The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-09-07
9th CONGRESS,--1st Session.
DEBATE ON THE REVENUE BILL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Wednesday, July %, 164l.

ACfls
The House being in Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, and having
under consideration the bill in relation TO duties
and drawbacks
| Mr.. EVERETT said he rose to indicate an a.
mendment, which he intended 10 propose when
an opportunity should occur. The present bill
was partial execution Of the compromise, and
on terms not the most favorable to Northern
interests. On the face Of it, it provided for a
permanent system Of duties, which could not be
changed without the concurrence of the three
| branches of the Legislature. All seemed to
| agree that we had not time, nor the necessary
information, to make proper revision of the
tariff at the present session. He was, there
fore, opposed TO any law that should be, by its
terms, permanent. He thought it would place
the manufacturing interests too much in the
power of the friends Of free trade. He feared
that, if the act passed without a Limitation Of
time, it would hereafter be in their power 10
embarrass, if not 10 prevent, proper revision.
He was for retaining the power. He should
therefore propose that the act should be limited
to three years. At the suggestion of gentle
men around him, he adopted the term Of two
years.) If this limitation were adopted, it
would become absolutely necessary 10 make
revision. and then all interests would stand on
an equal ground.
Sir. said he, there must be revision, even
if the compromise be respected. The CON-
promise itself contcmplates further Legislation
to carry it into effect. And, in tho future legis-
lation, there must be new compromises, which
might be made within the leading principles of
that of 1888. The home valuation, though
perhaps not impracticable would be found 10
be very inconvenient, so much so as scarcely TO
need illustration. But he would, as one in
stance, refer to the article Of sugar. There
were various qualities, and it would be extreme
" difficult TO establish an uniform standard OF
value even at the same port, and much more an
equal standard at all the ports Of the Union.
The home valuation must be compromised for
a specified duty on some articles, or for an ad-
valorem duty on the foreign value on others.
And this could he done, in both cases, without
violating the spirit of the compromise. On
the protected articles, it would be just TO give
TO the manufacturers the fair value of the home
valuation he estimated home valuation at
twenty per cent. as equal 10 thirty per cent. on
the nett foreign cost. The value Of our home
valuation being ascertained, its application
could be readily made to specific duties. For
this purpose, the average value of the article
for the last five years in the home market, cor
rected at stated periods by an average on the
five preceding years, might be taken as the
home valuation, and spacifc duty laid, equal
in amount 10 the I'D valorem duty on the ave-
rage thus ascertained. Specific duties are
always 10 be preferred on articles Of nearly
uniform quality. They are more easily ascer-
tanned. and all fraudulent valuations are avoided.
On articles of tho same kind, bu, Of slightly
different qualities, general evcrage of the
quality should be taken as the standard Of the
specific duty. He repeated that a comprom.
Use. something like this, must be made, and
could be made, consistently with the spirit Of
the compromise. He thought all interests
would concur in its propriety.
A revision would be necessary for a dis
elimination will. view merely to revenue.
Many articles will not bear duty Of 20 per
cent. To prevent smuggling. articles of small
bulk and high value must be put at low rates.
You will get no revenue unless the duties arc
nearly as low as the cost and risk Of SNUG
Cling.
There must also be revision for dscrimi-
nation for the purpos of protection. Yes. sir,
for protection. For, TO a certain extent, the
principal of protection is recognised by the
compromse and the manufacturing interest
was entitled to the full benefit of it. And that
full benefit will be 10 lay the maximum of duty
Oh the protected articles, and then resort to tho
unprotected articles 10 supply any deficiency
of duties.
Tho subject Of retaliatory duties is len open
by the compromise. That principle was not
surrender. The compromise was based on
system of duties laid for revenue only; leaving
the question of retaliatory duties nj the entire
discretion of Congress to be laid for the bcne-
| fit oflhe commerce ofthe country. He should
be in favor of such duty, against the produc-
lions of countries which laid exorbitant duties
! on our productions, merely for the purposes Of
rerenue and he was induced 10 think that the
high duties on tobacco was fit occasion for
retalia,ory duties. lie did not agree with the
! gentleman from South Carolina, MIR. RHETT,)
| that the only effect would be to embarrass our
commerce. That might be the first effect /;
but the second effect woold be TO produce re-
duction of the foreign duties. Retaiatory du-
I ties were not intended as permanent system,
but as means of placing our commerce on an
equal footing with that of other countries.
| Suppose, for the high duties laid by France,
we should lay retaliatory duty OF. equal a.
noun, on her silks and wines, the first effect
would be prohibition and the effect Oh llia'
/ would he to throw back upon her marker me
/! immense amount of these articles we take
from her-from fifteen TO twenty mliiions'
The effect of this would be to lower line PRICE
of her whole production of these articles prooa;
Sly so per cent. And the final effect would
he reduction of the duty on tobacco to a
reasonable rate. The consequences of which
would be an immense increase OF consumption
and of the whole Of our product Of tobacco. 1t
is question of the highest magnitude TO the
| - intareSt