Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-06-16

The Tariff Bill reported from the Com
mitsee of Ways and Means does not dif.
fer greatly from the bill submitted some
weeks ago from the Treasury Depart
ment. The object Of both being TO pro-
vide revenue, the main features Of the two
are similar.
Mr.. Fillmore, in his speech on Thurs
day, on the subject of his bill, went into
some interesting details. The Secretary
lof the Treasury 10 submitting his Report
ESTIMATED the ordinary expenditures ofihe
thing over S25, 600, 000-wiih an addi-
tonal amount Of more than S7,000,000
for liabilities, debts, and the redemption
of Treasury notes, including interest
making the aggregate demand on the
Treasury for the present year upwards oil
thirty three millions. Similar statements
were made for ls43 and 1914.
Taking another mode of estimating the
probable expenditures of the Government,
II appears that for the four years of Mr..
Van BureE's administration the average
annual expenditures, Independent of any
payments of public debt, were near sos.
100000. Upon this basis Of calculation
the annual expenses of the Government
might be reckoned, for some years to
come, at a similar amount
But there are efforts at retrenchment
now in progress-wh whether for the public
good or not is questionable matter, and
10 some cases not questionable, but plain
y hurtlul. Nevertheless, reduction OF
expenditures is TO be made, which Mr..
Fillmore estimates nj some three or four
millions year. The annual ordinary
expenses thea may be set down at three
or four millions less than the average of
expenditure under Mr.. Van Buren-say
at $24, 100000. To this let three mil
lions be added on account of the public
debt, for the payment OF interest and the
establishment of sinking fund, and il,
will appear that on aggregate revenue of
1927 900, 900 is wanted for the necessities
of Government.
There are but three modes of raising
revenue and ia providing for the amount
just named it is proper to look at them
ALL to ascertain which is best. There is
one made by direct taxation another by
excise and the third BY impost duties.
All three have been tried since the estab-
lishment oil The Goyernment-yet the lat
ter only has been adhered to.
From the commencement OF WASHING.
TONS administration down to $40 inclu-
sive, the gross amount of S9l3, 900, 900
has been collected in these United States
for the expenses Of the Government or
this amount, i,celre millions have been
raised by taxation, twenty-tUo millions by
excise duties, and seuen hundred and for
-sir millions by impost duties. From
the Public Lands there have been deriv
ed one hundred and nine millions, and
$ from the dividends and bonuses Of tho
United States Bank, twenty millions. -
These are the round numbers. The Post
Office Department is left out of the &C.
count, since il is SO arranged as to supply
the means of defraylng its own expenses.
Direct tdres were resorted to in 1889,
when there was some apprehension of a
war with France. A law passed direct
ing the valuation OF real estate and me-
groes Throughout the United States. When
any one ''looked into the BILL" says Mr..
Fillmore, "and saw how the estimates
were to be made, and took into consider
alton that the value Of The lands aud ne
groes to be taxed was continually chang
ing, and consequently that the valuation
would have TO BIS made once in about
three years, he would be aware of the
tremendous power which the appointment
Of these officers gave the appointing
1.
merous that they would be worse than the
frogs of Egypt, and be found in every
mans bedchamber.
So repugnaut is the system OF direct
taxation TO the habits and feelings Of the
American people, that no such mode Of
raising revenue can be permanently re-
lied on IN this country while recourse can
be had to any other system. Yet some
gentlemen from South Carolina, Mr..
Rhett in particular, have recently advo-
Gated direct taxation in preference 10 du-
ties on impos;s.
ErciSe duties, or duties on articles made
and consumed in the country, were tried
at an early period in our Government.
On that occasion Western Pennsylvania
went into rebellion to resist the excise on
whskey. The results of such system
are that the country becomes overrun by
swarms Of officers, who, in the execution
of their duty, are obliged to pry into the
affairs of citizens with such minute IN
spections as TO render this mode OF levy
ing money the most odious that can be
devised under a constitutional govern.
ment. 1t is moreover a very expensive
system. Mr.. Randolph, when Chair
man of the Committee OF Ways and
Means, referring to tho statistics Of the
excise law as it was carried into effect in
WAsHINGToN's administration, stated that
the expenses of collecting the duties were
equal to about 35 per cent. on the whole
amount collected.
1t is therefore taken for granted that
the system of impost duties on imported
articles is the system of revenue best a.
dapted to this country, most in conso-
nance with the republican habits Of our
people, the most simple in its application,
and the least expensive. The fact that
out of an aggregate of $9l3,OO0, 900
raised for revenue since the commence