The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-22

operatinns nj the Gosefnmrhi. The power OF sppro
pnation as well as the power OF raising Iesenuei De
nu al all times in the hands Of Congress, tins Depart
ment cannot found estimates upon its own sense Of
what the public interest may be thought To require,
especially at time when the condition Of the Country
NAV be supposed 10 call for mere Than ordneTJ means
of defence and security.
The amount required for ,urveys OF the public
lands and the compensation of the officers employed
in that branch of the public service being payable out
of the proceeds Of the sales Of those lands is rot Ia
cluded in this rs innate Of expenditure.
To meet the deficiency in the year 1872 amounting
to ssli, 2ls $40 g. il is respectfully recommended to
Congress to authorize
An extension of the term within which the resi-
due, not yet taken, of the loan already sn,hor zed
shall be redeemable amounting To say 40, 5OO,uOo.
,. The reissue Of the Treasury notes heretofore
authorized by law, amounting TO $5,,WO,OOO
g. The balance still required OF " 1890 %, to-
pcther with an additional sum OF - 600 GOO Ca sur
plus deemed sary In the Treasury, To meet ener.
pencics of the public service to be supplied from i'm
posts upon such foreign articles imported as may be
selected, with due regard TO rgll restriction, IN
amount, u The actual wants OF the Government, and
proper economy IN its administration
| III Re-adjustment Of the fariT.
The last reduction of duties imports provided for
by the act of the ~ March 1888 will take effect m
mediatsly after the Both Of June next. From that
day no duty will exist any mpO,td article exceed
ing twenty per cent al valorem and certain other
legal provisions of the same act of great Importance,
| ale 10 come INTO operation al Tue shine Hhc'
One of them is the enactment which, after that Pc
| Rod requires all duties 10 be paid in ready money
thus putting end Ia system OF credits whlch mas
prev allied from the first establishment OF TINS 60
vefnment; a system which, however necessary OF
cons enient ia the infancy of our commerce, "heh
! the mercantile capital OF the country WAS neon
siderable and strong desire was telt 10 los
ter and encourage foreign trade by all praccsble
means, may u the presenday We'll yield 10 me tnpor
taAt objects TO be secured by cash payments,
mother dee ned the all esstnllll pTl-
vision of the act is that which declares that, after
jane 1872 all due. imported articles shall be as
se,sed ulon the value OF such ailcies al Tue p"H
where the shall he entered, under such feyula-
tons as shall be- pescfbedby law Iii heito, through
out the whole history of the Gpyennent, the cost or
value in the 10 tgn market has been assumed as the
basis Tor the calculation OF al valorem duties and 70
this cost or value certain additions have been made,
supposed 10 be equyalen, the charges of impo'ta
ton But under, aluaons abroad frauds real OF sup
20 Cd in invoices and the unjust advantages which
were believed eris in the hands of foreign manu-
facturers who had become, IN fact themselves the
importers into the counry OF large proportion ofthe
| man utactured goods from EurOpf, led Congress TO
look TO home valuation Tor security as wei TO the
Am, importing merchant as to the revenue, and
l., tho producers OF sirlar articles IN the un'led
States.
he legal effect OF the act of 1888 would seem 10
be- 10 abolish the practice after jane 3Oh ot
ing duties upon invoices or foreign valuation and,
therefore if Congress shall not al this session pre-
to be made the port of entry pass some law mo-
diving The act of 1888 it may well be questioned
whether anv ad valorem duties he collected after
The Both Of June The language OF the law seems
explicit II is that from and AFTER he day last atofe-
said" (June Goth, 1929 the duties required 10 be
| paid by law on goods, wares and merchandise, shall
be assessed upon the value thereof at the port where
the same shall be entered, under such regulations rs
shall be pre- scrlbed by law And it is further de:
clared that much OF any other act a is lnconsls'
| ept with that az hall be and is repealed, ID
/ The asse nent of duties, after the day limited, on
the basis of the foreign Cost or value is inconsistent
with the act and the law authorizing 1t mus, there
fore as il would seem, he considered repealed.
| The act of 1888 as must be obvious 10 all contem
ola cs no other than ad vaoren duties after June,
1912 for although, in given case, specific duty
NAV not amount 20 per cent on the cost of the ar
Gle vet that cannot be ascertaned without refer
rinp 70 price or valuethngs constantly huctuating
and much uncertainty, and perhaps confusion, would
arise as change. in the market price OF articles might
carry the duty beyond the limit at one period though
! within il al another
Indeed. there can be little room for doubt that it
in the contemplation Of Congress at the passing of the
act that no duties imports should exist IN the coun
try after June 1912, but al yalorem duties. II must
J be admitted that this was very important change IN
the whole syscm OF imports into the United States,
since has heretofore been regarded the dictate of
high prudence and the teaching OF long experience,
that for the prevention OF frauds and the security OF
the revenue duties ought far as practcabe TO be
made not ad valoIem but specific
or the essential or percaptory provisions OF the act,
there ale two which II Is not TO be disguised were
intended to stand towards each other in the relation OF
| eouivalents OF mutual CONSIDERATIONS. lhese are the
reduction of all duties to twenty per cent al yaloren
] and the assessment of those duties upon home val
uaep II is impossible to read the act itself, and still
mole impossible 10 advert to the history OF the times
wi bout arriving the most perfect conviction that the
home valuation resored 10 Tor the purpose oil
guarding the revenue against fraud and protecting
a ma mn unucrNauationS.--
There could he other possible object in TINS prosls
ION IL part of the act therefore, connected with
another part and inser ed for me PURPOSE OF qnay-
ing essentially the operation OF the olher part.
But Il is highly proper TO look at the CIRCUMSTANCES
which led TO The passage of the of 1888 and to
card the motives ia which II appears TO have had rs
origin. 1t the result OF spirit OF compromise
and cancellation, at atime when considerable agitation
ex sled AMI much diversity of opinion prevailed.
events s1e fpeaT to make 1t necessary to reconsider
or readjust l. rovislons OF mat law, ali proceeding
towards that end Should be conducted under the inhu
ence { the same spirit The undersigned Is mos
d.env Immersed with the force of conviction
while offering sugges,osn to Congress on the subject
He ia constrained 10 admit that it has appeared to hH
that the interests Of country required some modhca
lion of the act of 1888 In support OF his opinion, N
would first en ion the great, II not nsurmounta bic
difficulties of establishing home valuation at our va
rous ports, without mourning the risk OF lTcducn!
such diversity in the estimates OF value as should no
only lead great practical inconvenience but inter
IN. us in eject with The constitutional provision
= Tia, lut p : Imports shall be ,qua in all the States
If such should be the opini u Congress, then II
clear that .Jlne equivalent Is 10 be provided ior IN
h,,n. valuation or cise tie whule basis upon who
v the act was expected to rest, measure OF comrJ
- mise and adjustment, Is take away or d,spiace e.
! There ceases in that event, 10 be HE mutually .
u compromise OF interests evidently ntended TO be 70
duced BY placing home 'ilu-t!3n as all tgunalei
,ya nst = reduction oil AL ,alOrem duties IL remain
lor the 2is,om ofCongress 10 determine WHETHER sue
q eqni, atn, can be found.
= - But in the second place II Congress should he
y DpTnon either III i home voluaton Is Practicable,
= that some equivalent and proper Substitute may I
~ found for IT, the undersigned will not Disguise b
n opinon that il cannot be regarded as wise hy an
he portion Of the country armament system OF poc
O. to augment the amount OF revenue "heh Iul'hcI
III oencies may require such augmentaonby raising