Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-02-17
Revenue Measures.


We had no space TO accompany the Presidents last
Message TO Congress. which appeared In YESTERDAYS
per, with any rcmarksaud propose only to refer
briefly to his suggestion in relation the means OF mug
mening the revenue, in view of tho increasing demands
upon a treasury already exhausted.
The President insists upon the imposition OF duty on
tea and coffee, from which he expect. additional reve
nue OF two and half millions of dollars and he proposes
the graduation and reduction of the price Of such of the
pubic lands rs have been long in MARKET from which he
anticipates an Increased revenue Of about half mio
making aggregate OF about three millions OF add
uonal annual revenue, to meet annually increased cx
pendurc OF not less certainly than thirty forty mio ms
Every mind must be struck with the udcrous dis
proportion between the augmented expenditure and the
mtans relied upon by the President meet IT, Con chr
ring with him, as VIC do moot heartily. the CONNIE nda-
ton OF the sound policy, uniformly approved acted
upon BY the government and people of the United States
never TO resort 10 loans unless of great pu bic
emergency, and then only for the smallest amount hich
the public necessities will permit" constrained TO
regret that he has failed suggest the efficient me ans
1T not OF altogether ayeftng the necessity loans OF re-
ducng them TO the smallest possible amount" His riu
oipe il sound cne-but he rcpudiaes il in the very
act Of enunciatng it, Three millions of dollars certain
y large in itself considercd-bu it shnks into nm
Insignificant pitance when compared the necess ties
OF the government. What resource then, NAV be ask
cd If this be inadequate the emergency remains The
answer is obvious. Why, in modifying the existing ,arIaw
tha Congress conhne itself TO the free list
by Mr. Polk Why while adopting The SOUND MAY
OF Mr. Madison and OF the great statesmen who haped
aud moulded the early policy Of the government shall we
repudiaie the which they adopted us the only
means by winch they could give those maxns pract
cal Efficacy During the Of 1872 Mr.. Madison,s ad
mnisiTatOn, Of which that eminent fnaRc!er, Albert Gal
laIin member, did hesitate to recommend that
the duties imports should be doubled and the Repubi
can Congress TO which they appealed promptly eOneurIed
IN that recommendation We do not mean say that the
existing tariff should be subjected like process for on
many Of the articles are aware, such an incroas.
would amount to prohibition, and would therefore dimn-
ish the revenue. But IL is be dened-Sccrctary
Walker has himself admitted it, in his late special Report
that several Of the leading articles OF commerce the
existing duty beop the revcnue standard - and even
he consequently recommends consde. able increase upon
those articles. Who doubts that upon many others besides
the few enumerated by the Secretary of The Treasury
slight Of duty would result in an augmented rey.
of several millions And if this be even probable,
does that sound principle OF public policy referred to b.
MI Polk which looks to the avoidance OF national debt as
national calamity and which teaches the prop.ieiy there
fore of diminishing far practcabc during period of
when loans extent Indispensable
under the most efficient system the disparity be-
tween the annual expenditure and the annual income-we
ask does not that sound principle public policy demand
revision Of hs Dhols tariff. in order that the largest
possible amount OF revenue may be raised in manner
eas, bnrhensome the people, during the existence Of The
10 dey the accumulated expenses incurred in its pro-
secuuonl And yet the President contents himself with
Recommending TO Congress, great and bic
scheme, pressing financial emergency the -
doPion Of measures which, by his confession vii
yield oay the comparatively palry OF three millions
OF doars! He and his "ogaHs" complain OF Ut failure
OF Congress to adopt the necessary supply al ad
equae while, fetered by his eomultial t. faa
theory he himself lacks to urge upon thai
hndrf he O~r y MA Than,
at the me supply the Government with funds and
prevent the rapid accumulation Of a national debt, We
hope that Congress will continue reject the isolated pro
position to sy duty upon and coffee rs one wholly
inadequate 10 the emergency and in ridiculous contrast
with the extent Of us requirements.
The reason upon wbe the President relies 10 vim
deae his consistency urging duy upon te. and coffee
10 tine Of war to which he had himself evineed when
proposed by Mr.. Clay 1s4, such decided and upeon
promising aversion ep2es with equal force 10 every art
Gle embraced 10 the dauabe well the free list
The objections he says which heretofore existed IN
the imposition Of these duties applicable to st,e
Of peace, when they were Eeeatd;" uhough in fact
they WERE 10 pay Of the debts beqleathed by Mr. Van
Bufea to MS successor We now, however rcont-
the Pes dsnt engaged war; We need m ,nev
to prosecute H. aud 10 maintain tie public honor and cr
d;t lie ought then, recommend plan BY which the
dy b-en suggested aud urged with irresst BILE force nv
Senator Nile, supporter OF the Administrations who iruv
la
dut able schedules, well % the imposition OF dutv
upon tue res list, indispensable to SUNNY an
OF equal the Of In. treasu,
Adopt hrs plan, and sufficient number OF the W p men,
bsfs of Congress will unquesuOnabiy une with tn, nor
OF Administration party favor Of the r., and
c.ue tax, ensure the adoption Of that rec
Bat it be expected they will otherwise consent
to piulul expcdont To vast a demand: and
II the President himself is Infexby determined 10 abe,,
the Of duties p-eer bed by the act Of 1876 aad
thereby JeOpardzs the public honor and credit yyhie
he enbauassos aid eneebes his Adminstra ton the
responsibility and the consufe must rest upon himself n
sacrhc distraction the great and Vita IN
teress OF the country, which sworn duty 10 cher,sb
project aud defend.