Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-18

WAsniSGroE, January ), 1S4i
The object of duty teas and coffee being an
increase of the of The country, the Commit
tee OF Ways and Means now have II in contemplation
10 make those duties spec,fr by which the proposed
end may be the better secured
TO abandon prohibtory duties, and 10 relax CONNER
ca restrictions, the impulse Of the though pc
cuar circumstances may not require the carrying
out of the principle in I'll lis legitimate and logical
consequences. For Will. relaxation of restriction
should be the pe,vadng principle of all legislative
action it ought 10 be applied in country ike own
Of complicated interests, with great caution and great
crcumspection; because the great interests which have
grown up under long enjoyed protection must bs
leoparded by too sudden Abandonment Of the poll
cy and we shon!d not row dlscredlt upon the prInc
pie we SEEK 10 enforce, by lending ii such rash and
Indscrmlnae Application, 10 cause more of evti
than gond, and to produce doubt in the truth Of the
principle itself
Eliminating from the question those considerations
that have i'tte or no connection with the subec, mat
ter OF this letter, hold inevtbe consequence
that the imposition Of duties upon and coee-ar
tices not indigenous to soil will tend in grea,
degree 10 so'tsn commercial by rendering
them unnecessary for purposes Of revenue.
These duties, TO be most productive Of revenue,
must be specife-not ad raiorta. We predicate, how.
ever, tins truth, only in reference to lea and coffee
The eligibility Of the principle, general rule
propose not here 10 discuss. Reasons in sufficient
number and of great force, could be adduced To re-
concie the mind TO orr statement. The amount
which our circumstances require 10 be LIVED, can he
ascertained with sufficient accuracy, from spfeiGc
duty-whe every merchant knows, who has been en-
gagged in the trade that, turing single SEASON, Tho
value Of teas in The Canton market has varied 80 per
cent? and coffee IS liable TO still greater huctuations,a
fact which renders Objectionable an al ra'oren.
duty. and specific duty equal TO fourth the pre-
sent, and the average value Of these articles would fall
far less heavily than al rioreia duty Of - per nj
Among The many considerations that urge them
sHlves upon the mind, n the examination Of this Pre-
ference there one not OF triiing importance, which
deserves attention. The "ci;y made or CAUTION lea
a spurious article, and deeterious compound, most
obnoxious 10 the health, has been OF late years import
ed in great quantities. IL IS bought cheap but coats
dear-nnd where you fed the article much used, gives
the countenance green and sckiy hne---as | have
noticed among the female tea drinkers Of certain age
careful Of the qnantty, Than the qnalty Of Their
beverage. specific duty would exclude, on I'D vale
would encourage The importation OF this and We
should be inundated with the s~eepngs Of the Canton
factories, with the ad volotem duty serving bonus
to roguery.
To say ha. teas should pay in proportion to their
price, begging the question" There IS, Compare
lively, but lille high priced tea imported, and, with an
nd vao'em duty, there would be none. BY specific
duty The green would exclude the black An advan
iage gained to health and probably TO The revenue
the black not being Of such potent qualities, would be
used in larger quantities. And even 1t the prices,
though but slightly raised, Of teas, should drive the
tea drinkers coffee, dminuion OF revenue or Of
health would follow.
Other reasons as strong might be advanced for the
preference of the specific The ad vaIorem duty.
1t is conclusive, however, 10 state that the specific
alone under present revenue laws, and custom
cua,ions, can be fairly LEVIED The hone,t importer,
under The adoption OF The contrary principle, would
pay the whole duy-he dishonest escape, either by
violation Of the revenue laws, or by COLLISION with ap
paisers That such has been the course OF things,
der former laws, experience teaches
In concurrence with such view OF The subject, and
estimating all teas of two classes, make the following
estimate for the accrung from this the
sequent four years, an average annual income:
Ten millions pounds green teas a, 90 cts S2OOOOoo
Six +" black 10 els. G00,0OD
One hundred millions pounds coffee at cts. 30oo,ooo
S560OCO0
Making five millions six hundred thousand dollars OF
revenue.