Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-03-10

smend tho several acts imposing aes on ports or by
thereof part Of such excess ssS be- "s 5 isg
,5S AMI S,sI the sst day Of December. Thousand
eSM hundei and thryhvc, another tenth Iart
shah be dednoted om aud amer the 3st day OF Deeem
tenth part thereof shall be deduct e o sn
lay Of eeember, thousand eight hundred and ihTty
s 'isS s Is sss ss I so AMI
eht hundred aud orty one one half OF the residue 81
Mrtieth lay of June, thousand eight ht,n,lrri AMI
orV-two. the olleT half thereof shah DO dslneIsds
The provision of that section is nothing moro nor
less than that the existing duties should be, by the
5Oth June, lSis, brought down TO twenty per cent
What then Were they always 10 remain al that
ratel The section does not so declare. Not only
Is tins not expected, and was so understood but
directly the reverse is asserted, and was SO under.
Stood If the exisensies OF the Treasury REQUIRED
higher rate TO provide the revenue necessary TO an
economical administration Of the Government The
third section which embodies most OF the great prin-
eiples OF the act, is IN these words:
SEQ. =. aHd Sc 10 IsrtAer esaelr A. That until tho
thirteenth day OF June, one theu eight hundred and
orty',wo The duties mposcdb y existing laws,
by ths act, shll remain and To he COLLECTED
AMI from and aicT the day last aforcss all dudes upon
po,s snaI DC collected IN ready money; and M credits
and hereby arc abolished. and such duties shall be laid Tor
to an economical alninls,rauon the Goxcrunsn,; and
from and after the day last Aforesaid the uic required 10
he upon the valoc thereof AZ the nor, hS e
! prescribed ny law" my
What is the meaning Of this langusse7 Can onv
thing be motc explicit or less liable to miscnnccp-
toni IL contains two Obligations. The first Is
that there shall be economical administration Of
inc GoVernmcn'; no waste, no extravaganza, no
squanderins Of the public money. | adm, this
obsaion, in its fullest force in all its lonsth and
breadth, and trust that my friends with or with
out my aid, will fulfil it, in letter aud spirit with
the most perfect fidelity. But the second obligation
Is no less binding and imperative; aud that is that
such duties shall DC laid as may be necessary to
rase such revenue as IS requisite TO an economical
administration ct the Government. The source of
| the revenue ia defined and prescribed-the foreign
imports, 10 tho exclusion Of all other sources. The
amount, from the nature OF things, could not DO
specified; but whatever il may be, be il large or
small, allowing us TO come below or requiring that
We should 90 beyond twenty per cent, that amount
| is 20 be raised.
contend, therefore, with entiro confidence. TINT
1t is perfectly consistent with the provisions OF the
compromise nc; TO impose duties to any amount
Whatever, thirty, forty, or mora PER cent. subject to
tne single condition OF an economical adm niStraton
OF tho Government.
what arc the other principles OF the act7 First.
there - the principle that a fixed al palo, en- duty
sha.l prevail and be IN force at all times For one
am willing TO abide by that principle There are
certain vague notions afoat rs to the utility and
Necessary OF specinc duties and d. examinations
which am persuaded arise from want of 4 rirht
understanding OF the subject. We have had the
al re!orem principle practically in force ever since
the compr'm'se net was passed; and there has been
h0
sury on tina, principle.
IL was necessary first to ascertain the value of
the goods, and ihcn 10 impose the duty upon them.
and, from the commencement OF the act TO this day
the al raiorem principle has been substantially in
operation. Compare the difference between snrr;
fl: and the al valorem system OF duties. and main.
tam that the latter is Justly entitled TO the prefer
cree. The one principle declares that the duty
pa'd snail bc upon the real value of the article taxed;
INC SPECIFIC prime pic imposes equal duty on ar.
