The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-07-31


r land does not amount to half per cent,
Q while we collect the largest part of our
revenue from that source. Let gentlemen
{ look into the facts before they call on Us
D TO follow in the footsteps Of nation that
4 always legislates, not TO benefit others, but
10 promote aud secure her own selfish pc.
{ Icy and interests.
/ As to the Importance Of the home mar
/ ket, oil which so much has been said in this
, debate, do not attach SO much value 10 II
as some Of my friends here, but still II is u
matter not TO be overlooked. How, SIR,
can a producer of cotton TO say nothing Of
the vast homo consumption of provisions
and bread.stulis) consider the home mar
ket OF small consequence, when between
four and five hundred thousand bales of
every cotton crop are Consumed here per
annum. At east one.sixth Of the whole
product found market for consumption on
our own shores.
| Mr.. Burt, Of South Carolina, said he be-
lieyed this estimate was too large.
My honorable friend from South Carroll.
ma is mistaken, as he will fad Oh examlna
lion.
have said, NJ. Chairman, that this bill
proposes a great and radical change by
virtual abandonment OF all incidental pro
lection. But 1t proposes another equally
material alteration IN our policy, by tho a.
doption Of the 0d raiOrem principle and the
d6roSdtios of ell specific duties IN the
mode of their collection. The duties are
TO be levied and assessed on the foreign
radiation of the goods, wares, and mer.
chandise imported. This system viii Inc.
vitality lead TO enormous frauds on the lev.
enue By false invoices; II will lead TO ru-
nous reduction 10 the revenue and II viii
wor. most serious injury to honest A.
merlcan importers and American com.
merce, by throwing, eventually, the whole
import trade in the hands aud under the
control Of foreigners. Ii will destroy tha!
uniformity IN tho assessment OF duties
which is expressly required BY The constI
tuition. The same kind and quality Of
goods viii be valued at one rate il Charles.
ton, and al another IN New York and Il 5.
ton and New Orleans. The assessment
will necessarily depend on the various
judgments Of the different appraisers. Ii
IS liable, too, 10 this grca; objection, that,
when the article IS most indemand and the
price highest, The duty will be the most
heavy and oppressive. When the article
imported is cheapest and least IN demand,
The duty viii be The lowest the less tho
| people were able 10 consume, the higher
the duty rose; and, when our industry OF
all kinds most needed protection, they
would get the least; and, when they least
needed il, they would get the most. am
entirely opposed TO tins ad ru!orem pIinci-
! pie as a general system. /, would well
apply to many articles, bJ, IS wholly wrong
as applied 10 others, Besides, il is a nem
system, and am opposed to experiments
unless | am sure they will work right IN
practice. 1t has been heretofore Iepudia.
ted by our own Government, and never a.
dopted as an exclusive system by any wise
Government on The face Of the globe. /,
was not the system of England or France
or Of the Zoll. Nerein, which is SO rapidly
extending itself over all the north of Eu.
rope. Our whole American commercial
community have expressed their opposi.
ton 10 II, and our wlsest statesmen have
always rejected IL, Mr.. Buchanan him.
self in his great speech on the bill Of ~,
for which he voted, then pronounced the
most emphatic condemnation of II as un.
wise and impractlcabie. That system had
always operated best which contained
mixture Of ad ualorems and specifics aud
10 that am forsadherug until | am con
WINGED that safer aud better plan can be
adopted.
This new tariff, graduated on aIrevenue
standard, IL proposed as a peace measure,
and by gentlemen who profess great and
constant regard for the poor. and opposI.
ton 10 an increase OF the price Of the no
ccssaries OF life yet il contains duty on
lea and coffee, indispensable ncccssaries,
not as a war measure, for that duty was
recommended end inserted IN the bill be-
fore the existence OF the war With Mexico.
These articles are now free and not be.
ing made IA our country nt all, dutv on
them - pure tax on the consumers. If
( 49, '7"'iS hfNtHSllE were CtGlfTh
shown to exist IN lime Of war for this,,ax.
| would be willing TO vote for and even
then II should be light. IL ls not nccessa.
~ now; and as a precedent in the mode
now proposed IS highly dangerous. What
Is that mode, err There ~ q most OK.
Iraordlnary feature in this bill. The Pres.
ident IS directed TO have this tax collected
by proclamation. Gentlemen seem TO shrink
from The responsibility of imposing il them.
selves aud directly. Whenever defect.
ency occurs las II certainly will) in the
revenue, the President is to have the pre-.
rogatIve OF ordering this duty to be levied.
The ancient Anglo-Saxon principle was
to reserve 20 the Representatives Of the
people the exclusive power Of taxation and
ot holding the purse of the nation. This
DUTY VIII, l suspect, be stricken from the
bill. You cannot pass it here with this
provision included. But, sir, its insertion
IN the bill has exhibited the disposition of
those having the majority in this House to
impose this uncalledfor burden on the peo.
pie, even in time Of peace and it further
demonstrates couclusiVeIy tho kai,oC e