Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-15

INV htaa ANl0AN' -
obnoxious to the objections urged against il, let the
cause OF cisiubution have the benefit oft.
But the Treasury of the United States is empty
end 1t is said to he an absurd financial measure OF
that account. II the Fedcal Treasury is empty
those OF the States are not full; both need replenish
ing; and SINCE the means OF replenishment are To bc
drawn IN either case from the anne people, wh-i
matters k-o,her considerations npart-in,o which
Treasury the Land Fund eoesl lf into the Fcde-
raj Treasury. we shall have to contribute less TO the
Federal Government; If into the State Treasures
we shall have TO contribute less TO the States. In
their zeal TO advance the cause which they espouse,
gentlemen seem TO forget quite that the people oi
the States have any interest in, or concern witb, the
Federal Government; that Congress and the State
Legislatures are but agencies Of the same people,
endowed with special trusts, il, is true, but exercis
ing the n for the same end.
To Congress we have cop6ded our more general
concerns, and il is closhcd with the exclusive power
OF raising revenue by duties upon impor,ation.;-to
the State Legislatures VIC have have conhded our
particular and municipal concerns, and for mean. of
revenue they arc limited TO direct taxation. Be.
tween the two modes of revenue we cannet hesitate
10 decide which is preferable. But here is n fund,
neither derived from direct taxes nor from duties:
and surprising II TO be applicable TO the wants OF
either Government, the question arises, 10 which
shall we devote in Devote il to the States. and an
increase OF the duties upon foreign importations
will be necessary, and then will be revived, we are
told, the old exploded american SYSTEM. Now
TO this, | answer, that tho policy Of distribution
eontemplates only a Tariff for Rsrenue- nothins
more; and if in the arrangement of duties, for the
purpose Of revenue incidental protection I've given
10 domestic industry; II .7ncriccn labor can he fos.
tered at the expense of Fareixn, who is there. that
feels tho pulsations Of a true American hear, i'm his
bosom, will object. Direct taxes fall uneaually on
smaI property holders, most unequaily on agricul-
tural classes. Their lands and personal estate lie
open to the tax layer and ,ax-gsiheror; whilst the
'arge capitalists, the merchants, manufacturers and
monied Classes. remain untouched. They are reach
ed ny a tax upon Injuries which they consume
1 i nnE aWn.nA a~l -. L
taxes on lands, and slaves, an6 horses, and who paw
the inposts on West India Rum, French Brandy.
Foreign Wines, Imperial Teas and Broad Cloihs.
Silks and Saansl Ii a tl-if casts the burden of
taxation upon 'hs rich will you reject it because il
gives life and vigor to our manufactures in prele-
renee to those Of foreign naticns1 VII you reject
II because 1t enriehes these who spin md weave
your cotions and woollens in Lowell, Richmond
and Petersburg, rather than the sp;rners and wea.
vers OF London and Manchester VIII YOU reject
{ because It furnishes nou'hs to consume Your
bread stutis, your neats, rnd n msrke, for your
WOOL Ard will you reject il because il lessers
that dram winch carries 10 Europe the p precious me
tals, Undermining our bsrkS corruptins our cur.
rency, and enrichins brokers and usurers7
We have, 1t is true. two Governments. but We ara
one people. The people of the States have. in
some form, TO furnish the means Of %earryin. on both
Governments. What is the best mode of nroviJins
the meansl BY impost duties or direct taye,7 And
! Tins an unsettled question of American policyp
Arc we now, in 1912, after the experience of oil
commercial nations. ard our own Practice for more
Than nifty years, called on 10 maintain by arsumen
the preference of impoS;s over taxes On lands, slaves
and horses, and odious excise laws
In the days of Jefferson. whom gentlemen so
often quote, an impost was looked upon rather as
q beneht than a burihen. In his message to Con
g'ess' december I'd, leUt, anticipating a surplus Of
revenue to be derived from impos's beyond the
wants OF the Government, he says-"The question.
therefore,, now comes forward 10 wha, ether objects
shaIi these snrplusses be appropriated, and the
whole surplus OF the impost after the entire dis.
charge OF The public debt, and during those intervals
when the purposes OF war shall not call for them3
Shall we suppress the impost and give that advan-
tsge 10 foreign over domestic handkerchief On
lew articles OF more general and necessary use the
suppression in due season will, doubtless be risb,.
