Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-08

the coffee, until the coffee is sold to the farmer ~
Fourth. The joint profit of the importer and re-
taller, estimated on the 81 200, which the
coffee cost them, at the rate of thirty three
/ and one.third per cent, which is less than the
average profit merchandise, and which, in
/ this instance, amounts 10 400
These four items added together show the final
aggregate cost Of the coffee 10 the farmer, to
be as before stated, 81 ,672
In the next place what is the sixth part of this
aggregate-the part which the farmer pays solely in
consequence of this tariff duty:
The answer S973 &c
And lastly, where does this sixth part 60 and in what
proportions those that receive it, The answer is,
into the public Treasury in part, and in part into the
pockets of Government officers and the other part into
the hands Of the merchants. And this it does in the
following proportions
First. The public Treasury receives $3.50 90
Second. The Government officers and agents
! land here it is to be remembered that there
are, of these officers and agents, no less than
] between three and four hundred in, and con-
nected WITH the single custom house the
city of New York; get, for and in the pro-
cess of collecting this duty, as is shown by
official estimates hitherto made, upon
rage, 10 per cent. on The gross of reve-
| nue. collected, and which, on this gross
ofS2O0 paid, as duty on the Coffee amounts
! Third. The importing and retail merchants
| receive, in interest and profit, out Of the two
six cents, all the balance, which is 20 6G
The two last named received by the
| Government officers and the merchants,
amount, together, 10 SO Go
And thus, Sir, it manifest that the Government,
in order get $3.50 of into the Treasu-
ry, has, by this tariff duty the coffee, 10 impose upon
the farmer tax Of $275 &c, of which 9s Sc cents is
dead loss TO him, without an equivalent or excuse
IT. then, il be true have certainly proven it TO be
it, in order TO get hundred and eighty dollars of
nett into the Treasury the Government has TO
impose, by tariff duties tax of Two hundred and Sc
venyeigh dollars and sxtysx cents upon the people,
,chat amount Of tar i hare each year to impose 6ytd
riff duties order to get into the Treasury the three mil
lions Of nett rerenue to suppiye place free millions
annually distributed
To this important question the answer is, four mil
lions sir hundred and tortyf thousand three hundred
and thirty three dollars and thirty three cents and
fraction. This is question of figures, about which
there cannot be two opinions; and as the people OF
America generally pretty well skilled in arithmetic
almost every test the truth of the for
himself.
to the of the coffee, will show that, of the above
sum of four millions six hundred and forty -four thou
sand three hundred and thirty dollars aud thirty.
three cents there goes
First-Into the Treasury, nett reve-
nue., S3UUO,Uuu w
Second-To the officers and agents of
Government, their compensation
for collection, 3OO,OOO w
ThiTd-To the importing and retail mer-
chants for their interest and profits, ,3l4 ,333 SIS
The two sums last named being added
together, will show aggregate OF 81 644 ,333 So
Every dollar Of which thus paid by the people,
in the form of tariff duties, not into the public Trea-
sury, but into the pockets Of Government officers and
merchants and is Of dead loss 10 the people
Now it must be borne in mind that the people are to
bear this loss every year in the process of collecting
into the Treasury the three millions of nett revenue
to take the place of that sum distributed But tina
Joss, great 1t not a-tor, from perience IN the
case of the surplus revenue it shown that The pro-
cess of distributing money from the national to The
State Treasures, costs in the charges of public officers
and agents, at least FIVE per cent OF the sum dstrlbu
ted This cost on the distribution of the land revenue
Of three millions WILL therefore, at per cent amount
to Sl50,000 90
This is also loss to the people, as it has
10 be substracted from the sum dstribu.
ted, and Of course leaves for disrIbu-
ton but S2,35O,OOO 90
Here, then, the last named loss of 100000 0O
sustained in the process OF distribution
added 10 the sum OF l,o44 ,333 IS
Sustained in the process OF Collecting
the three millions Of nett revenue, will
show the aggregate loss thus far to be 1894 1873 80
Yet even this is not all the loss sustained by the
people in this operation. For, it is to be observed that
The above named Sl50,000 which it is taken out of the
SO 900 900 distributed does not go into the Treasury,
and therefore does not diminish the amount of taxes
necessary to replace the three millions. This one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars is, therefore, in Ell
feet loss to double that amount, and being added as
such the aggregate loss above stated, will make that
aggregate one million nine hundred aud forty -four
thousand three hundred and thirty three dollars and
thirty. three These facts have stated as briefly
and as plainly as could in this FORM But as they are
facts Of such vital importance TO the people, and as il
is nv desire that they should be fully understood, by
everv citizen, will, with a view OF making them yet
more plain restaie them in another forum the form
of an account between the people and the Govern
ment-as thus:
The Government 10 the people, DIR.
First. To nett revenue paid into the
distributed SF' - ssoOo,ooo 90
Second. To amount paid to Government
officers and agents for collecting the o,.,.o -,
above revenue 'oo,ooo w
Third To interests and profits paid to
merchants in the process OF collecting
the above revenue l,'49,'oo DO
Fourth To amount paid public officers
and agents for and IN the process OF
distributing three millions to the States,
md which is to be subtracted from that
sum "'' 10000 90
Total s4,794,sss 80
The people 10 the Government, Dr.
To money distributed from the public
Treasury TO the States, for the use Of
the neople $780, 900 co
Accounts balanced By subtracling the last
from the preceding sum. Result Sl,944,333 SIS
Here then the great aggregate loss which the peo-
pie sustain in this operation, and for which rthey
nor their Government get dollar in return For 1t
is 10 be RENE mbered that by the act Of distribution on
The one hand and that Of taxation the other, to re-
place The Distributed the public Treasury IS to be
lett with exactly the amount of money in II winch
il would have contained, had neither the distribution
been made nor the tax duty imposed
Again, SIR il viii be observed, that IN estimating the
loss sustained by the people in consequence OF this Ia
riff duty have selected the object of that duty, an
article Coffee which does not come IN competition IN
the market with any like article produced by American
soil or labor But Sir, by taking as the object Of the
duty an article which does come in competition with
our own manufactures the loss to the great BODY OF
the people WILL as shall show, be yet greater oy lar.
To make this plain, will take single article as
before vii, suppose a farmer to buy for his own use
six yards of broadclo,h year of the same quality and