon the public revenue in
regard to some of the most important articles can
not be dousted. AS to iron objects really belong
ing TO one denomination, TO which higher duty is
auached, are imported under another name, to
winch lower duty is assigned, and the law thus
eVadec False invoices made as to woollens
anu the classhcation into ininimums is constantly
eluded. The success of the American inanufae.
lure OF cotton bagging has been such as that BY
furnishing better and cheaper article the BAG
ging OF Inverness and Dundee has been almost ex.
GUIDED from the consumption of the States border
ing on the mississippi and its tributaries There
has not yet been sufficient time to fabricate and
transport the article in necessary quantities from
the Western States to the Southern Atlantic
states, which therefore have been almost cxclu-
sslyeiy supplied from the Scottish manufactures
The payment ofthe duty is evaded by the intro
auction nd fha al
pnrlaps, or some other mercantile phrase and in
stead OF paying five cents the square yard, it is en-
tered with duty of only fifteen per cent ad valo-
rem; That this practice prev.ls, is demonstrated
py the treasury report of the duties accruing on
cotton bagglng for the years 1928, 1929, and 1880
during the first year the amount was 1877 500 dol
lars, the second l06,068 dollars and the third it
sunk down to 14l4l dollars.
Inc time has arrived when the inquiry ought
10 De seriously made whether it be not practicable
10 arrest TINS Legitimate of trade, and Sc
cure me faithful execution of the laws No time
could be more suitable than that at which it is coll
temPlated to make great reduction Of the public
revenue. Two radical changes have presented
themselves to my mind and which will now sug-
gest Tor consideration and investigation. On.such
subject, | would, however, seek from the mer-
camille community and practical men, all the i. ht
winch they are so capable of affordng, and should
De reluctant to act on my own convictiOns, howev-
or strong.
Inc nIst Is TO make total change in the place
OF valuation. Now the valuation is made in For
eign Countries We Ak the duties and we leave
TO foreigners TO assess the value on articles paving
ad volorem duties. That is. we prescribe the rule
and leave Its execution to the foreigner This is
an anomaly, believe, peculiar to this country
IL is evident that the amount of duty payable on
gwen article subject to an I'D valorem duty nav
be affected much ky the fixation of the value as
by the specification of the duty And for all pract-
cal purposes 1t would be just safe to retain to
ourselves the ascerisinment of the value and leave
tethe foreigner to prescribe the duty, as it is to
reserve to ourselves the right to declare the duty
and allow TO him tie privilege to the value
The effect Of this vicious condition of the law
has been to throw almost the whole import trade OF
the country, as 10 some important articles, into
the hands of the foreigner have been informed
that seven-eghths of the importation of woolens
into the port of New York, where more is recev-
ed than in all the other ports of the United States
together, are in his hands This has not proceed
ed from any want Of enterprise, intelligence or
capital, on the part of the American merchant
for, In these particulars, he is surpassed by the
merchant OF no country. 1t has resulted from his
problty, his character and his respect the laws
and institutions of his country-a respect which
does not influence the foreigner. | am aware that
1t Is made by law, the duty of the appraiser to as
certain the value of the goods in certain cases.
But what Is his chief guide 1t is the foreign in
voice, made by whom he knows not, certainly by
no person responsible to our laws And if its fair
ness be contested, they will bring you carloads of
certificates and afhdayits from unknown persons
to verify its exactRess, acd the first cost of the ar
tcle.
Now, sir it seems to me that this is state of
Things to which we should promptly apply an
eftlcacious remedy, and no other appears to me-
But that OF taking into own hands both parts OF
the operation, the ascertainment OF the value as
well as the duty to be paid on the goods if it be-
said that we might have in different ports, differ
ent rules, the answer is that there could be no d.
verslty greater than that to which we are liable
from the fact of the valuation being ROW made in
all the ports OF foreign countries from which we
make our impOrtations And that it is better to
have the valuations made oy persons responsible
to our own Government, aud regulated by one
head, than by unknown foreigners, standing under
no responsibility whatever to u.s.
The other change to which allude is to reduce
the credits allowed for the payment of duties and
to render them uniform. 1t would be better if not
injurious to commerce, to abolish them altogether
Now we have various periods of credit, graduated
according TO the distance of the foreign port and
the nature of the trade. These credits operate as
SO much capital on which the foreign merchant
can sometimes make several adventures before |
the arrival of the day OF payment There is no
reciprocal advantage afforded to the American ner-
chant, believe. in any foreign port As we shall |
Ps1baby abolish reduce greatly the duties on all
articles impaired from beyond the Cape of Good
Hope, on which the longest credits are allowed.
the moment would seem to be propitious for re-
stricting the other credits in such manner. that
whilst they afforded reasonable facility TO the
merchant, they should not supply the foreigner at
Inc instance OF the public, with capital for his
mercantile operations. IL the laws can be strictly
enforced, and some such alterations as have been
suggested, can be carried into effect it il quite
probable that a satisfactory reduction NAV be made
OF the duties upon some Of the articles falling
within the system of protection. And. without
lmpalring its principle other modes of relief NAV
possibly be devised to of these interests upon
which it is supposed to press most heavily.
There remains one view to present to the SEN I
ate in respect to the amount of reduction of the
revenue which will be produced by the proposed
measure, il adopted, and its influence upon the !
payment Of the public debt within the time sup-
'ested by the Secretary Of the Treasury The esti-
nate which have made of that amount is founded
lpon Treasury returns prior to the late reduction
# duties on tea, coffee and cocoa. Surprising
he duties on wines and silks to be reduced as low
Is think they may be, the total amount of rev.
snue with which the proposed measure viii dis
pense will be about G7,000000. The Secretary
Of the Treasury estimates the receipts of the pres
ent year fom all sources at $50 100 900, and he
supposes those OF the year will be of an equal
amount. He acknowledges that the past year ha,
been one OF extraordinary commercial activity;
but on what principles does he anticipate that tie
present will also be fhe history of our COM
merce demonstrates that it alternates and that a
year oil incorporate speculation is usually followed
oy one oil more guarded Importation That the
impertatlons OF the past year nave been excessive
Deieve Is generally confessed, aRd is depnonstra-
ted by two unerring facts. The first is, that the
imports have exceeded the exports by about seven.
teen millions of dollars. Whatever NAV be the
q9alihcations to which the theory of the balance
o. trade may be liable, it may be safely affirmed {
'nat "hen the aggregate of the impertatons from I