But the great mass # the articles on which impost is
paid, are foreign Injuries. purchased by those only
who are rich enough TO afford themselves the use Of
mem. Their patriotism would certainly prefer its
continuance and application 10 the great purposcs
oil public education. roads, rivers, canals, and such
other objects OF public improvement as i, nav be
thought proper 10 add TO the constitutional enume.
ration of federal powers1 By those operations new
channels OF communication will he opened between
the States; the lines Of separation will djsappear.
their interests will be identified, and their union ce-
mented 10y new and indiSsoluble bonds.r Thus
spoke MIR Jefferson; thus thought every statesman
OF every party; and can any politician now be found
Marcy enough to propose the abolition ofthe impost,
and the substitution OF direct taxes and excise duties 10
supply the demands of tho General Government
Will the leaders Of the democratic party here openly
take that groundl They well know thew dare NOT.
L ct how are we TO understand the reume OF the
gentlemen from Louisa and Accomac7 Both have
directed their full force against the policy Of a tariff
not for protection, hut rtpenue. Both have insisted
that the system Of impost is a most burdensome
form of revenue, and deprecated all resort 10 il.
Pursuing the argument the latter gentleman (NIr
Bayly) has produced q calculation, founded. as he
tells us, upon the most unquestionable data. at the
result OF which he confesses 10 be amazed himself |
and IN order TO relieve his calculation OF some of lis
improbability, he was compelled 10 cast off many
items which could have been made 10 enter fnirlv
in it; a circumstance, by the way, which does not
recommend very strongly the calculation 10 our
favor. What is the result? Why that for every
dollar of the land money which Virginia will receive,
according TO the provisions OF the distribution act. !
she will pay back six in the form of impos, duties.
Let her receive S50O,OOO, as we suppose hereafter
she may, and, according TO this calculation. her pso.
pie will be burthened 5000, 900. Well might the
gentleman be amazed. Can any argument be ne
cesssry TO expose his ealeulaiions2 Is no, the
startling nature Of the result sufficient will no,
detain the House by following he calculation, but
wi. content myself by examining briefly the pin
ciples on which II is based. Ii is assumed, in the
hr:t place, thatthe duty in every case enters into the
price Of the imported article, and finally, increased
by the profits thereon Of both the importing and re-
tail merchant, is paid by the eonsumer-and in the
second place, that the same effect is produced i'm.
mediately upon the price OF all articles OF domestic
growth or manufacture similar 10 the foreign article
on which the duty is imposed. From this cause the
gentleman argues. upon data which he deems reli-
able, that the practical operation OF our federal re-
venue system is 10 tax the people OF the rate Of six
dollars for every one that finds lis way into the
Treasury. Ought such a system be permitted 10
endured What Ignorance has beset our rulers7
Ought we not hasten TO abolish il, and resort. by
Federal authority, to direct taxes and excises, those
cheap and easy modes Of providing revenue Dor
rowed from the despois Of the old worldl
But IS 1t true that the duty enters into the price
as has been Supposed What is our own expert
ence2 Did not prices fall under the tariffs ofIs2I
and 1873, during the continuance OF The highest rnte
Of duty WI have experimental More recently have
we not seen prices decline under increased duties
II Il be true that duties fall upon the consumer
whence our great anxiety 10 obtain q modification
OF the revenue laws Of the European s,otes7 Whence
the interest especially Of the tobacco planters 10
obtain a reduction Of tie duty on that s'aple by the
court OF Austria ? Whence the Dissatisfaction OF
the French people nj the proposition TO raise the duty
on their wincsl Does not all this show that duties
fall more heavily on production, foreign production 2
II The effect OF duties is, at any time, 10 heighten
prices TO the consumer, the ultimate effect Is. TO
lessen them. When capital becomes invested in
manufactures, competition will arise, and sales be
made at the lowest prices. Look Of the effect Of
our former tariff upon the manufactures OF England.
They were constrained to lessen the wages OF their
operatives, 70 cuhail their operations, 10 turn loose
upon society boards Of poor starving wrstches de-
pendant upon cold charity for subsistence. And
yet, IN the Gce Of all these facts, we are told that
duties enter into prices and are paid by consumers.
have been asked how will The advocate Of a pro.
iecIive tariff answer the argument. ] make this