Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-07

II
say that he 10 no, to be drawn into the advocacy o
system VI dneet taSaiion-l commend his pru
jenee.
The gentleman from Maryland (Nir Masonl ha
expressed his preference for this mode Of raising re
Venue but he thinks the people are not yet prepares
| FOR IL, and therefore he will not propose u.
| The gentleman from N. Hampshire tmr Burke
believes is the right mode but he too, has rcser
walton charge, and has said, that until he is sat
isfed his constituents approve the scheme, Il Is no
for him to lead the way. lie Is unwilling TO venture
the experiment without the consent OF those upon
whom it Is to operate. He will not administer thu
new nosirum until the patients ready 10 receive
il. This disposition to delay remedy, IN which the
doctors themselves have much faith, Is nset en-.
titled TO commentator, at period when political
quaekery so rarely pauses IN us course Of reekies'
| experimenting.
There is, then, no gentleman on this ffoor who
proposes, or even suggests that we ought, at this
time, to adopt any other mode of procuring money
| for the support OF the Government, than the mode
proposed by the bill now before us-by duties on
foreign imports will not 60 into any labored ar
gument TO show that this, OF all NODES is the best, If
not the only one practicable. The, II strikes me,
must be obvious 10 all practical men, and IS sane
toned by experience eo-extensive with the entire
existence of our Government. The Constitution
authorizes Congress TO lay AMI collect taxes, duties
imposts and excuses. The rghito exercise any one
of the powers, or ALL is fully granted. The selec.
ton is left to the discretion ofthe Legislature Yet
Congress has never except in two instances resort
ed to direct taxes. These were occasions OF neccs-
sty arising out of the state OF our foreign commerce.
when importations were curtniled rot 10 yield
the requisite amount of revenue from import duties.
The whole sum received in the Treasury from the
origin Of tho Government to the present time, through
direct taxes, is little $4,000 900; While that
from duties on foreign goods is near $500, 1000 600.
So much for history and experience.
Upon another occasion, few days since, | ad-
verified TO the advantages of indirect over direct
taxation, in what concerns the payment OF the mo-
ney, in either form, by the people, and the manner
| of collection.
When the citizen contributes his quota to the
support OF Government by the payment OF money
levied upon him in the form OF taxes, he pays spe.
cine sums, fixed by law, in cash. TO the tax gatherer
there Is no avoiding his inquisitorial vsils-he
enters our houses armed with authority TO examine
all their reeesses--to interroga,e our inmiles-to
offend the delicacy Of wives and daughters, and
to alarm our children. We have no choice, ss to
| the time or manner of payment-there IS no op.
por,unty for bargaining-he receives no ecmmodi
ty in Exchange for money-therc is no "fTee trade"
IN the transaction-no barter OF equivalents IL is
the agent OF the Government, armed with all its
powers, 10 command and enforce obedience the
one hand and the citizen on the other, with no al
tentative but 10 obey.
When that same citizen pays his proportion Of
the general charge, levied and collected in duties
is payment OF his own free will and accord. Ii we
concede, that the duty imposed any particular ar
tcle enhances the price oil that article to the precise
amount OF the duty, n result which we all know
and uses the article, pays such duty, in the aug
mented price OF the commodity are not the advan
tnges Of this mode of contribution apparent TO ALI
In the first place, 1t is volunteer payment There
Is no superior power standing in our presence, COM
manding IT to be done. Ii we do not choose to
purchase the productions Of foreign lands, we pay
nothing Of tax, direct or indirect But when we DO
purchase, and in that purchase is included the duty
10 the Government now to be refunded, part OF
the price, il comes upon US a subject OF trade and
bargain, as much as the price OF the article would
DC If the duty constituted no part OF il. The duty,
so Tar rs the Government is concerned, has been
paid by the importer. The goods are in the hands
OF the retaler-he is an individual member OF So
cieiy, as | am, locking to his own interesis-with
him, am on an equality-f purchase, it is a
matter OF agreement, not Of force-the terms are
supulated-the time, place, and manner Of pay
ment are provided fort is the dealing between
man and man, each protecting aud defending his
own interests according to the exercise Of his own
free will, and each satisfied with the result.
We are then 10 have money, and il is to he pro.
cured in accordance with the uniform practice Of the
Government, by mpost duties.
What is the aggregate sum which we are required
to provided
Upon this inquiry quite a division OF opinion ex
ISIS. At the close of MIR Van Buren's Adminis,ra-
ton, his Secretary OF the Treasury, MIR Woodbu
estimated the future ordinary expenditures at about
$4,000 per annum. This estimate would be
entitled 10 more consideration il it had for its sane
ton the practice OF that Administration. L. was
only furnished 10 the country in the last report Of
that officer TO Congress, after a change OF Admins
tra,ion had been decreed by the people at the polls
Il an estimate for their successors not for them
selves; nor would 1t be very uneharilable to sup
pose that 1t was put forth in advance, to lay the
ground for subsequent complaints OF ex,ravagance
and profsate expenditure against the party then
about 10 come into power. Be this as j, may there
Is nothing OF example in that Administration in ac-
cordanee with the pTecept thus delivered. Mr. Van
no membranes upon il. The public deb, had
been extinguished by his predecessor.
The ordinary expenditures of his four years Pre-
sidency were as follows as is shown by the official
reports:
For 1887, SsisIO On7 no