The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-12
ANNUAL TREASURY REPORT.
(cosoLUDTD /
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Decemlef 6, l643

any eh' "hat provisions can be made 10 meet the
contemplated deficiencies such portion Of them as
may exist alter the reductions which Congress may
direct. The alternatives which suggest themselves
are, direct taIauon, an augmentation of The proceeds
OF The sales Of the public lands the increase OF exist
log duties on Imports and the Imposition Of duties
upon articles now free.
IL /, presumed that direct taxation of real or per
sonhl property would not be attempted until all other
resources have failed. The undersigned has there
fore nothing 10 suggest on this subject
II Is not believed that any mod fc alton of the land
laws can be made by which any permanent inc rease
OF revenue from The public domain can be secured
Some temporary accession might be obtained by re-
ducing The price OF land offered for sale but il would
DC WIN TIE hazard, If not certainty, of DESTROYING
rich fountain, whose regular and steady stream Is Kept
/ up ny maintaining moderate price adapted TO tho
circumstances al our fellow Citizens and vet not in
vitiDg speculative investments. Our ultimate re-
source, then, must be the duties on Imports And
when Il is considered how large a portion of The .x
peDditnres of the Government Is caused by our uht
houses, by ou foreign intercourse by our navy and
other means TO protect and extend our Commerce with
! foreign nations and with how much more eoualuy
and '9niy.a tax upon the Importation of foreign mer-
chandise operates upon all classes than any other
mode OF raising revenue; with how much more ease
Is collected and how it entirely avoids all collision
with the State soyeregntes respecting The subjects
OF taxation, this mode of supplying the wants of the
Cow rnment will commend itself TO favorable conside-
ration
| Sufficient information has not vet been obtained
especin g the practical operation Of the act of Goth
August 1872 establishing the existing rates of duties
on ioitign imp rsa,ons, 10 authorize accurate OPT
mon OF the Prublbe rsul,s Of its different provisions
The CT numerical statistical statement law
embracing The returns from The Sob of September
lSl2 to the 30h of June, isi3 in OF pIepa-
ration by all the force that be applied to and it
10 h"Ped Will be laid before the two Houses Of Con-
sress IN The course of the ensuing month. AS il will
embrace The first nine months during which the pre-
sent tam has been in operation will probably con-
tain the desired information But the UNDERSIGNED
tha ar
lp'rts he has caused TO be made from the principal
Loits ana from general view Of commerce, after
the best consideration which he could give The sub
ject he has not been able d cover any of the es
sing duties which can be increased with any reason
able prospect OF angmeDtipg the revenue. he dan
ger from 'hs source 49, that articles upon which high
duties are LEVIED wall either be candestiney intro
ducsd OF nos imported at all 1t is believed that TO
the great vigilance which has prevailed during the past
season along the coast and on our extended inland
frontier, Is mainly owing that the fraudulent impor
tailons which had been an clpated by have been
prevented. The temptation, however, should not be
carried SO far that success in enterprise will re-
, munelate for The losses in several failures.
!. On the other hand, looking a, the subject excu-
siveiy in lis bearings upon the revenue The under
signed - net prepared to specify any very important
rates of duty that will bear reduction unless the f.
cheney be supplied by duties upon other articles
Those levied ON glass, pa ticuiar kinds of ron coal
and sugar are considered by many TOO high for reye
nue. purposes Should the statistical information be-
fore referred TO, exhibit such result in res ec to
these or any other Articles they will doubtless aTrett
the attention OF Congress
Assuming, what will probably be found TO be the
case that no essential Improvement of the revenue is
likely to be effected least for the pr sent by in
crease OF the duties already existing by reduction
of them II becomes Decessary TO iDuu re be,her aoy
articles now free Of duiy can with pro retv he sni-
Jected to moderate impost, and whether there are
any other means of providing for the de-
fc ency 2
The articles free OF duty, which present them
rs oFi
and collie In the last annual report from this De.
Parmeht TINS ource Of revenue was indicated. The
necessary OF resoHing to Is us apparent and more
urgent now than II was then. The opinions If i'm
porers OF hese articles of merchants and officers of
The customs IN various parts Of the United States as
communicated To this Department in pursuance of its
reques', are unanimously and decidedly in favor Of
such duties as more equal and less bud. nsome than
any other mode by which tie same amount could be
. collected From The Organization of the Govern
ment 10 the year 1882 duties were laid upon these ar
ucfs' In that year they were repealed IN pursuance
81 the recommendation Of the President " hiGh o;aY
MADE a. efs tinIdsksd, and the revenue being sbun
dani fer The public service The reason for that pol-
cy having ceased and tdJiions revenue being inds-
nsaoe for The most economical alton # the
Government, II cannot be doubled that our fellow
ciizrns viii acquiesce in The which REQUIRES
such mpost che,rlu,iy as in any OF her burdens
ich they called 10 bear for The security md pro-
lection of themselves, their properly ,her rights and
: liberties.
Notwithstanding the opinions of some ! cannot
doubt that the price of these articles would se en-
HANGED to the consunerto some extent by the ispo-
sition OF duties But II may be questioned Whether
this effect would not be temporary Coffee is reisei
in various countries, and the amount produced has in
creased Of late years rapidly. Should the COMPETE
ton between tn countries be become SO active
TO enable US to choose the Of supply the du
/ ~ may fall upon the producer. In respect 10 teas
the opening OF the China trade and the exchange for
them Of cotton fabrics instead of specie as
heretofore will enable us TO obtain larger supplies,
and at cheaper rates But, whatever may be the in
crease Of price 10 the consumer and whether ii be
permanent or temporary, would be fairly dtribut-
ed among the whole commun ty for nearly all are
consumers and by proper adjustment Of the rates
At would fall chiefly upon those wh used teas of the
most expensive kind. Hence a specific duty in refe.
renee to cost would be most adyi able
10 In order TO exclude spurious article which has
d sometimes forced its way among us, it would be
o pedent to fix minimum value at sixteen or twenty
(. cents per pound. duty Of five cents per pound
" all teas costing twenty-five cents or under, OF
cents upon those costing iron twenty-five to thirty
If five cents and thus advancing the duty according 10
a, the cost would afford the most certain and practica-
be mode of collection, while IL would be the least
" burdensome. With respect TO coffee, IL is represent
es ed that the difference in value between the various
he descriptions in Use among us is not such TO render
MS nd raiorem duty necessary expcdiept mode
/, rate specific duty Of two GEMS per pound, when
"e brought from the country OF its growth ASIA AZ
RIGA, or America, and three nts per pound whcr
oc imported from Europe, II is believed would be fai
-, anu moderate Such duty may be estimated e
~ produce at least two millions FIVE hundred llousau,
IN dollars. From a duty teas, graduated as aboy
n suggested, may expect TO realize about mil
lion five hundred thousand dollars. Much, however
will depend upon the terms Of our trade with China
NV 1t cannot be supposed that duties TO the amount
icy four millions, distributed among nearly eighteen mil
lions Of persons would be seriously felt by sn,
assuming that the consumers would exclusively bea
The burde mol he IN, bet ~