Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-12-06

ancc can therefore be placed on that hitherto fruit
full source of revenue.
Aside from the permanent annual expenditures,
which have necessarily largely increased. portion
of the public debt amounting to eignt mion seven
tyfve Thousand nine hundred and eighty-six dollars
and ftv-nne cents (S8075, 926 59) must be provi-
dcd for within the next two fiscal years It is most
desirable that these accruing demands should be met
without resorting to new loans.
All experience has demonstrated the wisdom and
policy of raising large portion of revenue for the
support of Government from duties on goods import
ed The power to lay these duties is unquestlonable
and its chief object of is to replenish the
treasury. But if in doing this an incidental aoVan
tage may be gained by encourag ing the industry OF
our own citizens it is duty to avail ourselves Ut
that advantage.
A dutv laid upon an article which cannot be pro-
duced in this country-such rs tea or coffee
to the cost of the article, and is chiefly or wholly
paid BY the consumer But duty laid upon an ar
ticle which may be produced here, stimulates the
skill and industry of our own country to produce the
same article, which is brought into the market IN
competition with the foreign article, and the import
er is thus compelled to reduce his price to that OF
which the domestic article be sold thereby throw
ing part of the duty upon the producer OF the for
egn article. The continuance OF this process creates
the skill and invites the capital which finally enable
us 10 produce the article much cheaper than 1t could
have been procured from abroad thereby benefting
both the producer and the consumer at home. The
of this is that the artisan and the agr
culturst brought together, each affords ready
market for the produce of the other the whole coun-
trv becomes prosperous: and the ability to produce
every necessary of life renders independent IN war
as we'll as in peace.
A high tariff can never be permanent. 1t will
cause dissatisfaction and will be changed 1t excludes
competition and thereby invites the Investment OF
capital in manufactures to such excess that when
changed it brings distress, bankruptcy, and ruln
upon all who have been msled by its faithless pro-
lection. What the manufacturer wants is unifOrmi
ty and permanency, that he may feel confidence
that he is not to be ruined by sudden changes. But
to make a tariff uniform and permanent, it is not
y necessary that the law should not be altered but
that the duty should not fuctuate To effect this
all duties should be specific wherever the nature of
the article is such to admit of it. AID valorem du-
ties fuctuae with the price, and offer strong tempta-
tions to fraud and perjury. Specific duties, on the
contrary are equal and uniform in all ports, and at
all times, and offer strong inducement to the i'm
porter to bring the best article as he paws no more
duty upon that than upon of inferior quality.
therefore strongly recommend a modification Of the
present tariff which has Frustrated some of our most
cic duties be imposed sufficient to raise the requisite
revenue, making such discrimination in favor of the
industrial pursuits of own country to encour-
age home production without excluding foreign COM
petition 1t is also important that an unfortunate
provision in the present tariff, which imposes much
higher duty upon the material that enters into
our manufactures than upon the manufactured arti-
Gle. should be remedied.
The papers accompanying the report OF the Secre-
tary of the Treasury will disclose frauds attempted
upon the revenue in variety and amount so great as
Justify the conclusion that it is impossible, under
any system of ad vaorem duties levied upon the for
egn cost value of the article, to honest
observance and an effcctual administration of the
laws The fraudulent devices to eyade the law which
have been detected by the GLANCE of the appraisers
leave room to doubt that similar impositions moi
discovered, to large amount have been successfully
pracsed since the enactment of the law in force
h0C alr hoH nj in
fuence upon those engaged in foreign commerce. +
has tendency to drive the honest trader from TIT
business of importing and to throw that importan
branch of employment into the hands OF unscrupu
lous and dishonest men, who alike regardless o
law and the obligations of an oath. By these means
the plain intentions of Congress. expressed in thu
law, daily defeated. Every motive of policy
duty, therefore, mpel me to ask the earnest atten
ton of Congress to this subject If Congress SHOULD
deem it unwise to attempt any important changes il
the system of levying duties at this session, it viii
become indispensable to the protection of the reye
nue. that such remedies as in the Judgment of Con
gress may mitigate the evils complained Of should
be at once applied.
AS before stated specific duties would in my opin
ion, afford the most perfect remedy for this evil but
II you should not concur in this view then, prac
teal remedy beg leave respectfully to recommend
that instead of taking the invoice of the article a
broad as means of determining its value here, TIL
correctness of which invoice it is in many i'm
posi- BILE to verify the law be changed to require
HOiie NaIuaGlOn or APPRAISAL TO De regulated III SuC
manner to give, far practicable, uniformly
in the several ports.
There being no mint in California am Informed
that the aborers in the mines compelled to dis
pose of their gold dust at large discount. This ap
pears to me to be heavy and uni ust tax upon tn
labor of those employed in extracting this preciou
metal and doubt not you will be disposed at tn
earliest period possible, to relieve them from it b.
: the establishment of mint In the mean time, a
an assayer's Office is established there | would re
spectfuy submit for your consideration the propre
ty of authorizing gold bullion which has been assay
ed and stamped, to be received in payment of Gov
eminent dues. cannot conceive that the treasur,
would suffer any loss by such provision, which vii
i at raise bullion to its par value, and thereof
y save GfI am rightly informed) many millions o
dollars to the laborers which paid in broker
age to convert this precious metal into availabl
funds This discount upon their hard earnings is
lie heavy tax: and ever effort should be made by tn
~ Government to relieve them from great burden
~ More than three-fourths Of our population en-
. gagged in the cultivation of the soil The Commercial
~ manufacturing, and navi eating interests ALL to
! great extent dependent the agricultural. 1t Il
therefore, the most important in terest of the nator
and has just claim to the fostering of the gov
" ernment, far they be extended consistent
II with the provisions of the Constitution. AS this
" not be done by the ordinary modes Of legislation
respectfully recommend the establishment of an AZ
= ricultural Bureau, to be charged with the duty
10 giving to this leading branch of American industr
'e the encouragement which it so we'll deserves. /
~ view of the immense mineral resources of cour
try, provision should also be made for the employ
~ ment of competent mineralogist and chemis
- who should be required under the direction of tn
: head of the bureau to collect specimens of the VAR
- Gus minerals of our country, and to ascertain, b
:; careful analysis their respective elements and pre-
49, perties and their adaptation to useful purposes II
dalS no trad TO md