Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-04

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rest in this question: "whst 10 ihe capacity Of th
wing reg Of the United States TO sup
ply the demand for an increased consumpiionf 40,
are We not more benefited even under high duties
> having the exclusive supply, than we should be
The duties were taken OF, and the market throw
open7"
9 The FIRST Of these questions applies to our owl
D country, the second TO foreign nations. They ar
suggestions emanatng from a highly respectable
and talented gentleman, who is probably as wei
acquainted with the commerce OF France rs any maj
nere or IN that country; and there probably fev
men so patriotic, were they in the same situation
he Is, who would not hold similar language IL IN,
name OF that gentleman had not been put forth il
, the papers which have been laid before Congress
l here and introduced into the French archives,
should not mention Il; but il has now becom,
public property, shall not hesitate to do So al
: Jude to Mr.. Lewis Rogers, Of Virginia-a name IA
miiar to most of us. AT the present moment, thi,
gentleman Is concerned in contract with the French
Government for the supply of the whole demand
Tor this article for several years to come amounting
10 upwards OF six thousand hogsheads. And oil
that amount, two thirds, If not three-fourths, will
come from the State OF Virginia. Who is benefit I.
cd by this Is the State of Virginia or are the
planters OF Maryland, Kentucky, or elsewhere
NO; the French Government and the gentleman
who makes the contract, reap the benefit; and the
consequence Is that not pound Of tobacco is ship
ped hence to France except through this individual,
who purchases the article at Richmond, Baltimore,
pledSeS.
thing has been held out as a great boon granted to
the American people, because they have heretofore
had TO ship the tobacco themselves, and may have
been subjected TO losses expenses in the shape Of
re,shipment, freight, &c. for any surplus beyond
what the Reggie thought proper to purchase. This
l say, Is the great boon which the French Govern
ment has granted TO us Samples are exhibited
the contractor selects his tobacco from Them and il
Is shipped to France. Ought we not, :ir, to look
with some degree Of distrust to the argument of a
man thus cicumstancedl
And here I will read single extract from a COM
niunlcation made by our minister. General Cass, TO
the French Government. In pressing this question
upon Its consideration, he says;
"The Reggie collect specimens in the United States
rom time TO time OF the various kinds OF tobacco
which are required, and these form the samples 10y
which the supplies are accepted or rejected. For
many years these supplies have been furnished by
MIR Lewis Rogers, an American merchant Of great
intelligence and respectabty, residing in France,
and his remarks upon the operation of the trade TO
he found at the 43sth page of the report, (taken
under French commsslon,) depict, in a striking
manner, the objections to which il is liable"
We have here, Continued MIR. J.) striking IL
lustration how the opinions of men may change
with their circumstances.
A letter from MIR. Stevenson, our Minister in En-
gland addressed 10 the Secretary Of State here
which has been heretofore printed, and is reprinted
IN this document-brings to view, through a r.mon-
STRANGE made TO the Chancellor of the Excheuuer,
the extraordinary fact, that the immense duty of
three shilIngs sterling per pound is laid upon Ame
ricin tobacco imported into Eng nd; and Mr.. Ste,
venson, IN very able argument, goes TO show
that, il the duty reduced would be for the
benefit alike of the British Government and people,
and the American planters. This he demonstrates In
clear and conclusive manner. At the present mo-
ment, the British Government collects a revenue Of
seventeen millions of dollars the article of tobac
CO; and, 10y report made TO Parliament, under a
commission held IN the year 1887, il is admitted
that more than one-thrd Of the tobacco introduced
into ling land pays no duty at all, but is actually
Struggled; and ! believe also that the same report
shows in reference TO Ireland, that more than one
half is actually smuggled. And then the inference
IS drawn, that II all the tobacco consumed in Eng
land and Ireland were TO pay duty of one ard
SIX pence per pound, We, the American planters
should be benefited by it. The argument is con-
elusive; snd in addition 10 il we have the strong
language of the Chancellor Of the Exchequer, who
said
THAT he had no difficulty in declaring that the
present duty Of three shillings infinitely higher
than any jus. policy would sanction"
A similar declaration made by the Presi-
dent OF the Board of Trade, OF whom Mr. Stephen
son holds the following language:
"Ihe President of the Board of Trade said that
he admitted the force OF the opinion had referred
TO, as expressed by him in 1880 '3I, when he sub
mlIted TO Parliament las OF the ministers of the
Government plan for the reduction Of this duty
on ,obacco These opinions he still entertained and
cherished and was deslrous of seeing carried into
operation"
In conneSion with this point, will call the at
tenton OF the Convention TO the opinions Of English
writers themselves, TO the effect of the reduction
OF duties on the consumption Of tobacco. The fol-
lowing article IS taken tIom the London GszetteD
of1he 4th Nov. last;
Amongst the several articles which afTord the
most striking instances Of the immediate effect of
taxation, IN limiting the consumption of commodi-
ties subjected 10 its burden, notice in the first
place the article of tobacco.
