Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-01-18

Of all the East India goods imported Into The United States
already brought here by the way Of Liverpool and London
And unless this judicial decision Is overued in the Coad
below US It's effect rcmeded by egaon here, the whole OF
those products will through that channel Great br
tain will have the monopoly Of the East India trades and her
ships win have the carrying d all East India goods Tor Anne
can consumption for the long voyage OF heen thousand
miles, while ships will have the short voyage Of
three thousand miles The Treasury, moreover, will be de-
pved OF large portion Of the duties, which would otherwfe
be assessed fair valuation OF those goods and our own
mao ufacures will lose small part even OF the mesgre
and inadequate protection which intended TO be secured
to them by she present tariff
With a view, Mr.. President of correcting of the
evils whca have kus mperfecty suggested, have pro-
posed in this BILL in the first place, the appointment Of three
Appraisers atae supernten< and equaze the valuation
and aptraement e imported merchandise throughout the
Union under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury
owe it TO Mr. Walker, the author OF the present tariff to
saw at this measure proposed originally by him, mme-
datey alter the tariff of 1876 went into operaon and
necessary part ef that system The recommendation will be
found in report of his o Representatives, dated
February 8, 1s47 This measure has also been recon-
mended by Mr. Meredith and by Mr.. Corwin, in their
na reports Of the last and the present year. believe 1t
would be of essential service both and to the
Treasury and would do much to prevent those inequalities
and frauds which great source OF vexaton and nus
ce the merchant and great source OF loss to the Gov.
eminent we'll constituted Board of Appraisers at large
would save the Treasury mes might better say hun
dred mes-he amouat Of any salary which You would be
likely TO gn them.
have proposed as second feature Of this BILL aprovson
that duties shall hereafter be assessed the value OF imported
goods here, the time of their arrival and entry. In other
words have introduced principle OF home valuation.
do not intend discuss that principle at any length
this occasion There those around me far more capable
Of doing Justice at the proper time. will only say two
things about il here and In the rst place, will
do away with the whole mischief Of fraudulent Invoices and
will strike the root Of that entire system OF imposition
which now notorousy practsed upon the Government by
un6crupulous foreign importers and agents Every body
this at glance In the second place, desire to re-
mind the Senate and the county, that home valuation is
neither altogether unred provision in our re-
venue system II cannot be forgotten that this principle was
part and most substantial part OF the Compromise act OF
1888. That act provided its final consumnatoD, for
uniform twenty per ad valorem duty home vaua
ton. And during the brief period which elapsed between
the final contamination Of that act and the passage OF the
tariff of ls42, the home valuation was successfully introduced
and executed. .a..M "
The tariff of 1912 abolished the home valuation, but gave
equivalent in specific and discriminating duties But the
tariff of ls46 destroyed the equivalent without restoring the
home valuation. | have hesitation in expressing the
opinion that the twenty per ad vaorem home vau
alton better for the Treasury better for trade and better for
the industry Of the country than the insufficient and equivo-
cal determinations of the tariff Of S46 foreign valua
tion have been very ardent advocate confess, OF
compromises, either in 1888 in 1885, but wisdom is
justified Of her children. And freely admit that should be
almost willing return to the law of 1885, was in
tended be finally carried by the distinguished Senator
from Kentucky, (Mr CLAY rather than adhere to our
present system it executed We have gone further
and Jared worse, or certainly no better.
will only add in conclusion, sir, that these measures,
something Of like effect are, in my Judgment impeatvey
demanded at this moment by the best interests not of
ton of class, but OF the whole Unon The
and navigation of the country demand them for the preser
vaon of its fair share in the carrying trade of the world
The labor of the country demands them safeguard aganst
unfair and dishonest foreign competition. The public
morality demands hem for the suppression Of those exhbi
tons of false invoices and false oahs which
houses frequently present And the Government
itself demands hem for the security and sucency of its
rightfu All these interests will demand,
think distant day, Of still decided and
efficient characters but these to be the very least which
they do with and earnestly hope that the Com
mee Of Finance to whom propose that the bill shall be
ierred, will give them prompt and favorable consideration
Mr.. WINTHROP concluded by asking leave TO introduce
the following bill: ..-&
BILL for the appointment of appraisers large and for
... other purposes.
Be it enacted By the Senate and House Of REPRESENTATIVES
efhe United States Of 4meica in Congress assembled, That
the President ofhe United States hereby authorized
point with the advice and of the Senate three a
prasers large whose duty it shall be visit the principal
ports in the United States from time time under the drec
on Of the Secretary Of the Treasury for the purpose Of u
improper valuations and of prescribing rules tor the
uniform Isa action on Of the local appraisers.
'as duties and shall
annual compensation of - dollars per annum to be
paid out any money in the Treasury not otherwise appro
priated. HIT
Sec 8. find be farther enacted That said appraisers
shall conform in all their proceedings such regulations as
may be prescribed by the Secretary the Treasury whose
duty it shall be to organize and employ them forthwith in
the best calculated prevent the further perpeaon
OF frauds upon the revenue and to full fair and uni
form collection of duties all the ports Of the Union
Sec 4. 4nd be further enacted That from and after the
- day Of - next all ad vaorem duties shall be as
sessed and levied the value the time of entry in the
principal markets in the United States of the goods wares
and merchandise to which such duties shall attach
Leave granted to introduce the BILL and was read
first time.
The question then being upon ordering it to a second
reading
Mr.. HUNTER. Mr.. President wish merely to respond
to some suggestions which have been thrown by the Sc
nato from Massachusetts, 1t is my purpose desire at
the time into the discussion of those prave
considerations in relation to the system of duties we now
haVe-he ad valorem system, and the system Of valuation
upon thetoregn price, These topics will up at another
n and when the subject shall be fairly and properly before
the Senate have doubt that the friends OF the tariff of
ls46 will be able to defend against the assaults which have
been or may be made against it. Not that pretend be-
eve that this other system that be devised per-
fect may be perhaps improved by amendments be-
leve that it can be maintained and shown that as system
of revenue has proved benecen and more
fruitful than the tariff of ls46. .....
With regard to the other question, which more Immediately
presses itself upon consideaton-seme change in the
system Of apprasals-I will say that in my opinion it is
matter which deserves the early and attentive
of the two houses of Congress Whether will turn out that
change of the law will be required that the existing
laws will be sufficient with changes in the mode of ad
minsering them, do not know but think probable we
might make the present system the present tariff work even
better and fairly than at present. by change re-
laon to this matter of apprasas II is question which