NNF aHN... "A a.
pie, (and It rs article which always suggests il.
se' 10 my thoushtsl Is ono Of the articles on which
Specihc duty has been levied. Now, IL is neriect-
~ well known That the Mocha coffee is worth nj
least twice as much as the coffee of ST. Domingo or
tuhn, yet both p1y the same duty. The tax has
no respect 10 the value, but IS arbitrarily levied on
all articles of specific kind alike, however various
and unequal may be their values. | say that. in
theory, and according 10 every sound principle of
justice, the al valorcm mode OF taxation is entitled
10 the preference There is, I admit, one objection
10 1t; as the value of article is matter subject
10 OPINION, and rs opinions will ever vary either
honestly or fradulehty, there is some difficulty in
preventing frauds. But, with the home valuation
proposed 10y my friend from Rhode Island, (Mr
Slmmons,) the cd valorem system can be adopted
win al practicable safety, and will be liable 10
thoSe chances only Of fraud which are inevitable I'm.
der any and every system.
Again: wha. has been the fact from the origin
OF me Government until now The articles from /
which the greatest amount of revenue has been |
nra"n, such as woollens. linens, silks, cottons |
worsteds, and few others, have all been taxed on
'ne AID vALoREA principle, and there has been no !
dInIculty in the operation. | believe upon IN.
whole, that it is the hes, mode believe That # !
We adopt liked rate al valorem wherever il can
Oe done, the revenue will lie Subjected to fewer
frauds IMAM The injustice and frauds incident 10 spe
nc duties One OF the most prolific sources Of the I
violation OF our revenue laws has been, rs every
body knows, the effort 10 get in goods of q finer |
quality and higher value admitted under tho lower
rate OF duty required for those OF lower value
ihe honorable gentleman from New Hampshire
Mr. woodbury. and the honorable Senator from
New York tSlr Wright both we'll know this Blu,
! the duty was laid ad yalorem there could be no
motive tor such an effort, and the fraud 10 its pre-
tent form, would have place. Ia England as
~ VINO nave read the able report made by Mr..
iume, a Scottish member in the House Of Com
mons, must perceive, they 10 bc giving up spo.
Inc duties, and the tendency in the public mind an
pears to be, instead OF having a variety Of specific
iuties and variety Of nd valorem duties to have
me permanent fixed rate OF duty for oil articles
I'M willing, | repeat, 10 adhere 10 this great nrinci
ne MS lad down IN tho compromis act If there be
nose who suppose that, under the specific form OF
uty higher degree Of protection can be secured
nan under the other mode, would observe that
ne actual measure OF protection does not depenJ
pon the form but on the amount Of the duty which
) levied on the foreign rival article.
Assuming that VIC are to adhere TO this princinle |
hen every one of the leading principles of the same
~ s'' NC uuhrItu 10 anu carried July out for
gam assert that the idea that duties ore always 10
smain nj precisely twenty per cent. and never TO
'ary IRON that point be the exigencies of Govern
nent what they may, does not belong TO the lam
'uase oil The act nor is II required by any one Of it's
)rov visions.
The next resolution have proposed to the con.
liberation Of the Senate is this:
R'sogsd That the provision In the Of the EXTRA sen
non Tor The distribution Of tho proceeds ofhc pnbc anJs
requiring the operation Of that 10 DO sscended In
CONTINGENCY Of higher rate Of duty than twenty per cent
ought TO be repealed ~
Now, according TO the calculations I have made
he repeal Of the clause in question and the recall o.!
he proceeds OF the sales OF public lands from tho
States, even if made, will not dispense with the nc
cessty Of great increase in the existing rate of
taxation. have shown that n duty Of thirty nor
cent. will not he too much 10 furnish the renHsifs
amount OF revenue for just and economical adj
Of the Government And how nurb |
NJ that rate will be reduced should you add 10 the
revenue from imports the million and half (which
was the amount realized the last year, derived Ion,
sales OF the public domnin7 II will be but the |
difference between 80 and about PSI. For since
81 per cent. yields revenue OF twenty sI millions
one per cent. will bring about 5000 600; and everv
million Of dollars derived from the lands will reduce
your taxation on imports only 5000 OOO if Won
get million and half from the lands il will re
iuce the taxes only from 80 to 255 per cent. or n
you get three millions, as some gentlemen insist
Will be The case, then you " II save taxes In tbe
amount Of difference between 80 per cent. and about
~ per cent. This will DO tho whole extent NJ
beneht derived from this land fund, VIII Oh son1o s.
majors have supposed would lie so abundant "a IN /
: lieve US hom all necessity Of additional tn1stion
A. all put Il, then, to every Senator, no m,t,rr
TH a. IL HfHH -.