Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-10-08

oUidCo. Lie just JEST IL INC amount Oh Hell
| tai happiness that one may experience in a
| whole life. A man my doze away tediously
extended existence with little or no thought
beyond the brute that perisheth.--While an
other who .looks up and looks through the
great secrets of nature, and duly contemplates
The woodworking hand Of Providence, may
from single thought find a perennial source
Of pleasure. II, therefore we can extend our
existence by embel|ishiug and improving our
minds. it becomes US to open the fountains Of
intelligence to the young, that they may gath
er up all the knowledge we have aud start well
equipped on their exploring voyage Of the
mighty fu,ure-,he mighty future teeming
with great events!
We think our fathers fools, SO wise we grow;
No doubt our wiser sons will think US so.
The tao on tea and codee.--speech Of Mr..
Woodbury. IN faC0r Of making them duty
free.
In SENATE, Tuesday, August 81, ls4L
The new revenue bill being before the Sem
Mr.. WOODBURY. moved to include tea
and coffee in the list Of free articles.
Mr.. Woodbury. said il was Of no consequence
to him, who made the motion to have these ar
ticles considered free. Ii that desirable object
could only be obtained, it was all he wished.
The Senator from North Carolina could now
present his reasons in favor Of exempting them
fr6m duty, if convenient to him. But, if he
declined, Mr.. W. would detain the Senate a
few minutes, and only few, in stating what
had influenced him to make the motion.
In the frat place, these articles were no,
taxed either 10 benefit the products of agricul-
tmra. or manufacturing labor. Neither came
in competition with them. We were, there
fore, wholly relieved from any considerations
connected with the principle Of protection. On
the contrary, the duty on tea and coffee wouid
operate unfavorably to those engaged in manu-
faciures, as well as those In agriculture. be-
cause both Of those classes, III common with all
others in the community, were consumers OF
these great articles, aud Of course burthened by
TAXATION upon them.
All, Their, possessed common interest in
making them free; and all, he trusted would
unite in making them free, unless the revenue
proposed 20 be derived from them was needed
indispeusabiy TO fnliI the public engagements.
or To meet those current expenses which the
respeciabiity, usefulness, and honor Of the
General Government demanded.
Whatever those really did demand, he was
VOlC-CSCu
necessares. But he was not willing to do this,
if due care and economy would prevent the oc-
casion for i,-or if the retaining our other rich
resources in the proceeds of the public lands
instead Of lavishly giving them away, would
prevent it.
This, then. is the gist Of the inquiry under
the present motion.
Is This tax on tea and coffee--the Injuries
Of the young if you please--but the comforts of
the middle aged-the soace of the more adj
vauced in life, and the necessaries of the old
is this tax Indispensable
Whether these articles, under all views, and
at all times, were or were not real necessares.
did not make 80 grea. difference in this re-
speci, as whether under the limit Of 20 per
cent in the compromise, we could or could not
get revenue enough for an economical admins
tration without imposing some duty on tea or
Coffee Because, If we would not, then we
must tax even necessaries, or resort to more
loans. / admit, however, that these subjects
Of almost universal use were once regarded as
iuxnries, aud so taxed. But in the progress
of wealth, comfort and intelligence among the
middIing and poorer classes--which had eIe-
waited them so much higher 10 the social circle;
tea and coffee had become, to almost all, spe-
cies Of necessaries and they required exemp-
ton from duty when practicable. almost as
much as salt or molasses, if looking to their
widespread consumption, and their conducive
ness to temperance and general happiness.
Yet, under pressing circumstances, We had
been obliged a; times to tax the greatest neces-
saries. But were we now, by any such cir
cumstances, compelled 10 renew tax on tea
and coffee!
The Senator from Kentucky had been SO
obliging as to refer to report from Mr.. w. at
the last session, in which under certain events,
it was ~sggested that tea and coffee would be
among those articles which we might be obli-
ged to taxi Yes, sir, then thought, and do
now, that these articles, though once luxuries,
were not now to be strictly treated as such, and
still were 10 be taxed if it was necessary to
raise so much under tariff as to embrace arti-
cles Of that description in order to obtain the
indispensable amount.
lam happy to find that my views as to the
character OF these articles, concerned with those
of the honorable Senator. expressed as long ago
as 1899. He then remarked, in much better
language than could select for myself, that,
IF the universality Of the use OF objects Of
consumption determines their classification,
coffee, tea, and spices. in the present condition
of civilized society, may be considered aeces-
saries. Even if they are luxuries, why should