Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-03-27
Eyfhs Eugnirc,..
WHO rAY TIE DUTIES, AND WHAT IS THEIR
PRESSURE UPON THE COMMUNITY.

il appears 10 ne that II these Two questions
could be fairly understood, that much Of the dili-
Guilty Q. adjusting the ;anli would be overcome.
Our northern friends think that we can throw
great parl III tie bu.ihen OF the tariff upon The
iurcisn producer, and our southern brethren that
the .;eaier part fall, upon them. 1t appears 10
me bat beth are mistaken.
/ IL oae tine il was supposed tie importer pail,
/ i!.e duly. Eu very !r!le acquaintance with fdde
vas sufficient 10 convince insn :ha il was = mis-
I take; that he cha rgcG re duty upon the goods.
I was then supposed The consumer paid The duty.
En-, is II mol as obvious that il diiuses itself over
all Kinds OF productions as that The importing
merchant shifts the greater part rv;n himself!
4 I'm importing merchant brings I cargo Of Tea
10 This country, and charges The dnv UPON il, and
! lie larmer purchases Inc tea, and pass both The
4 price ani Ike dnl,. But does tne du:y rest with
him! Iod say he has coEsnmed The Tea, and
I lheIeiole ne can male 10 one else pay any por-
I lion OF The price. Is that he iaci2 II The pro-
! dlce Of ine farm i made l. purchase lcssiea and
oher ihiGes follows that their vane is d;;:lin-
i.hed l".t III that proportion, and il You lessen
! tie vaue ui Inc productions Cf the iafm vcta
lessen tho value ot the labor on ihe .arm, and Q.
i course voG reduce Inc wages OF latunr 80 that
lie 'ax continues 70 descent through Tie con
sumner i llr iaho'er Is certainly as from the
labor nave c..de"cy 70 iind Ihrii relative va!ac,
il one ki i, Gas iafmiUs,l i Depressed, Ii viii
lepGe>s ali o!her kinds; 20 that al! duties diiusc
themselves over tie Whole community. This :
the solution q. h!r. McDuilic's .Dny bale theory,
winch would no Gonbi lie true il he consumer
paid The dutv. II i the explanation Of he iact
lhai orc ,siII produces The necessity for anc,her
he value ol labor ami capital in all kinds oi
business having certain relation 70 each DINER.
l! duty mares lic;n greater IN one than anoih-
Of, il blows that immedialely there Will ne d rush
in d II. ard IL value will be reduced to lis relative
position with tie o.hcr employment OF the caun-
irg. But q The favored business has enjoyed
high profits FOR q lime, is unable 10 live upon
III. average profits Of The cou.y, and 50 il cries
oc; again iot further protection.
Bu, il / he t!ur ;hat The pressure be di!uscd
over The whole productive powers OF line country.
may not the pressure lie essencd by compelling
the .o-e;gn prc,:ucsr Ia pay paFt ofthe duty =
~ increasing our bIrthens We Increase the bur-
ihens o! all the world besides, have no doubt.
Put II is dcne no more by duty than BY direct
taxation. All The productive powers OF the world,
conceive. are Interested in the reduction Of all
kids OF taxes.
/ II is said that we pay grca! Part of the tax
tina; Ehga nj lays upcE tobacco; for, say they, If
the du.y were removed, tobacco would rise. The
/ consumption. know the general impression IS
I hat IL. consumption would BE- greatly increased.
/ i;ut would IL Thai woali dererd upon aao.
5! her QUESTION whether The capaci; 10 purchase
woul lie Increased. Ii wou'd d; FIST view appear
80, il being admitted that Inc price wCuh! lie re.
duccd in England But it mus. ;. remembered
tina, i the duiy were taken III tobacco il mus,
uc laid upon other lhines, ard Of course ihey
must he iaiscd 50 that il Tue price Of tobacco
were reduced The price ri something else must be
enhanced JUS; IN The same nforur:o-; 50 that al
though The price Of tobacco might be cinlnished,
the plico of Otter things being enhanced there
wor!i be less left 10 purchase tobacco with, and
i, wo,..J make very ii;le difference 10 us whether
they cave three times Is ouch for tobacco as they
on n Or iai hui cne-tbirsi a ,nucn mpacy 10
/ purchase ,chaccc with.
4 II, tacn, duties Gi:fuse themselves over IT.
whole productive powers OF the country, and ii is
/ impossible ior us 10 relie"c ourselves from The
I bu,.hcn Il them, wha, are ihe great ccpSdcra-
I ions hat ought 10 influence Congress il LAYING
! HEN The taf.i iav ought 70 Ee 50 framed as
| - p1oducc inc greatest possible stability III 10,
i urice OF orr own manufactures, an! ntcfes. every
/ n7rt Of The community 10 keep down The eypen
/ ditures al the Government. Hlo" are these Oh
/ ,ecs 10 be attained? Let The law provide tina
| such a duty shall be laid upon al! The
/ articles that come in competition with oui
| own manufactures; as with a duty on al
other articles OF about hail wha. they wou'f
! lear, would be sufficient for the wants OF the
Government. Let the duties be 50 laid as 70 pro
| ducr the greatest confluence that the Government
desires do equal justice 10 all The different in
ieic,'s in the country and lei The law provide that
any cnanee hat may be maze in tie duties with
view 10 keep -. revenue and expenditures
| equal, shall he made IS :; charge in TIC duties
upon those articles that CO not come III compeiI-
/, ton with our own. bv this arrangement eve.y
| interest in the coun;ry would moi only be, BIZ.
Think themselves interested 10 necp down the e1-
| pendilures, and the alterations would not alieci
The relative value OF imported and manufactured
| goois
To he country in general il may be. said, that
/! il you lay duty upo1 any article, yUn enhance
| The price, that is, you render the production Of
| that article more difficult: and as there is Z ten
! teDcy il all Productions 10 eqnaiise themselves,
/ YOU enhance the difficulty Of producing every
! ming: which mav be an advantage 10 those who
pus ,sss things, buceuaialy won!d noi be 70 ;hcss
I vino had 10 procure them. !, would make capt
jal worth more. aid labor less.
To the manufactured II NAV Dc prseG, that Il
\ would enable him 10 know with certainty The al
yanlaee ne would have over he importer. and
! that would enable aim 10 estimate lie probable
va.uc oi any investment lie might make; whel,ds,
the niies are to lie constantly altered on ouI pro.
ucIon>, no man can make any investment win
any iesrec {. certainty; Tor, by the lime he ma !.
nave fairly gotten inip operation he Gc"trn.
uent may lake some len ur ic. n per cent OH
:. article H. produces, which would enah!e n
importer 10 unirrse ard ruin him. Stability,
81. admi:, is OF he ntnh.sl importance, and aslhe
revenue rms, - fsgilalc ~ change OF duties
~, some articles il wniid APPEAR 10 .e The par
-. -. Oh sl..ttlI
hose articles that al3 10, .nadc il 'hc connir?.
i may be urged npon the advocates OF low di'-
Ties. thai i i more important that ne duties should
bc g laid is 10 diminish ac power Of tn 60
: rernmcnt il increase rs expenditures, haa ;hey
Should be aii ACCORDING 10 arv par 'cdlar scale
. Il duties: ior il The Government Should have
.ny considerable portion Of The producing class
ac6e 10 il, nau5ai power o :aA, It VII! nut loas
ue a question on what SIM day he laid and z
what amount, Int upon what Gan dnty lie lad
.,od 10 what amount. MADISON.