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


we may add, lucky development of trite but per
picked subject. comes at most fortunate moment /
speaks volumes to the tax paying people of this coun
Try, upon the very points which most TO be agi
tailed IL shows The people of the States precisely TO
figure, what they TO get by distribution OF The
proceeds OF the public lands among the Sates-and !
unravels the mystery Of Tariff so as undeceive al
the dupes who have been made to believe that domestic
industry IS tostered WHOLE by loading it with bur
dens for the benefit of small part.-Gl0d
SPEECH OF Mr. ALLEN, OF ONO,
In tho Senate Of the United States, March 10, 1872
| On the following resolution, formerly submitted by
! him:
Resord That the Secretary of Treasury be directed 10 in
form the Senate practicable WHETHER his opinion
the Government can present of its financial
fairs cauied recalling 10 lis service
derived from the sales OF The public domain and which, b
existing act apart for distribution 10 States,
without drawing from the people, in addition their present
amount equal to that and in of its dis
iribution by of increasing the taxes levied upon
them the form Of tariff duties; imposing and drec
upon tem borrowing upon their credit in the form
labor and property. And if in his opinion, Govern
carried without thus recalling the land
The tile loans equal To
that ann IN consequence OF lis dsrbuon then winch
mess rss If m ne e, os ~ @
Also that he be directed bee the sena:e the estimates
and The which such his opinions may be founded
| Mr.. ALLEN said
Mr. President: For the second time have called up
this resolution and ask the final action of the
Senate upon it, obliged to admit, however, that
from the hostility hitherto manifested towards II by
the majority here without hope of its passage.
am sir, without hope that shall be allowed thus to
obtain from the Treasury Department those official es
Inmates from which It was my purpose TO prove this i'm.
porant fact that by the act OF Distribution, surprising
that act 10 continue, positive loss OF near Two millions
Of dollars will he annually thrown upon the grea, tax
paying body Of the American peope-a loss TO them as
absolute as if elr property to that amount were each
year taken and consumed by fire. | have asked for
these estimates not that the official communication OF
them is at all indispensable to my object, but because,
being Official, and coming from a not likely TO
undfrrate the blessings Of the Distribution aci, they
would be less the subject of cav and, in the judgment
of the country, conclusive evidence of the fact
seek to establish
In the absence OF these official estimates, and fearful
that those who in this body, have the power, will con-
tnue TO nterdict them, shall proceed with my own
estimates TO make good if cam this my charge of pro-
higacy and waste. But before begin, desire Sena
tors the other side TO specify when have done, in
what particular my estimates square not with the facts
and to show if practicable, wherein my conclusions are
at all unsound.
In the first place. then, there three propositions in
which, presume, all will concur first that i'll
auence Of the distribution of the three millions annual
~ brought into the Treasury from the public domain,
the Government 10 supply its place, must increase the
taxes upon the people, in the form of tariff duties Sc.
cond that the effect upon the people will be the same,
whether this increase be made to result from additional
duties upon goods paying duties, or from the I'M
position of new duties upon goods now paying none,
from duty of tuenty per cent upon one article,
or of one per cent upon t,centy articles and third,
that if in order 10 place the three millions dis
trbuted burdens have to be imposed upon the peo-
ple in any form, over and above that amount, the
surplus thus imposed must be loss TO them-a
loss resulting solely from the Distribution act, as
from that act alone arises the necessity for such
burden These propositions man will dispute; and
now it becomes my duty PROVE first, the fact of this
surpu 8, and next its amount In doing this, shall De
understood well enough by the Senate but desire to
be understood likewise by every citizen who may do
me the honor to read what speak ! shall therefore
adopt mode Of reasoning PLAIN, and direct, as TO
admt of no bubble olscurty. shall make short
rnambtons speech beginning with admitted facts, and
ending with conclusions, pro ven throughout by the SIM
ME process of figures. With this view of making the
matter perfectly familiar to all, will take single ar.
ticle of merchandise, with given per cent OF duty
upon il, and single individual 10 represent each OF the
several agencies in the process of collecting the duty
This will illustrate fully the whole operation.
First then the three millions distributed are to be
replaced in the Treasury by tariff duties tariff duty
is tax upon the people, and is levied by the Govern
ment in this way: An American merchant, called an
imporer and resident IN OF the Atlantic cIties-l
viii suppose in the city Of New York-mports into this
from foreign country, me rclandlse-l Will suppose
coffee for which, when purchased, he paid, will sup
nose one thousand dollars When the coffee is land
ed and before he allowed to sell IT, It IS taken to The
Governments Office in that city, called custom.
house or if not SO, the Governments officer called
the collector goes board the vessel before the coee
i landed In either case the collector proceeds to as
certain the kind quality, and cost Of the coffee where
il came from This being done he says TO the import
or before you be allowed to sell this coffee IN the
u s. you must pay TO me, for the use OF the Govern
ment two hundred dollars, that being The tarh GUY
of twenty per cent. fixed BY law the original cost
of the coffee, which one thousand dollars lhis
two hundred dollars duty thus paid by the importer as
Tax 10 the Government, is added by him to- and
forms one sixth part Of what the coffee cost HIM before
bo ;s allowed TO sell il, and which now amounts, OF
course to twelve hundred dollars The importer next
nroceeds TO calculate and fix the price at which he can
nro6ably afford to sell the coffee TO the retail merchant
wbo is called the retailer. The price the importer
must Of necessity fix sufficiently high 10 include The m
tercst on the total cost of the coffee, and likewise 10
weld profit on the coffee Itself, as compensation Tor
lie rick and trouble The retailer has, for the same rea
SON 10 do the same thing, when be sells the coffee 10
The farmer who in the end buys and it, and Isl for
tina, reason called the consumer OF The coffee.
Thus it is that the two hundred dollars paid IN the
first instance By the importer as TAX or GUY 10 .,
Government, is together with the Interes, ana prom
ro, :, made TO enter into and form one sixth part oil
The prce which the retailer pays the importer ior .he
coffee Thus il s, too, that the same TWO hunofeo oo
lars with the importer interest and proht upon H. ano
EL.w;se with the additional interest and proh OF the
n,,iler mon il are all made to enter into and form
mart of the price which the farmer has 10 pay
rho retailer for the coffee And thus, also, 1t is, that
,b farmer who does no, sell again. but consumes Inc
coffee and therefore has no body bfh'nd MN on wnon
y, .hove his tax when he buys pay price one sixth
eaer for the coffee than he would have had TO pay but
for this tax duty.
n other words whe the importer pays lie |" nun
d,cd dollars to the Government he charges IL WAN ms
interest and profit upon it, his price to the retailer;
and when the retailer pays the Importer ne, the retail
er also charges the same two hundred WIN Tue
;mporter's and with his interest and pfoht upon ~
in his price TO the farmer; the importer and retailer
mo in the end, done nothing more than nfranee the
two hundred dollars TO the Government for fJ0fmer'
who, when he bugs the coffee, pays in the price OF II,
Tho wo hundred dollars back them together win tne
in,eres, and profits which both have charged and maze
upon it. u;sc,,led
The tariff duty is called an indirect tax Is caiieu
il is taken gu, of The pockets Of the people
by such roundabout and secret process mat 'hey
are thrown off their guard and pay IT. oppressive as
often is without noticing the TACT 'nat 'ney pay
any tax a, all For this reason, | have atlemplea 70
race this sy and slippery tax which IS every where
felt, but now here SEEM through its circutous passoge