Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-15
SPEECH OF MIR. PICKENS, or S. C.,

SPEECH OF MIR PICKENS, or S. G.,
on THE TARIFF AND THE RESTRICTIVE POLICY,
Dciirercd in The II. Of Represenatrss Jane - is1s'
The House being in Committee of the Whole on the
state ofthe Union, and the Tariff bill being before them
for consideration
Mr.. PICKENS of S. Carolina, addressed the Com.
mittee az follows:
MIR. Chuirman: The bill upon your table Inns two OBJ
ircts-lhe first to raise revenue for the wants OF The
Governments; and, secondly, to afford, by restriction,
pro,ection to large interests connected with domestic
mi manufactures. 1t will be my object, at present, 10 con-
fine myself principally 10 the first branch OF the subject
and reserve what ! may have to say on other topics 10
some other stage Of this discussion. :,
The Chairman Of the Committee OF Ways ana
Means Mr.. F,llmore) has estimated that S27 100000
Of nett revenue was necessary for the annual e%Spendi.
lures If this Government; and, by his bi,l, lie proposes
10 raise tia, revenue exclusively out of the foreign I'm.
portations If Tie country. The gross amount proposed
10 he raised is S32 eco Zoo; but S5,0OO are allowed Tor
experses and drawbacks. If understand him cnriect-
~. lie rested his estimates and calculations upon a sup
nosed average of imports TO the amount oil Sl01 ~,UOo,ooo:
From this he deducted SIS, 000, 0Ge Of goods e.shipptd
or re. exported, upon which duty would be refunded IN
The shape of drawbacks, or would not be collected IN
der a warchousing system. THIS, theh, wouio iea.e
s:Sg. COO. Geo Of imports from which revenue would be
| collected. Then, again, from this would be deducted
near Sl2, coo, geo Of Tree nrtcles-abou' S6,GOu,oJo III
snrcir, and So, coo, 0G0 in free %goods-ln all, Sl2,ooo,,
GnO. We then have u balance OF So ,uVV,Cuu-of, ]
believe, according to the calculation OF The Cha'Fman'
80. COO, 600 cut of which you are TO collect taxes 10
the amounto of SO, 10000 This, then, would amount
/, I GENERAL average Of about thirty six (56) per cent.
Thirty six per cent. upon $77,ec0,oo0 would be Sz'''
20, eco. Now, the great practical question LOT 'n's
committee and the country IS, can that amount oI
raised from foreign commerce, IN tue Flese"' s'1e -
the commercia world
There mover was 4 period VIXEN more generalemoar'
rassrnent pervaled the whole community. Not only
are the finances uf this GuveF"ncn! N a low ana o'li
cul, situation, but the States are (niany OF theih) ~ q
far worse condition. The corporations and COMPANIES
Of asscciatcd wealth in the States, together with ind'vi'
dual citizens, are all under the deepest embarrassment
and nrostratinn. Taxation, at This iuhcturc, sa qnes'
ton OF The dee pest inte rest to a! portions OF THIS COM
munity. And why is il tina! foreign commerce shoui"
he sel, cted as the sole source OF an enormous revenue
n sunpor. a was,eful Government? Is commerce
more PROSPEROUS than other branches Of national iGfns'
try: Why slonld we burden il exclusively: mere
nrver was a pariad Ghrn it needed more your i"s"f'
mn care. The Chairman (Nlf. F'llnorr) cannot or'Vr
NE into a discussion upon direct taxation ar sAcists' !
am not 10 be drawn off upon any collateral ISSUES ne n'iy
choose to raise, by way OF diveTting puI''c !" "a 49,"
the unjust and impruc,icable provisions OF TIC b'' upon
your table. hold him 10 n discussion upon INC sPec'c
measure he has proposed. He must prove the a'ifna''e
shall, advance the negative. He being IN power, hh'
7, the head uf the Finance Committee, II IS WIKI Hn'
and his party IL sustain The credit Of The uoSei'''"''
md show the soundness OF his measure ior lhal pu''
,n.. We have no power left, but 10 examine the spe-
ci6c measures proposed. We have before Us, ~ pre-,
sent t a Tax Of SC per cent. upon 81, 1000 worth Of
imports, advocated as the grea, and only measure by
which you are TO raise s27 ,Goo,o 900 OF revenue !
shall not al p.esen, discuss the question as 10 %ho u
to pay this tax. ] shall not say that It tails entirely
upon the producer ofihose exports which are exchanged
for the ;mnorta,ions that you design to tax by this
bill. But The doctrine that it falls exclusively upon
The consumer, is as far from truth TO say the least Of
il as 10 say that ii falls upon the producer. AS vel
might you say tha, a direct tax upon houses Will iaii
exclusively Upon those who pay rent, as 70 say 'na'
duties upnn imports fall upon consumers. The argu
men, in that case, | suppose, would be, that the owner
Of The house WON'T reimburse himself COR the direct
tax in he increased price Of rent. So, in like manner,
ner, the same argument would be advanced as to the
ooeration OF excise dn,ies. The prodncer ofthe domes.
tic goods, upon which all excise might be ieV'eo, ~ouio