The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-11-08
New YoRK, Oct. 30. 1858.

NEw YoRK Oct 20, 1853.
matter Of considerable public interest has lately
seioIe Inc New York cnstom-house authorities book
seller hete-Mr. Charlie, b Norton--bss attempted TO
pm within reach Il the American reading public the
English editions OF hooks. periodicals.
al low prices lower than same are furnished ut re-
l.ii ~ England. IBIS has been done, " attempted.
entirely IN accordance with the spirit and letter Of our
aIif laws. Some American dealers purchase small
quantities. hve en or twenty copies OF periodical works
in England, paying certain price. MIR. Norton buys
100. 500 or 1000 copies, and gets them at the whoe-
sale pce, and by the words oil the tariff act. entitled
10 import them BY paying duty of 40 rer cent" on
SHE Wholesale price in the country where they pro-
duced" He exhibits as his evidence of the cost and
vnlue OF such articles the bills OF publishing houes of
the character and standing OF Longman Il CO., accom-
panied by the affidavit OF member OF the firm, certified
10 by the American consul in London, and statement
that the books and publications furnished will be sold at
"whoesale," IN like quantities, TO any and all who
choose to buy. But Mr.. Norton, exhibiting his bills
and afidavs, is told that other houses in New York
have imported the works at higher prices. and he
cannot have has books without treasury order 10 that
etfrc unless he pays duty according 10 the cost price
as shown by other parties, who buy one or i've or
te.. copies nj time A singular Interpretation of
The rpri, and letter OF our tariff law certainly
There il undoubtedly some mic AXE or misnlefpreta
ton OF the,case, must thnk Tor Mr. Collector Bon
must know that the tariff act means, il says, that
goods are 70 pay an aa vaiorem duty on the wholesale
maket value In the country where these articles are
Produced whence they are imported" The particular
profits OF Mr.. Charles Norton is not the question OF
interest. neither will il be decided by the clamor OF few
small dealers OF periodicals who deal IN single copies.
AS the decision has not been hna bul the duties having
been paid under protest TO await the decision Of Mr. Sec
reary Guthrie cannot be doubled that hs decision will
be in accordance with the facts as shown IN the bills al
hdavts, and manifest. Messrs Leonard. Scott, Il Co.
reprint Blsckwoods Magazine and The tariff act says pc
riodIca publications that reprinted, in of
republication in this country shall bear duty OF twenty
per cent while those not reprinted shall pay per
The tah act. though does not say, because firm
OF publishers in America is Teprlntng work. that they
the collector OF the port shall prohibit It's importation
from abroad cause higher valuation To be put
the article Than bills. atdavts and otrs Of sale at sim
lar prizes will show. Neither does tie retail price, or
price for few copies, show that the purchaser by the
quantity is not entitled to the invoice at the " wholesale
pr.es" a. fairly, houorably and concusyey shown by
affidavit and consu's certificate.
The whole question lies in a nut shell. 1t is simply
this Shall BOOKSELLER in strict accordance with the let
wholesale price," and import them by paying The ad yao
duty such wholsesae price," amt thereby give
cheap reading shailhe clamo OF few petty deal
es and publishers OF foreign works nysly the whole
subject 10 The collector Secretary Of the Treasury
10 put unfair value on the arces and thus greatly
enhance the price. cripple the Efforts OF an honorable
dealer and thereby increase the COST and shut out many
foreign publications from our reading community These
remarks are not reflection on the Official acts OF Mr.
Collector Bronson Tor The whole lies, understand. right
where the late collector left il, The duties having been
pad Tor several months under protest, and now wait
ing the action of Mr. Guthrie the Secretary OF the Treas
ury, sn
OF MIR Norton a bookseller, except as an hon0r-
able dealer. like TO see him rewarded according 10 his
enterprise, and like 10 see him and others have fair
play Far beyond this is the question OF chpap dear
books TO country like that boasts OF its cheap pub
lcaons and literary privileges, and The natural sequence
reading and intelligent population Had Il been he IN
tention OF the trainers OF tah act 10 prohio the Inn
poralion Of foreign books periodicals. TO lay
restrictive duty on ihose that were reprinted here they
would have expressed il. But such insane policy
guides the action OF our legislators | take Scott &
Co.. reprint OF Biackwood's Magazin and Lells "Liv
ing Aee"-tbe last work intrlnscay at least ten times
the in price OF il invested in English periodicals and
news spapers and am well pleased with both OF these
publications but it wish 10 laugh over Punch, or
revel in "Frazer' or Bentley wish to be able to
tariff, and they be furnished by enieprsng book
seller. My remarks not Intended any dctation
TO government officer. but feel public interest in the
subject and when the question before Mr. Guthrie
have doubt about what his decision will be- ii is
simply question OF the whoe.aie" feai" value OF
article IN foreign market #N ..se1
Yours, CADMUS.