The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-27
COMMUNICATIONS.


iarily the seals oil power IN this government do not
hesitate TO express my surprise and establishment the
late vote in the House OF Representatives, declaring
eXpedient to impose duty upon tea and coffee in order
to raise the means for carrying on the war with Mexico
In my humble belief IT implies, the part of those mem
beers who voted for that proposition disrs either of
the intelligence or the patriotism of the people 1t implies
either that the people do moi understand the nature of such
tax, and therefore will not submit TO or that under
standing its nature, they have sufficient regard for
the welfare and honor OF the country consent that
shall be lad. In both these views of the popular mind /
humby believe that the representatives of the people are
mistaken and TO convince me that | am right de-
sire no better testimony than daily exhibited in the
organs which never speak until they feel the hrobbng
OF the popular heart and therefore furnish the tues ex-
pressons OF the peoples will
But to the nam object OF my communication, which is
TO consider the principal objections TO the proposed duty
on tea and coffee What they' So far have been
able TO understand Them they resolve themselves into the
two following:
That tea and coffee are necessares of life and there
lore ought not 10 be taxed.
g. That duty on tea and coffee would fall mainly on
the people OF the free States while the people of the
slave States would be, to great extent exempted from
the burden OF such duty, inasnuch the slaves
sumo but very small quantities of those articles.
In regard to the first objection deny that it has any
foundation IN fact What are necessares of life They
those articles ciom acic ciciised man cannot reN
ernst.
The first and most important necessary of life, an aJ-
sofe necessary without which could not possibly
live, food This he must have vet there is not sin
gle article OF food which is not now taxed by tariff
benecent Providence, however, has defeated the pur
pose OF such an imposition, by crowning our land with
plenty ana abundance. We have no occasion to import
the great articles of human susenance, breastufs and
provisions We produces of all such articles vast guam
titles than consume, and enabled, from
own abundant resources, to feed the starving millions OF
other countries.
Next, clothing is an absolute necessary of life with
out which civilized man could not exist. Yet is this
exempt from taxation Not On the contrary, clothing,
and the materials OF which clothing is made are and
have under all our protective tariffs been subjects of the
highest and most iniqultous taxation There is not an
article OF clothing nor fabric out OF which clothing is
manufactured, worn by single human being in this
widely extended republic, which is not the subject OF
taxation Nay, il man to clothe himself in the skins
OF wild beasts, if he 10 import them from abroad,
he could not get them into the country without paying
a high duty upon them.
Again. is another absolute necessary of life What
cvzed or even savage man at this day. can get along
without iron. Without tie use of iron ciUizdt,on, ITS
progress acod to deud halt Yet il has been under
former tariffs burdened with the most duties,
and under the present tariff il is taxed thirty per cent
life, without which any stage of civilization,
could not well live II is only absolae necessary
for man, but also for dumb beasts Yet il was taxed,
under the tariff of 1912, eight cents per bushe which
was from lO6 to ITO per cent its first cost Under
the present tariff il is taxed 20 per cent
Many other articles might be named which are among
the Indispensable necessaries of life, but which taxed
under our present well former tariffs. Sugar an
moIasses articles which approach very to being
necessares OF life, yet they among the highly taxed
articles.
/ The articles have above enumerated are among the
absolute and indispensable necessares of life Now
tea and coffee necessaresi Cannot any human being,
civilized savage do without ether Are there not
articles in every country which could in of
sy, be substituted for BOTH 1t is professionally
ries of enot the necessaries They con tain
ishng properties If they have any positive qualities,
they are deeterous Their is the result of an art-
iicial habit, and not necessity of our nature
/ But have dwelt long enough on proposition, the
truth of which every patriotic woman in the country
will concede however much she may be attached to her
favore beverage OF tea or coffee.
In regard to the second objection must say that, in
my belief it is equally untenable strikes at the rhole
system Of raising revenues by imports, and therefore
those who object on that ground in order be
sstent should for the repeal of that SYSTEM and resort
TO the opposite system of direct taxation
tproceeds upon the ground that the slave consumes
but little, II any, tea and Coffee and, therefore, the slave
States would be exempt from the tax in proportion to the
number OF slaves which they. possessed Now, aclai
s,age at,e :" The long ha q articles tared " ta,9
made? Not one Does the slave consume much cot
ton cloth as the white laboring of the north He
does not Does he consume 50 much in value or guam
tty, of woollen goods Does he consume shoes, hats
clothing of any kind, sugarn fact anything in the same
quantities as the white man Certainly he does not
Therefore the conclusion is undenabe, that tie duty
ecey article area by tie tar6 falls an greater proportion
on The free than The Stare States.
This objection therefore, against duty on tea an 4
coffee must either fall to the ground, those who make
it, must repeal the whole tariff system and resort di
rect taxation. Yet, how many willing to do that?
How many abolonlsts are there in Congress, or in Mas
duties cotton cloths and woollen goods because the
burden Of those duties falls heavier upon the free than
the slave States
AS of taxation, believe the impost system
is more favorable to the south than the north. But in
another point of view is greatly more injurious to the
south than to the north The south raise those products
which form the bulk of our exchanges with foreign
countries and restrictions upon the free exchange OF
their articles for articles of foreign manufacture and
production reduce the prices at hone and cause I'M
aggregate loss to the producer II is in this point
of view that the tariff burden and grievance to the
south
But wish tovew the tea and coffee tax in another
aspect II is the cheapest mpost, too that can be ieried
upon the people,.
To explain there neither coffee reared in this
country They come in competition with no home man.
ufactures producers of tea and coffee who would be
protected by the duty Consequently, the whole amount
of the duty laid upon those articles mould go INTO me
treasury and nothing would go in the shape OF bounty
into the pockets of the home producer, in the case OF
duties on cotton and woolen goods, or on iron, sugar
or salt
The quantity Of tea imported into the country during
the commercial year Of lSi5 Qhe latest returns IN my
possession and retained for consumption, 1922
cent that amount would be 81 possess. The guam
tity of coffee imported and retained for consumption du
ring the year 81 1905, 1897 pounds, at cost oil
,057. duty OF % per cent. on that amount
would be 81 35o26i The aggregate amount OF revenue
on both articles would be $2,5js,022. This amount
consumers mould hare to pay in addition to the first cost
and the profits OF the importer and retailer.
But how would it be il the government should raise
that same amount cotton goods imported into the
country We will see In the first place, | start with
the proposition laid down by all sound political econo
featured in the ctuntry increased in proportion to the
duv That ia IN cav duty of twenty five per cent