The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-05-22
From the National Intelligencer, August, Isl,
THE REVENUE STANDARD

THE REVENUE STANDARD.
| We have seen II announced under the
hand Of MIR. Secretary Walker, tia! the
tafif must be reduced TO the revenue stan
daft, Bnu that his chief occupation, al pre-
sent, is with the details Of this measure. II
becomes important then, TO know what IS 10
be understood by the expression, "rertHue
stuHdard," which is about as definite as
hat Of ga jadiclous tdrB."
| The process OF reduction would imply
that the prescu, tariff produces too much
revenue but IT is difficult to believe that the
Secretary is much troubled on this score.
! The amount Of nett revenue from customs
for the year ending Both June, lS4l, was
twenty SIX millions one bundled and eighty
three thousand dollars. We are not ADV
sed wha, has been The precise amount for
the year which has Just expired, but as we
have the amount ~ the Treasury on the
LIST day Of July, lS45, something below that
on hand year ago, II IS eyiceni there
/ has been no excess Of revenue during tile
fiscal year which ended On that day WIh
/ the various contingencies connected With
the annexation Of Texas before US, il would
seem to be altogether premature to decide
that we shall have any excess Of revenue
Tor the year 10 come especially, whilst We
! have debt OF fifteen millions, 10 the OK.
tinclion e which any surplus may be APP
Piled. Il IS probable that twetty.s mil.
lioGs may be taken as the fair average rev.
enue to be derived from the present tatIti,
and /, would seem to be qul.e time enough
10 reduce i when We find ourselves troubled
wIih au actual excess,
1t Is true, certain set Of politicians de
nounced The tariff IN advance, Gs 100 high
to produce revenue, and propheslcd NOS.
emyhaucaily that Il must be reduced 10 or.
der to increase the revenue. W. do not
suppose, after our actual experience, that
this can be The meaning oil tile Secretary.
experiment would seem too hazardous,
or the head Of the Treasury 10 b. wiling
70 try IL. Every one knows THAI any Goa.
siderable increase Of our imports, would
produce a crisis IN the money market, by
causing an export oil specie For Tie last
SIX months, The exchanges have been cen
s,autly on the very verge Of the turning
point which would induce the shipment Of
specie, occasionally going hey uIdii so that
IA fact, the banks IN the Atlantic cIIos have
actually parted with tina, portion 0! theiS
specie winch may have been considered
somewhat supernIous. Any lurihtr export,
10 the extent Of few millions, would pro
dJce an immediate sensation. The proba-
e, IL tnstff.,pf tho
stimulus Of reduction Of duties IN any Of
the leading articles OF our consumption. We
give Mr. Secretary Walker credit for two
much sagaciiy, 10 be willing, voluntarily,
to invite money pressure, with lis accom-.
paying paralysis Of industry, and The even
tua poverty Of the exchequer,
What then can he Inean by the caballs
tic phrase, " reduction 10 The rereaue stand
ard ~ The tariff Of ls42, was emphau-
caIly revenue measure. Its immediate
Object was ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sufficient to
restore the means aud credit Of q bankrupt
Treasury. And admirably has il answered
us purpose, It undertook to DO this wl!a
discrimination IN favor OF the industry OF
The country, and It's friends THINK taal It has
accomplished tins object, also, most happily.
All must admit that, under rs operation, the
whole country has enjoyed the highest de-
gree Of prosperity. What, then, can be the
motive Tor change None can be imagined
bu, the acquisitions Of the Tell sptTlI Of par.
IL. 4 demonstration at least must be made,
IN order to satisfy the pledges made 10 the
South on this subject. MI. Secretary W al,
ker IS called on, as matter ot course, to
show up the delormIies OF this monster oil
tartl, which has been SO often denounced
from The stump, asu cunning device to make
the rich richer and the poor poorer. We
wish him JOY Of The task.
Fortunately, an analysis Of the operation
OF the tariff is not difficult. /. has, ~ tact,
been made by the late Secretary Blbb, ID
a document prepared aud published by Of
der of the Senate, on the Isl OF February,
Is45. (Sendte Doc. No. 100, 81 Session,
2Sth CuagreSS.) IL gives table OF every
urtcIe OF import during the year ending
3Oth June, lS4i, with The amount Of duty
acctulUg from II, with the actual rate OF
duty on each article, whether !aId ad vaIo'
rem or specifically.
As thus document is not very generally
Known, we propose Waklos some extracts
from 1t for the benefit OF the pubic. Its,
10 fact document of the greatest interest
IN reference to the Whole question. The
average rate on goods paying duty is 81.
"a per cent. The article paying the high.
est rate Of duty, imported IN any cousIdera.
bic quantity, is thai OF SPIRITS, the rate va.
ryIug on brandy, rum, aud GIN, from 1919
to l67 per cent, aud producing one million
one hundred aud twenty-five thousand dol
lars OF revenue, We shall be curious to
see what reduction shall be made on these,
the worry highest rates Of duty in the tariff,
IN order to bring them 10 The REVENUE
STANDARD, instead OF the MORAL STANDARD
under which they were established.
The most important article IN the whole
tariff, is that OF BROWN suGAR, which pays
a duty OF 66 per cent, producing four and
a half million dollars Of revenue, 10 which
may be added MoLAssEs, which adds up
- ,n,thnr ,,,,lI,n,, ,,,,h = ,l,,,,, l.,