Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-22

ces of foreign valuation; and, therefore if
Congress shall not at this session prescribe
regulations for assessing duties upon val
uation to be made at the port of entry, or
pass some law modifying the act of 1888,
it may well be questioned whether any ad
valorem duties can be collected after the
Both of June. The language of the law
seems explicit. 1t is that, "from and after
the day last aforesaid, June 3Oth lS42)
''the duties required to be paid by law on
goods, wares and merchandise shall be as
sessed upon the value thereof at the port
where the same shall be entered, under such
regulations as shall be prescribed by law"
And it is further declared, that so much of
any other act as is inconsistent with that
act shall be and is repealed.
The assessment of duties after the day
limited, on the basis of the foreign cost or
value, is inconsistent with the act: and the
law authorisng it must therefore as it would
seem, be considered as repealed.
The act of 1888, as must be obvious to
all, contemplatcs no other than ad vaIorem
duties after June 1912; for, although, in a
given case, specific duty may not amount
to 30 per cent. on the cost of the article,
yet that fact cannot be ascertained without
referring to price or value, things constant
y Northumberland much uncertainty, and
perhaps confusion, would arise as changes
in the market price of articles might carry
the duty beyond the limit at one period,
though within it at another.
Indeed, there can be little room for doubt
that it was in the contemplation of Con-
gress, at the passing of the act, that no du-
ties on imports should exist in the country
after June, 1912. but ad valorem duties.
1t must be admitted that this was very
important change in the whole system Of
| imports into the United States, since it has
| heretofore been regarded as the dictate of
| high prudence and the teaching of long cX-
perience, that, for the prevention of frauds
and the security of the revenue, duties
ought as far as practicable, to be made not
ad valorem, but specific.
OF the essential or pcremptory provis-
ions of the act, there are two, which, it is
not to be disguised, were intended to stand
towards each other in the relation of equiv
alents or mutual considerations. These are
the reduction of all duties to twenty per
cent. ad valorem, and the assessment OF
those duties upon home valuation. 1t i:
more impossible to advert to the history Of
the times, without arriving at the most per
feet conviction that the home valuation wa:
resorted to for the purpose of guarding
the revenue against fraud, and protecting
American manufactures against underval.
uations. There could be no other possible
object in this provision. 1t is part of the
act, therefore, connected with another part
and inserted for the purpose Of qualifying
essentially the operation Of the other part
But it is highly proper to look at the cir
cumstances which led to the passage of the
act, of 1888, and to regard the motives il
which it appears to have had its origin. |
was the result Of spirit of compromise ant
Cancellation, at a time when considerable
agitation and much diversity OF opinion
prevailed. If events shall appear to max
it necessary to reconsider or readjust tn
provisions of that law, all proceedings to
wards that end should be conducted undc
the influence of the same spirit. The IN
dersigned is most deeply impressed witt
the force of these convictions, while offer
ing suggestions to Congress on the subject
He is constrained to admit that it has ap
peared to him that the interests Of the coun
try required some modification of the &C
of 1882. In support of his opinion, h
would first mention the great, if not insur
mountable, difficulties of establishing
, home valuation at our various ports, with
out mourning the risk of producing sucl
diversity in the estimates of value as shoult
not only lead to great practicable inconve
nience, but interiered also, in effect, wit
, the constitutional provision, that duties o
imports shall be equal in all the States.
such should be the opinion Of Congress
: then ii is clear that some equivalent is to b
provided for the home valuation, or else til
whole basis upon which the act was expcC
ted to rest as measure Of compromise an
adjustment, is taken away or diSplaccd.-
= There ceases in that event, to be the muta
4 ity or compromise of interests evidently il
S tended to be produced by placing home va
t uation as an equivalent against reductio
i of ad valorcm duties. 1t remains for tt
wisdom of Congress to determine whetht
: such equivalent can be found.
But, in the second place, ii Congre!
, should be OF opinion either that home val
n alton is practicable, or that some equivaleI
. and proper substitute may be found for
a the undersigned will not disguise his OPT
: ion that it cannot be regarded as wise,
: any portion OF the country, as permanel
Q system of policy, to augment the amour
n Of revenue, when further cXigences ma
p require such augmentation, by raising d
y ties on all articles, including those OF abs
. lutte necessity, to the full extent OF twent
y per cent. and preserving that limit, al Il
!, same time, as a fixed barrier against high