Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-06-26

friendship was demonstrated at a former
session by espousing measure which was
to have the tendency of reducing wages
and now they put themselves in opposition
to tax which would benefit the poor and
fall almost exclusively on the rich.
will not detan the Senate now by dwell.
ling on the ruinous state of the trade with
France, in silks and wines especially, as it
is now carried on. But / cannot forbear
observing that we import from France and
her dependencies thirty-three millions of
dollars annually, whilst we export in return
only about nineteen millions, leaving a bal
ancc against us in the whole trade, of four
teen millions of dollars; and excluding the
French dependencies, the balance against
us in the direct trade with France is seven
teen millions. Yet gentlemen say we must
not touch this trade We must not touch
trade with such heavy and ruinous bal
ance against us--a balance, large part, if
not the whole, of which is paid in specie
l have been informed and believe that the
greater part of the gold which was obtained
from France under the treaty of indemnity
and which, during General Jackson's ad-
ministration, was with so much care and
parade introduced into the United States,
perhaps under the vain hope that it would
remain here, in less than eighteen months
was re-exported to France in the very
boxes in which it was brought, to liquidate
our commercial debt. Yet we must not
supply the indispensable wants of the
Treasury by taxing any of the articles of
this disadvantageous commerce! And
some gentlemen, assuming not merely the
guardianship of the poor, but of the South
also, with about as much fidelity in the
one case as in the other) object to the i'm
position of duties upon these luxuries, be-
cause they might affect somewhat the trade
with France in Southern staple. But
duties upon any foreign imports may
affect, in some small degree, our exports.
If the objection, therefore, be sustained,
we must forbear to lay any imposts, and
rely, as some gentlemen are understood
to desire, on direct taxes. But to this
neither the country nor Congress will ever
We have hitherto resorted
mainly, and have no doubt always will
resort, to our foreign imports for revenue.
And can any objects be selected with
more propriety than those which enter SO
largely into the consumption of the opu-
lent! 1t is of more consequence to the
in the consideration of duties,
who consumes the articles charged with
them, and, consequently who pays them,
than how the dutied articles are pur-
chased abroad. The south is the last
place from which an objection should come
On the score of disproportionate consump-
ion. l venture to assert that there is
more Champagne wine consumed, in the
Astor house, in the city of New York, in
Potomac. A taught Our total amount
Of imports last year was 100000.
Deducting the free articles, the amount
Of goods subject to duty was probably not
more than between fifty and sixty millions.
Now, if we are to adhere to the compro-
mise of the tariff, which is my wish to be
able to do, but concerning which have
'emarked lately portentous silence on
he part of some of its protesting friends
IN the other side, it will be recollected
hat the maximum of any duty to be i'm
posed is twenty per cent. after June, 1912.
t would not be safe to assume our i'm
,orts in future of articles that would re-
main for consumption, and not be re-ex-
ported, higher than one hundred millions,
wenty per cent on which would yield a
ross revenue annually of twenty millions.
But | think that we ought not to estimate
ur imports at more than ninety millions
or, besides other causes that must tend
0 diminish them, some ten or twelve mil
ions of our exports will be applied an
ually to the payment of interest or prin-
ipal of our State debts held abroad, and
viii not return in the form of imports.
twenty per cent. upon ninety millions
would yield gross revenue of eighteen
Millions only. Thus it is manifest that
here must be additional duties. And |
hink it quite certain that the amount of
necessary revenue cannot be raised with
nut going up to the limit of the compro-
Mise upon all articles whatever which, by
is terms, are liable to duty. And these
additional duties ought to be laid now,
orthwith, clearly before the close of this
ession. The revenue is now deficient,
the administration to resort to
he questionable and dangerous use of
here will go off five millions during the
lext session of Congress, according to the
estimate of the Secretary of the Treasury,
wo and a half millions on the 3lst De-
,ember, 1871, and two and half millions
more on the 3Oth June, 1912. This re-
iuction takes place under that provision
IF the compromise act by which one-half
IF the excess of all duties beyond twenty
per cent. is repealed on the last day of
his year, and the other moiety of that ex-
cess on the last day of June, 1912. Now
if Congress does not provide for this great
in the revenue prior to the close
of the present session, how is it possible to