American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1844-12-18

differences were made known to the Secretary
of the Treasury, circular letters have been sent
to the collectors to produce uniformity; but
such differences are continually arising. These
differences Of duties at the ports of different
States are evils inflicted before the subjects OF
difference arc brought TO the knowledge OF the
Secretary of the Treasury. The proper rates of
duty cannot be cxacted after the importer has
paid rate too low, and obtained his goods and
clearance from the custom house The re-
turn of excess where higher rates Of duties than
imposed by law have been exacted by the col
ector, is paliation, but not complete redress
of the evil.
| The provisions Of the eighth and eleventh
sections of the act declare that nothing therein
shall be construed or permitted to operate so as
to interfere with subssting treaties with foreign
nations; and such provision is necessarily TO be
! applied to other sections, inasmuch as the act
of the Congress cannot abIogate the obliga-
tons of It subsisting treaty. The collectors at
the various ports are thus left, in the first in
stance, to compare the law with the stpula
tons of the various subsisting treaties with for
eign nations, and determine the question as to
the rate of duty on the particular article I'M
ported or whether it should be free of duty
If the collector eXacts too high duty, then
the Secretary of the Treasury is invoked to re-
wise the act of the collector. Various COM
plants on this subject of the conflict of the act
OF 1912 with subslsting treaties have been
made; and as often as the Secretary of the
Treasury has decided upon the complaints of
the diplomatic agents of foreign nations, other
questions have arisen as perpleXlng. 1t is re-
spectfully suggested that the better mode of
Legislation would he for the Congress to consd-
or the stipulations Of subssting treaties, make
the letter of the act of Congress conform to the
obligations of the treaties so that the collectors
shall have plain rule of conduct prescribed in
the letter of the statute, instead of leaving to
the collectors the responsibility of modifying
the statute by the superior obligations and faith
of the treaties. Past facts and examples teach
the Importance of such modification OF the
statute, and will assist in making the reform.
| 1t is recommended that the duties on wines
be changed from specific to ad valorem duties,
so as to avoid any difficulty which may grow
out of u treaty with one nation; that no other
or higher duties shall be imposed upon goods
or merchandise of the growth or products of
that nation than are or shall be imposed upon
like articles the growth or produce of any other
! foreign nation; and that the exemption from
duty of tea aud coffee, when imported i'll YES
sells of the United States from places of their
! growth or production, be modified, so as TO
avoid the difficulty growing out of the treaty
stipulation, by treaty that no other or higher
! duties shall be charged or collected in the ports
| of the Uuited States, upon articles imported
! in the vessels of the contracting foreign ma
ton, than are or shall be charged and collected
upon like articles imported in vessels of the
| United States.
| He says Taxation is All evil, hut necessari-
ly TO be endured TO the extent fit and proper Tor
the support Of government prulent'y and eco
n )micaily administered Justice, the obligation
Of duty arising out OF the trusts confled to Con
grcss by tn constitution of the United Stale.,
dictate that taxation shall be made to bear fair
! ~ and equally all classes and on al citizeas
in proportion to their properly ,means, and a5ii-
iy to pay, as neatly as human laws can accom-
| pish.
/ The power delegated to the Congress BY the
constitution, to clay and collect taxes, duties,
mt o'ts, and excuses, to pay the debts and pro
vide for the common defence and general wei
fare of the United States," is high trust lin
! tied to the uses so expressly declared. 1t is
granted in trust for all, not for the use OF pert
! only; t. DC exercised by genera! laws, not by
pa, ti4l laws, discfeety for tue proper purposes,
and to discharge tn, duties ioposed by the con-
s'itut,on itself not arbitrarily and 10 an ilimit-
able extent.
So long as the Congress shall keep within
the confines Of raising reSenne necessary for the
support OF government, to maintain the public
credit, and to provide for the common defence
and general welfare, the accidental encourage
ment AMI protection OF domestic manufactures
arising out OF the mode o! evying such ueccs-
sary revenue by duties on imports mustbe deem
cd rightful, as an inevitable attendant upon the
exercise Of the delegated power.
To reduce the rates Of duties to the standard
! IF tho ls IA air not ~ Ithput
some difficulties. The probability OF def.
cheney Of revenue is to be most carefully avoid
ed; on the other hand, large surplus above the
proper wants # the government should be avoid
ed. The desideraum is the happy means be-
tween those extremes.
With a scale of duties adapted to the sum o
revenue necessary and proper tn supply the
wants Of The government, economically admin |
istered; with prudent and moderate discrimipa- |
tons, ranging within the lowest and highest |
degrees of duties which look to revenue, and
are ad apted to raise The sum necessary and pro
per, il may be expected that the moderate and |
discreet OF a ii parties would be content; that |
such syst m, adopted for the future policy al
the United States, and steadfastly pursued, is
best calculated to heal the discontents, and pro-
mote the general prosperity and happiness.
The stability of the Union, the national
wealth and strength, and the general welfare,
will be the best promoted by such action on the
pant of the federal government in exercising the
power oftsxa,iln, as will leave all that is not
necessary TO supply the wants Of the general
government itself to tie people themselves, and
the State governments aud the federal govern
ment to revolve in their respective appropriate
spheres.
Tie eyes OF the world are turned TO the Uni
ted States of America, watching the effects
which the novel political institution Tor the 60
vernlnent of the Union shall have upon the pub
Inc and private prosperity and happiness The
glorious success which has hitherto attended
the experiment should Inspire sentiments o. vir-
tuous zeal and patriotism to continue its sue
cess aud grandeur, by practising and incalcat-
IL, h.ie nj LIZ I.iIii