nrtnr Nl.y Of a.. - =.
from America, and few facts relative 10 its con-
sumption will exhibit in a very palpable manner,
the effects of fiscal duties. Let US first see what
these effects have been in Ireland
"ln 1893. the duty on tobacco was Is per h.
and the quantity upon which the duty was paid
was l,767,59l lbs. succession of changes was
subsequently made IN the amount OF duty and the
effects Of these changes upon the consumption of
the srilfie were of very striking character.
"ln 1893. the duty vas reduced to 3D., and the
consumption at once rose to o. sos, s57, and in the
course OF the following year TO 8, 426, 2II lbs
ln 1885 the duty was increased TO 3d. and the con-
sumption Immediately fell to 7,s74, 400 lbs, and in
the year following TO 6,045,7 100 lbs.
"ln 1888, the duty again increased 10 Is
and the consumption was reduced to 1884, I2i
lbs.
"In England, the effects Of the duty were not
quite so marked, but they were sufficiently so TO H.
ns'rate our proposition. For the space Of 30 years,
mere was scarcely any increase IN the consumption
OF the article IN the United Kingdom, taken as
whole; the quantity paying duty in 1929 being on
y 552,O74 lbs. in excess over the quantity paying
duly Ia 1900. The English duty fuctnated du.
ring this period from 2s. I'd. 10 As per h.
LET these facts be compared with the increase
which took place IN the population and wealth of
the country during the space of time TO which they
reier and the conclusion will be obvious enough
at IS important TO remark too, that il is not on
ly on the consumption Of the inferior article that
heavy duties are found 10 operate thus injuriously
In proof Of tins, reference may be made TO the
consumption Of segars. From 1919 10 1876, segars
paid duty Of lss. per pound, and p[oJuced in the
last mentioned year, revenue of f7,752. The
duty was subsequently reduced so per cent and
/ IN 1885 II produced revenue amounting TO E63-
746; being an increase Of about 800 rer cent
Nothing could more plainly prove that the rich as
well as the poor are influenced in their consump-
ton oftaxed eomm0 ites by the amount Of the duty
they bear"
Now, IS there an American citizen-I care not
what his precoHceved opinions may be, nor from
what section Of the country he may cone-fom the
North, the Soulh tho Eist or TIE West-bs he plan
ter, Manufactured, or mefchant-iy there, saw, an
American who when he thes facts admitted
by the hrst officers Of the British Governm,nt
and by British writers, will not say that meas.
ures ought 10 be adopted 10 counteuct these iniu.
nous tHectsl. The Chancellor Of the E1cheo1er
admits the duties TO be too high; the President of
the Board Of Trade says they ought TO be redueed:
and, let me ask, with such facts and admissions be-
/ fore II, What more can the American Government
want TO Justify u in adopting whatever measures
may be considered best 10 accomplish the object in
/ view7
| As regards France, there Is abundant svidsnes