Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-04-25
, practicable, wherein my conclusions are

propositions in which, | presume, all
will concur: first, that in consequence of
the distribution of the three millions an
nually brought into the treasury from the
public domain, the government to sup
ply its place, must increase the taxes on
the people, in the form of tariff duties;
second that the effect upon the people
will be the same, whether this increase
be made to resul; from additional duties
upon goods now paying duties, or from
the imposition Of new duties upon goods
now paying none, or from duty of
tDenty per cent. upon one article, or of
| one per cent. upon t,cenfy articles; and
third, that if In order to replace the
three millions distributed, burdens have
10 be imposed up"n the people, in any
form, over and above that amount, the
surplus tins imposed must be loss to
them-a loss resulting solely from the
distribution act, as from that act alone
arises the necessity for such burden
| These propositions 10 man will dispute;
and now it becomes my duty to prove
first, the fact of this surplus, and next
its amount. In doing this | shall be
understood well enough by the Sem
ate; but desire to be understood like
wise by every citizen who may do me
the honor to read what | speak. shall
| therefore adopt mode of reasoning so
plain, and SO direct, as to admit of no
bubble or obscurty. | shall take a
short unambisuous speech beginning with
admitted facts, and ending with conclu-
suns, proven throughout by the simple
process of figures. With this view Of
making the matter perfectly familiar to
all, will take single article OF mer-
chandize, with a, given per cent. OF duty
upon it, and "a single individual to rep
resent each Of the several agencies in The
process of collecting the duty. 1hls
will illustrate fully the whole opera
/ ton. @a
( First, then the three millions distribu-
/ ted are to be replaced in the treasury by
tariff duties. \ tariff duty is a tax u
pom the people, and is levied by the gov
eminent in this way: An American mer.
chant, called an importer, and reshen'
! in one of the Atlantic citieS-i Will sup
pose coffee-.for which when purchased
: he paid, | will suppose one thousand
dollars. when the coffee is landed, and
! before he is allowed to sell it, it is taken
TO the governments Office in that city,
called a custom-house; or, ii not SO the
governments officer, called a collector.
/ goes on board the vessel before the cot
( fee is landed. La either case the collec-
tor proceeds to ascertain the+kind, quail
ty. and cost of the coffee where it camc
from. This being done, he says to the
;. importer: 'before you can be allowed to
/ sell this coffee in the United States, you
must nav to me, for the use of the gov
eminent, two hundred dollars, that be-
Ing the tariff duty of twenty per cent
! fixed BY law on the original cost OF the
coffee, which was one thousand dollars.
This two hundred dollars duty, thus paid
by the importer as tax to the govern
ment. is now added by him to.and forms
one-sixth part of, what the coffee cost
him before he is allowed TO sell it, and
which now amounts, of course to twelve
hundred dollars, The importer next
proceeds to calculate and fix the price
at which he can profitably afford to sell the
coffee to the retail merchant, who is
called the retailer. This price the i'm
porter must of necessity fix sufficiently
bieh to include the interest ON the total
i cost of the coffee, and likewise. to yield
nroft on the coffee itself. as compensa-
tion for hissrisk and trouble. The re.
taller has, for the same reason. to do tlle
same thing, when he sells the coffee Il
the farmer, who, in the end, buys and u
ses it. and is for that reason called the
j consumer of the coffee.
Thus it is that the two hundred dol
lars paid in the irst MISTAKENLY the i'm
porter as tax or duty to the govern
ment, is together with the interest and
nroft upon it. made to enter into and
form one-sixth part of the price whic
the retailer pays the importer for the cof
fee. Thus it is, too, that the same two
hundred dollars, with the importers in
terest and profit upon it, and likewise
with the additional interest and profit o
tne retailer upon it, are all made to en-
ter into ard form one. sixth part of thu
price which the farmer has to pay the re
taller for the coffee. And thus also, it j
that the farmer who does not sell again
; but consumes the coffee, and therefor
has nobody behind him on whom to shove
; this tax, has when he buys,to pay price
one-sixth greater for the coffee than h
would have had to pay but for this ia,
; or duty.
d In other words. when the iinporte
nays the two hundred dollars to the gov
eminent. he charges it with his interes
and profit upon it. in his price to the re
taller; and when the retailer, pays th
: importer, he (the retailer) also charge
the same two hundred dollars, with th
importers and with his own interest ant
nroft upon it, in his price to the farmer
E the importer and retailer having IN tn
5 end, dore nothing more than adUance tn
f two hundred dollars to the government