Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1847-01-27
The Tea and Gnffee duty.

Z The resolution adopted the other day BY
the House Of Representatives, TO the eff
lectthat it is inexpedient to lay duty on
conclusive as to the fate of that measure
in Congress. 1t certainly indicates that
the House is not yet ready 10 lay the duty;
that as at present advised, it Is disincliaed
to if; but-Il indicates, in our opinion, moth.
ing more. That disinclinatnpn will give
way 10 any reasonable argument in favor
of the necessity of such duty TO raise
revenue, or TO sustain the credit of the go.
vernnent. -
This may be fairly inferred, we think
from the explanation which Mr.. rhomp.
son, of Pennsylvania, gave Of his vote
the next morning HeShad voted, he said.
for the resolution. bat he was still willing
to vote for the duty, ii il could be made TO
appear that u. was important 10 the credit
OF the government that it should be laid
1t would be paying bad compliment; 10
the House to suppose that it does not
contain many members as reasonable as.
Mr.. Thompson. The same inference
may also be very fairly drawn from the
circumstances under which the resolution
was passed. IT. was passed without pre-
mediation, without consideration, without
discussion. 1t is one of those extempore
proceedings of delberative body which
SUCH a body never thinks it unbecoming
ITS dignity to relrace; one of those crude
and casual expressions of opinion concer.
ming question not yet examined, TO
which II does not consider itself hound by
ang pride Of consistency to adhere.
The argument against the duty on tea.
aud coffee, as we understand it, is that
these articles are not at all used bv The
slaves, who torn So large part of the
population ofth south, and therefore tina,
The duty on their Importation would be
paid Mostly by the people of The north
an9 west. There is mistake in the pre-.
misses here. Ii is not a fact that Tea and
coffee are not CONSUMED by the slave popu.
ia'Ion. The house slaves of the south use
them and waste them; The field slaves, al
though they do not receive them as a part
OF their daily allowance, procure them by
their casual earnings, Just as the nlen
amang them procure their tobacco, and
the women The rlbands and other finery
az which they haunt on Sundays.
This view Of The matter places the du.
ty on tea and coffee upon precisely the
same footing with the duty now levied on
"a long Iistsot other commodities-the du-
| ty on sugar ana moIasses--lhe duties on a
| vast variety of productions which form
The fool OF man, or It's condiments, on
thousand fabrics which are made into gar
ments, and thousand articles which min
lister TO the convenience and comfort OF
life. The field slaves OF the south have
their allowance o: food in the products OF
the plantation, and are clothed in the
coarsest and cheapest cettons and wolIens
II we are to regulate our tariff so as "a
exempt from taxation what they do MOI
consutne. we shall strike from the list o
duilable articles the greater part Of the
merchandise Imported. Books and sta.
t.onary must be admitted free for a stron.
I gerfeasen than. tea aud coffee for slav,
! never reads book nor drives QUILL
EFhe duty on silks must be taken off with
out delay; the duty on fereingn fruits. hot
4 dried and fresh, mist Be repeated lie
him who attaches any weight 10 The aro,,
taent thai a duty on lea and coffee .wo1l
lbear une1uallv On aL~ -.ha,d n. -,