The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1844-04-19
CHARLOTTE. n. G. APRIL 10. 1874.

from South Carolina, must cav, thai re
seems TO have gone back 10 the old and the
exploded system Of reasoning. lie adopts
'heories-specula,ious and however oppos
cd TO them, are daily occurring facts, the
theories must nevertheless stand.
The honorable Senator asserts that the
imposition OF additicnai duties BY the &C, Of
lS4S has been destructive Of the reyepne
has largely impaired our commerce-and
has produced Crieyous burdens by enhanc
ing prices. lie asserts this, because his
p'e-eslabllshed theory is, that all duties
are restraints on commerce-that the high.
eF the duties The greater are the restraints
and the greater the restraints, the spal
Ter me revenue. According TO these fixed
principles, he contends that the act Of 1912
| has produced these disastrous effects. But
what IS our experience on this head How
are The facts? He cauno, but admit tho,
he revenue has not actually declined, but
has increased. He cannot deny tina, pr,
ces OF foreign merchandise have generally
his lneo. These are notorious facts, but
place no. 10 consequus.-.- consistent with
spite of il. That vas very muc"-..- lan
IN which the Old logicians got rid oi onsa
n,,c Carts which came 10 conflict with their
theories, and very easy and convenient
way il was. Now, sir, propose 10 exam,
me this matter, not BY the rlgd rules OF
any speculative theory, bat according 10
facts and experience. propose 10 exam
ine the practical operations OF this act--ns
workings and its bearings upon OIL me ~
I,eres,s HIGH The honorable Senator say
; have been so deeply affected by It. mere
( is no difficulty 10 observing them me
sources Of information are at hand, anl
+. omen 10 us. if we will but explore them
And in The first place | desire TO examine
h this act, so reprobaied, IN lie effects upon M
!, Treasury-as revenue measure, merely
J, observe i, is stated every now and thei
It 10 some Of the daily newspapers, tna' 'h'
c revenue Of the Government, under IN
S pressure Of this act is rapidly declining
= that the public debt is increasing, and ina
u unless the tariff Of duties he reduce
e so as TO yield more revenue, re
D. sort TO other modes Of taxation WI be nc
h nessaty. When the honorable senate
le from South Carolina brought IN the oI
T. which is now before u.s. modifying that &C
to he seemed, as also did his friends neat hiu
Of to indulge the same apprehension som
K thing must be done, they said, to suppl
,h the Treasury something TO enlarge oil
OF means of carrying on the Government 81
ou to save the public credit. Now, sir, WI
T. are the facts in regard 10 this How do
u, he revenue OF lS43, obtained Under u
~ act, compare With that Of le42, prior
K The oct1 The whole receipts from Il
Of imports Of ls42, into the Treasury, we
mt about ! 3 millions Of dollars, the rate oil c
,n- IL upon duliable commodities being aoo
es, % per cent. The whole receipt from
err. imports Of l943, were about seventeen q
ual lions Of dolars, the average rate Of duty
ed ing something over 81 per cent " ha'
ri the result Of the comparison we ha
ion added over four millions 10 the revenue
ich How do i, bear on the honorable Senat
hi. doctrine, that low duties increase iha re
his nue. I A rate of % per cent, when
+ it some hat above the point aimed at by
an Senator, Welded but thirteen millions, vi
les, a rate Of "a per cent, yielded sevent
millions. Which is the revenue point
men Can any thing be palmer, than that the
now OF 1912 has occasloned no actual oim'
IN. ton Of reyenue' And, in my Jud em'
icen il is equally plano mat II mas auueu
ook lions to II.
nor Now, az 10 the relative imports IN
nay Two wears: we have a recent report II
civ, the Treasury Department, showing
con the amount Of imports for the CONNER
,e in wear ending September 80, lS43,
c. about eighty Eight millions; beng 10y
piye off admit, OF ten or twelve millions
ore the wear ending September, lo42'
hem. this does not present fair comparison
they which tie effect Of the act OF lo42 is
essa. estimated. That act went into operi
Ilv to about the first Of September 10 that
which The imports Of the last quarter oil lc4@
mum the first quarter of lS43, we're very
Won occasioned no, at ell BY the passage Of
i be. act, but by the general prosIration oil
a i'm. ness. and the uncertainty which hung
he lerislalon Of Congress. At the
oyar session of Congress this subject vas d'
,,oo, sed in this body, and the honorable Sc
Fla then referred to the falling oil IN the iul
e ,ho in the last quarter Of 1912, as eVldeI
Lived the prohibllory character OF the act
man Piled then, as reply now, That the d'
nd his was no, in consequence OF the la"
ia,;ng yenturcd to predict that the imports
rcat largely increase 10 the third and
s q as quarters OF the year. That predtcu'
L;rd - been fulfilled. He then assumed tn
.o,,ain revenue of the year would not exec
,avo or twelve millions. depressed cor
10 d;d conviction that it would be fully II mi
.oasor The result confirms my anhciPatI'
;rmen, While the law was in agitation, and
due tau,y hung over its final passage
es,ab merchants and importers could not
20 pro. what rates Of duty would be impose
ID and how prices abroad nigh, be affected
"a svl they abstaiued from giving orders
differ eign merchandise.
osophy Such orders are generally given
pre es. months before the goods are wanted,
ions pec,ed to arrive. The spring mpor
ain all are ordered in the preceding autumn
o make the fall impora,ions in the spring
led ia months, presume, may fairly be co
1ts, and ed as the average period OF orders
ductnp vance. Durug tho spring and sun