The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-07-25

wool unfnanuia ctureu, the value Whereof tho
port place whence exported to the United States,
shall be eight cents under, per pound, there shall
be levied duty Of three per cent ad valorem." The
bill and report were referred to the Committee Of
Ways and Means. While the committee were con-
sidering the subject, meeting of the Vermont Dele
CATION holden, for the purpose Of considering the
proposed duty on WOOL and suggesting such modif-
cations Of the Secretarys bill would give proec-
ton TO article in which Vermont had very deep
interest We came 10 the conclusion that the fixing
a minimum within which the nominal duty should
take effect, must, from the want of uniformity in the
relation between the value and the quality Of wool,
necessarily fail to accomplish fully the intended pur-
pose of Just discrimination between fine and
wool in reference to the high and low duty-especal-
y after the extraordinary results Of the process Tor OBJ
tanning cheap, fine wool in South America The
idea Of amending the clause by the introduction OF
some phraseoogy directly expressive Of quality was
suggested; and the word "coarSe' was agreed to be
proposed for that purpose-a word which was sup
posed to be Of sufficient defpeness Of meaning in it,
ordinary among the growers and manufacturers Of
wool to admit Of its practical application to the nten-
ded purpose
The result of this consultation was that two of the
undersigned attended before the committee of ways
and means, and urged the insertion of The word
"coarse' in the above mentioned clause Of the Sec
retdry's BILL for hePurpoSe, and upon the grounds,
ADORE suggested. Upon full discussion Of the sub
ject the committee decided TO insert the word and
reported the clause, thus modified to the House.
Such is the history Of the introduction Of the word
'coarse'' into the clause in question. 1t furnishes
evidence Of intention in the Of il which be
mstaken-an intention perfectly coincident with, and
in ample conformation Of, the construction for which
contend.
The inspection Of wool invoiced above, and below,
cents, is to be made according TO this construc
ton, for very different purposes That above for the
single purpose of applying the 80 per duty its
actual value. That below, for the purpose not only
of determining the value with view to the applica-
ton Of the five per cent duty, but for the additional
and more important purpose Of determining whether
it be coarse wool. II, upon such inspection, it is
found TO be net coarse, then the Two requisites of
aud value not exceeding cents will
not be combined, and the wool will not be ent ed 10
exemption from the protecting duty
Ii is very clear that the wool must be coarse in
der To bring it within the nominal duty. What
maintain is, that the question whether not
coarse, shall be decided by inspection; and that an
assignment shall be made Of the inspected wool to the
one class the other by reference to the distnc
ton of coarse and fine rs commonly understood by
the growers and manufacturers of wool and not by
reference to the fact that the wool is or is not
within the value of cents. No other course we
are confident, will other satisfy the language of the
act, or carry out what we have shown TO have been
the intention in the insertion of the word coarse
in the clause to which we have called your atteution
We have the honor To be,
Very respectfully,
Your obcdent servants,
WILLIAM SLADE,
SAMUEL E.. CRAFTS,
SAMUEL S. PHELPS,
Horace EVERETT,
IlILANp HALL,
john NATTocKs,
AUGUSTUS YOUNG.
L. s. To sustain the position that the word
must have the effect Of subiectmg the higher duty
wool not below the vaue of seven cents your
attention is requested 10 the words call other in the
clause relating to wool. ''On all other unmanuiac-
tured wool there shall be levied duty Of three
M
other than what? All other than the wool described
in the preceding part of the clause; that is all
other than coarse wool not exceeding cents in
value
II, instead Of call other WOOL" the language had
been'on ,rooi, the vaiue ,chereof shall erceed
cents, there shall be levied duty of three cents per
pound, and thirty per centum al valorem,' no wool
under seven cents could, by any possible construc-
ton, have been sub eced to that duty, because it
would in expressed terms have been confined to wool
exceeding seven cents in value. Such indeed,
the language substtung eight for cents)o the
Secretarys bill referred 10 IN the foregoing; in which
the only distinction between wool exceeding and
wool not exceeding, 8 cents in value. But when the
committee Of ways and means having changed to
cents, inserted the word coarse, so as to require
coarseness, well as cheapness entitle to the NOM
ina duty they changed, also, the phrascoogy OF the
other clause. substituting for-'wool, the value
whereof shall exceed seven cents the words, all 9TH
wool'that is, all wool other than ''coarSe wool,
the value thereof shall not exceed cents {" The
only conceVaole reason Tor TINS Cnange ls that more
intended to be incuded--as more evidently is
included-n the words call other wool'' in the new
connection, than in the words-wool exceeding seven
cents, in the old.
The following note Of the Chairman Of the COM
.mtee of ways and means was appended to the FORE
going
"IloUsE OF REPREsENTAr1vEs
March l, 1S43,
81 have read the foregoing letter, and my reco'lec-
ton corresponds with what is stated substantially as
to the proceeding of the committee of ways and
means, and the object Of introducing the word
"coqrse'' in describing the quality of wool subject to
duty of five per cent; and entirely in the
opinion therein expressed, TO the the intent and
meaning of the phrase.
WILLARD FILLMORE.
To The first Comptroller Of The Treasury.
MIDDLEBURY, VT, MAY, 27, lS43
JAMES w. McCULLocH, Esq.
First Comptroller the Treasury
SIR: On 25th of February last, the Vermont Del