The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-09-23

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Il win be seen by the extracts referred 70,
that the payment Of duties is nearly simulta-
neous with the consumption Of the taxed
commodity, as may be. The government has
charge of all Imports until the duty Is
paid. The importer has always three years,
and sometimes six, 70 find consumers, Ell
Their in his own'or foreign countries, before
he is compelled TO pay the tax. The happy
consequence is--no removal Of Bonds-no
sacrifices Of the goods TO pay the duiies--no
frauds--the Government obtains its just dues,
with little OF no fluctuations Of prices. While
here, under our system, millions are sacrificed
in seasons Of prostration, like the present,
and the Goyepment greatly embarrassed.
For one, we are greatly obliged TO Mr..
Wright for the bill he has presented Some
few notifications will doubtless present them
selves as the bill progresses.
The strange, injurious delay on the part Of
the government, 70 adopt wholesome reve-
nue. system, may be ascribed to two causes
lst. That the too rapid march Of this ma
ton in every thing, has outrsn all practicable
Legislation. And
cd. The unaccountable error pervading the
minds Of our Legislators. that the parehossing
system Wouid require tie government to erect
at an enormous szpeass, tie necessary mare
houses for all The imports 10 BE- stored, No
thing could be further from the truth. Not
single dollar is required for the erection Of
buildings. The government Of Great Britain
may have chosen TO erect few warehouses
for tobacco, probably because the enormous
duty made that commodity almost as valuable,
and requiring equal guards, as the precious
metals. Possibly. they have built or bought
some for other commodities, in former times.
But the general practice is there, as here, to
license or appoint any good storehouse as a
public warehouse, whenever the owner shall
desire it. And there, as here, the Custom
House officer has charge Of it, in conjunction
with the owner, who is also made accounta-
BILE to the governments for the goods stored.
Several hundred stores thus appointed, the
owners collect the storage fees. The govern
ment neither owns nor rents them. The ware
housing, they usually term it Bonding sys-
tem,) is a material branch of their great
CREDIT system which, although the latter
in the aggregate is subject to revulsion, has
placed that little island asiride Of the world,
and perhaps no point or feature Of their sys-
tenn, has tended SO much to prevent fuctua-
tons in price, and to prevent disastrous revul-
sions, which other parts Of their system are
ever ready to bring about, as this particular
warehousing branch.
EXTRACT.
81 do not trouble the House with tedious quotations
Of the British revenue laws am aware that those
laws are generally known to members Of this House;
but their practical operation and effect may not be known
to ALL a@s
Those lava have been framed and from tino 70 !
time modified and amended in conformity with the
suggestions and the teachings Of ages Of experience
The spirit Of the British constitutions tho efisr Of
the broad basis Of equal rights and equal
burthens and the trainers of the customsaws in both
countries have proceeded the assumption that the
consumers Of the imported merchandise, and not the
merchant more than Other professions the duty
which the government leves; and although for the
yenence Of the government and the people, the importer
is made accountable for the in the first instance he
is not required to pay it in that country, until he is en-
abled to place the goods in the Of consumption
In Great Britain, payment Of duty is required Of
the importerno advance Of the is called for, until
the goods wanted and sold for actual consumption
provided such sale be made at any time within three
years fom the date Of importation.
The importer pays duty until he makes sale Of the
taxed commodity to the consumer or to the jobber
whose purpose it is to put the goods into actual con-
sumption. The transfer from merchant to merchant
from owner to owner hundred tmes-reqpires no pay
ment Of duty, long tho goods remain in bond and
not sold out Of the warehouse During those three
years Of indulgence, any shorter time in the option
of the mr orter and which by special leave may be
extended to six years least some species Of mer
chandize and during all which time, the importer may
export the same, in the homo consumption does
not call for it. free Of all tax duty, whatever say
during all this time, the equitable and discreet revenue
laws Of that government recognize joint ownership
between the merchant and the government. That part
Of the value which consists Of the original cost is the
property Of the merchants and that part Of the value
which consists Of the duty, the property Of the GO
venment: and should the goods be destroyed BY fire or
food or any other unavoidable agent Of destruction
the merchan. loses the goods, and the government
loses the duty Such is the just equitable settled law
such the just equitable and settled, unvaying practice
Of Great Brtain---such, in my opinion, should have
been the law Of this country, and Of every country.
deem it something than mere misfortune
as well to the government the merchantthat while
this nation has copied largely and strictly the CO.
crcive and the portions Of the British revenue
code; have omitted to adopt the conservative pro-
tective provisions"
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