The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-12-11

which imposes much higher duty upon the
raw material that enters into our manuiac.
lures than upon the manufactured article,
should be modified. The papers accompany
ing the report OF the Secretary Of tho Treas.
ury will disclose frauds attempted upon the
revenue, 10 avariety and amount so grea,
as to justify the conclusion that il is impos.
sble under any system Of adtalorem duties,
levied upon foreign cost or value Of the ar
ticle, to secure On honest observance, and
sn effectual administration Of the laws.-
The fraudulent devices to evade the law
which have been detected by the vigilance
OF the appraisers, lcaveu no room to doubt
that similar impositions TO those discovered
to large amount, have been successfully
practiced since the enactment of the law,
now in force.
This state Of things has already had
prejudicial influence upon those engaged in
foreign commerce, because il has tenden-
cy to drive the hunest trader from the bust
ness Of importing and to throw that import
AMI branch Of employ ment into the hands Of
unscrupulous and dishonest men who are
alike regardless Of law and the obligations
Of an oath. BY these means the plain in
tentions Of Congress as expressed in the
law are daily Defeated. Every motive Of
policy and duty therefore impeI me to ask
the earnest attention Of Congress to this
subject. II Congress should deem it IN
wise to attempt any important changes in
the systetti Of duties at this session il will
become indispensable 10 the protection Of
the revenue that such remedies az in the
judgment Of Coneress may mitigate the
evils complained Of should at oncs DO ap-
piled. As before stated, specific du-
ties should, in my opinion, bs RENT dy for
this evil; bul If YOU do not concur in this
view then as partial remedy, beg leave
respectfully 10 fscommend that instead Of
taking the invoice of the article abroad az
means Of protecting its value here, the
correctness Of which invoice il is in many
instances impossible to ratify, let the law
be go chnnged az 10 require home valua.
ton or appraisal, 10 be regulated in such
manner as TO give as far as practicable uni
f"rmitv in the several parts.
There being no mint in California, ! am in
formed thar the laborers in the mines are com
count. This appears to me to be an unjust and
heavy tax upon the labor Of those employedin in ex-
tracing this precious metal, and doubt not you
will be dfPosed at the earliest period possible to
relieve them from it by the esta blshment Of
mint: In the meantime, rs an asssyer's office
is established there, would respectfully submit
to your consideration, the propriety Of auihoriz-
ing gold bullion which has been assayed and
stamped, to be received in payment of Govern
ment dues. cannot conceive that the treasury
would suffer any loss by such provision which
will ut once raise bullion to ifs par value, and
thereby save, if am rightly informed, many
millions 6f dollars 10 the laborers who are now
paid in brokerage, to convert this precious metal
into ava liable funds This discount upon their
hard earnings 10 heavy tax, and every effort
should be made by the Government to relieve
them from this burthen.
More than ,hree-fOurths Of our population are
engaged in the cultivation Of the soil. The COM
mercial, manufacturing and navigating interests
are all TO great extent, dependent upon the
agficultural; il Is therefore the most important
interest Of the nation, and has just claim to the
fostering care and protection Of the Government
so far as they can be extended consistently with
the provisions Of the Constitution. A. this can.
not be done by the ordinary modes Of flegislation,
respectfully recommend the establishment of
an agricultural bureau, to be charged with the
duty Of giving to this leading branch Of American
industry the encouragement which il 20 we'll
deserves. In view Of the immense mineral re-
sources of Dur country, provision should also be
made for the employment OF competent miner
alogist and chemist who should be required
under the directions Of the Bureau to collect spec
linens o! the various minerals Of our country, and
TO asceftain by careful analysis their respective
elements and their adaptation to useful purposes
He should also be required to examine and re-
port upon the qualities Of different soils, and the
Aknnsw IapA
tiveness, by publishing these experiments with
sui,sble explanations, and by the collection and
distribution Of seeds and plants; with Instructions
ss to the best system Of cultivation, much
may be done to promote this great nationas inter.
est.
In compliance with the act Of Congress, pass
ed on the 23d Of May; 1850, providingj among
superintendent was appointed, and all other
measures adopted that were deemed necessary
for the faithful performance of that duty. The
appropriation already made will, it 10 believed
be sufficient to defray the whole expense Of the
work but further legislation may be necessary
in regard to the compensation Of the Marshals
Of the Territories. It will also be proper to
make provision by law at an early day, for the
publication Of such abstracts Of the returns a.
the pubic interests may require.
The unprecedented growth Of our Territories
on the Pacific, in wealth, social and commercial
relations with the Atlantic States, seems to rem
der it the duty Of the Government to use oil its
Constitutional power to improve the means OF
intercourse with them. The importance ofopen-
ing line Of communication, the best and most
Of which the nature Of the country |
will admit between the Valley of the Mississippi
and the Pacific, was brought to your notice by
my predecessor in his annual message, and the
reasons which he presented in favor Of the meae-
ure still exist in foil force. lbeg leave to call yonr
attention to them and TO repeat the recommend
which exists in regard to the validity Of land
titles in Californis, is q subject which demands
your early consdeTation. Large bodies Of lands
in that State are cl lined under grants said to
have been made by the authority Of Spanish and
Mexican governments. Many Of these have not
been perfected, others have been revoked and
some are believed to be fraudulent; but until
they shall have been irdcialfy investigated,