Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-04-22

ference does it make to the community whether the
taxes are imposed for the purpose OF distribution, or as
he inevitable consequence of distribution: The au-
thor of H. also, voted ut The last session LOT
,;on which was to be suspended the moment duties
were mrosed above twenty per cent lie thus virtually
stimulated az ar us he the law could that the dtstrbu.
linn should then stop. The ball, IT'S well Known conid
~, hav, passcd without such stipulation. WHAT,
then becomes of the prnprety, Courtesy duty OF seek
nr now 10 violate that sspulalon' And it's not 10 he
violated and the duties 10 be raised above twenty
cen az our opponents insist, then does It not com
nort with The spirit well the letter OF The Distrbu'
lion nc, 10 suspend it and To suspend II soon, then
to do i, at once rather than some months hence! Now
il will accomplish two great Objects rather than ONE as
il " ill aid greatly in et:ect'ng iaVofao'e oan "hch u
could not do unless In other words, The original
r of The lands was, hy lis express terms TO reve, on
CONTINGENCIES which have substantially happened Inc
amendment s then, substantially abiding by the org''
nal of the distribution, as well Us the act =
self instead of being wanton violation OF them IL
,n nnrsninr really stable rather than tickle poll
lis truthful honest, safe prudent profitable and
- ercrv view 10 my mind, deserving the support o'
even ,ose who voted for the act of Distribution ITSELF
ON apy fixed principles similar 10 those avowed by IT'S
author.
neol proposed in this amendment, about which offer
cd some views 10 the Senate former occasion, and
wh;cb the Senator from Virginia, opposite, Mr..
Riyesl has urged IN this debate. 1t rs OF very
oraye character and involves m alternative, no less
momentous than this repeal OF the distribution or a
probable necessity TO resort TO direct taxes Your
nlan is TO raise at least twenyslx millions year by
line tariff If you recall The lands, you need not raise
hut twenty three and If You retrench properly beside,
You need not raise twenty millions by tariff These
las, Won might get, but how is this twenty SIX millions
IA be obtained from tariff in times like these?-mes
embarrassed be gond preccdent-no State uans abroad
10 come home in goots-no credit, but cash payments,
and those in specie, or lis equivalent, instead OF depre-
ciaed N per- and bankrupt bill in lnce Tor debtors,
rather than creditors, and thus breaking up all truss,
from abroad 10 the importer, as we'll rs IRON the mn
,or,er Ia The retailer and from the retailer TO the farmer
mechanic and laburer. Who viii be so greedy TO OBJ
tain hereafter mere PROMISES Hollow promises 10 pay
for merchandise, which may oil at any moment be
sponred out, and the destructive process repeated
hundred times If necessary, through u classes OF Inc
commnny'
Let rs examine this little in detail. The chairman
expects now to obtain from duties under the present
laws accrung in 1872 only about thirteen millions oil
dollars. By What magic the other thirteen TO be pro-
cured from the same source !.
The Senator from Rhode Island has very summary
mode of accomplishing il, by putting twenty per cent
On the average of free goods for several years
back before the present Tariff law passed. and nclud
ing among them three years OF The highest importation
in our history. This is little too sweeping and loose
fnr body like this, and for critical times like these
W IT.,
swollen seventyone millions; yet the actual
amount of free goods in lSio only fifty m'l
hons instead OF seventy one and in ISL only about
ty -four millions of free goods imported and retained
in the country. But this IS not all by the present
tariff near eight millions Of free articles besides tea and
coffee and about thirty millions with them, still left
free. Put then twenty per cent. on the balance oil
twenty four and twenty seven Millions aud you would
obtain nett additional revenue Of hltle over one
fourth what il needed. If you place twenty per cent
. IA,
free except specie and articles TO aid in manuioc
lures, even then not half enough will be procured.
Adopt another form of calculation The imports, no,
re exported in 1870, ninetyfire millions and in
ISL near one hundred and nine millions. Now sub
rac. from these only The thirty millions present free
and twenty per cent. the balance of sixty five oil
seventy nine millions, would yield gross revenue oil
only about thirteen 10 fifteen millions, and nett one o
a, least million and hall less Tax tea and coffee a
ike rate, reducing the free list 10 eighteen millions
and still the nett such an amount OF imports
at twenty per will be but fourteen and hall NIL
hons instead oftwenty.sx millions.
The Senate however, know full well that tax o
TIVE uty per cent on articles before free, will diminish
the amount Of them which can be purchased and con
sumcd; ard hence that these imports would, with only
that tax have been smaller in both $40 and in Isl
hat, then, are they likely TO be in 1872, with tax
of twenty per all before free except eighteen
ml!ions' and besides this, with cash dutIcs-a bank
rupt svscm-no State loans coming homeland an IN
embarrassed,
muny is palpable that yon could get ten million:
more by tariff only the hypothesis that under al
these untoward circumstances aud with the tariff more
than doubled, should import lawfully and consuns
cutie as much needed IN le40, with half OF The
whole entirely free-a credit system of three 10 81,
months without inlerest-no bankrupt blll-some State
loans returning in goods, and country less embar
rassed.
How irrational. II lea and coffee were included "a
Their than take back the lands the tariff need not, or
that hypothesis, be increased quite so much. But still
i, must go high hriy-six thirty per cent
10 procure nett revenue OF twenty-sx mons ard ths
whole imports must also continue 10 be as large. Bu
in such an event. the regular Imports instead of keep
ing up to what they in lS40 would, under crcum
stances very different, be supplied in many cases by
smuggling and great dnlnution would also happen II
the whole consumption OF foreign merchandise however
obtained So that you probably could not realize twenty
two millions instead OF twenty six You would get pro
tccon, grant. You would IN many obtain entire
prohibition. That would suit the Senator my right
fMr. Summons and his manufactures. But will IT give
you revenup-enough ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS millions oil
revenue; Tina, is the question. Why, Sir, that Sc
ma tor and his friends desire this very state of things
III order I" diminish imports, and, consequently, rere
nue. diminished, too. If higher tariff did not dimln
ian imports, hal leave them Us they are allow then
10 ,EeE lei ne ask what use would the increase o.
daily BE- To The ninuiacturrrss
Away, Them with the fanciful, impracticabe ider
that you obtain revenue enough by tariff to equa
your wants Of twenty six millions, without adopting
ths amendment, recalling the lands, without resort
ing to direct taxes and excise.
Is it not, then, miserable delnsion, with good sup
ply on hand of foreign merchandise and the whole ere
dat system itself, we'll lis inlaiions private anc
State, exploded 10 expect now that under double
the present rate of duties, realize twenty sia
millions nett income from customs'
The pilot at the helm Of State says, then, ms TO the
lands, maniuy, bravely, skfuy, on this occasion, al
least, take them back. Public sentiment echoes, take
them back Reason and sound policy equally enio1 the
same. But the Senator from Rhode Island, mir. Sim
nous. as he gets three millions protection to ma
nufactur if the lands not taken back, laments the
evil this viii to the States, our partners II
the firm Of Tie General Government, our brethren OIL
sisters in the same family Of the Union.
Who ever before heard Of an individual or Govern
mcnt when out Of money and embarrassed giving away
equal 10 one fifth Of all the permanent income an
-, ~ hon Of and cd