The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-12-05
THE DAILY DISPATCH


ILL., JAIL L DlS1A CH
Friday Mornins. December s, 1856.
~-'->--~~~->-~~->
Report Of the Secretary of the Treasury
Owing TO the telegraph line between this city
and Washington being down, Wednesday. the col.
lector OF this port could not be notified of the raad
ing OF the report of the Secretary of the Treasury
and, could not therefore, deliver 1t to the nress
hece The Document came to hand Yesterday
afternoon, filling 46 octave pages.
After giving in detail the receipts of the Trea
sury for the past fiscal year. and the expenditures
for the same period, ths totals of which appeared
IN the Presidents message the Secretary proceed,
to show that on the Both of June next there will
be an estimated balance In the Treasury Of 500
345, ,222 81.
The estimate receipts into the Treasury for ,ba
fiscal year ending Both of June 1858 are estimated
al ei29o3,3l0 81, making with the balance nr
hand, tie sum Of S95, 300, 533 3S, while the exnen.
ditures are estimated at s7l ,3O4. .s22 &c.
be report next proceeds to a minute exnos;t;o - ~
of tbs national debt, and shows, as was stated
yesterday, that during the present administrator
IL has been reduced from S1l S79 937 to the a I'M
of $50 963 800, which amount could be paid at once
IT 1t was due 10 making this reduction the sum of
OFT has been paid for the principal thereof
aud 81 ,6o9, ,os2, for premium on portions of it re-
deemed before maturity, saving the sum of S1l .
6c6 AL by paying In advance
The actual receipts from customs into the tres
sury for the hrst quarter of the fiscal year 1857
viz: the quarter ending the 30tl of September
1880, have been S2l ,925, ,43l 36 being g. l5O on
23 more than the corresponding quarter of the
preceding year. The same causes that operated
10 increase the revenue from customs during the
last year may be expected to influence in the
same way the receipts of the succeeding three
quarters but, probably not to the same extent.
For the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1856, the
domestic and foreign merchandise exported
amounted to S}26 96i 9lS, and our imports for the
same time. to S3I4 639 942, making the exports
sl2 30, Coo in excess of the imports
The report then proceeds to urge reduction of
the tariff. We quote:
"The continued increase Of our population and
of imports and exports, with that of our aericutu
raj, manufacturing and mining wealth and our
facilities for internal and external commerce as
exhibited by the combined tables of this report
encourage me, again, TO recommend modification
OF the tariff of 1896 and a reduction of the reye
nue. from customs 1t is assumed as q fact beyond
question, that tariff on imports is tax and that
the tax is paid by the consumer of the imports and
that it is undeniable that no tax should be imposed
or continued, not required for an economical ad-
minstraiion of the government, allowing for the
fulfillment of all its dates present and prospec
tive and that the collection of a greater revenue
is wrong against the people, who pay the tax
aad imparts to the agen who administer the gov
ernment tendency to undue power, waste and
extravaganza
Many believe that the S6,000OOO or s1,oO0O00
annually expended out Of the nationa Treasury for
carrying the mails and for printing books &c
has been caused by a redundant and overfowns
treasury, and that the cause has operated
to increase our expenditures upon other objects,
ard upon some not called for by the present or
future exigency of the government nor by the
justice of the claims provided for; whilst but few
if any, believe there is any necessity for eontiEu.
ing TO increase our expenditures with the contin
ued increase of our revenue. The tables of i'm.
ports and exports for the last ten years exhibit
constant and continued although not an annual
increase of our imports and our exports, and
consequently, of our revenue from customs. We
should consider the same causes that have opera
ted to produce this increase for the past years
will operate to continue it in future years, and
place still larger sums i'll the national treasury
The productions OF our planting and provision
States, well as mining and manufacturing
States, continue and will continue to increase
with the increased and increasing foreign and
domestic demand; commerce being the exchange
of the productions of one country or nation for
the productions Of another, whether made indi-
rectly by sale and purchase for money, or direct
ly by barter the conclusion is irresistible, that
both our domestic and foreign commerce have
generally been of equivalents, and profitable to
all parties; and as they have increased they
will, under the same circumstances, continue to
increase and justify modification of the tariff
and reduction Of the revenue from customs.
In the modification | have heretofore suggested
the propriety of increasing cur free list by admitting
the material used in our manufactures to fee
entry and thereby giving to the capital and labor OF
people equal competition 10 the capital and 10 Dor
Of thoss countries which have for tha benefit of their
ma aufsctures, admitted the material without
duty and have recommended the articles to be
admitted free that are admitted free by Great Bfi
tain This would reduce the revenue between ST..
000, ,o06 and 81 Coo COO | have also suggested that
sone articles of general consumption such salt,
should be sdded to the free list and the tariff some
ether rorts, should be reduced some = 0t00 eco or
} a ayrrr n Oynr
reduce he revenue to about $50, )OO0 from Gus
toms, which. with the receipts fom public lands is
deemed all sufficient or tho necessary requr .ments
of tbs government; the average expenditures OF the
last five yeas, excluding the public Gebt and the
$40 600 90 paid under the treaty with Mexico, hay
ing but little exceeded 48 00 00 If in futui years
there should be ipCre eased demands on the govern
mt nt the revenue from customs may be expect ed to
i-cresse 70 Gs to meet them, without the imposition
of additional dutes hut if not, the proptiety of fax
atOn wall then be fer the consideration of the consti
tuted authorities
Instead OF dfcation of the tariff and the re-
duction OF the revenue from customs, many persons
suggest that should repeal all tariffs establish
the free trade with foregn nations that exists
between the States Of the Union particularly those
who deem the revenue row raised from imports un-
justly levied and extrsvagsntly and wsstefuIly ex-
perded They urge that the only remedy applicable
TO existing evils Is the experiment Of free trade with
foreign nations and dl eot taxation people.
have considered that fore nations prepared
for the game free trade we enjoy with zach other,
and that we cannot have reciprocal free ade without
their oonsent and that until they agree admit
produ :tiGns Free would be expedent to admit
theils free and allow them TO tax labor when we
DO not TAX theirs in return have considered that
free trade if expedent, should be approached grad
ualiy and parf TdsSa with the advance to that end
by foreign nations and that the modification and
duclion Of the revenue, as proposed, would be e
movement in the right direction, which might be fol-
lowed when experience and the condition OF our
merce with other should justify it, and have
contemplate the time when the productions of each
state in exchange fos the productions of the Others
would constitute abundant supply fer most of our
han her
them and make resort to other modes OF raising
revenue question of necessity; but that fer tnsny
wears to come, eur national treasury would bs sup
ulied frsm tariff on imports, and that in the modt
caait aud reduction caReG for, Wa should make
It ss equal and just possible TO our own people,
aut take away the discrimination now existing
asainst u.s. principally arising out of the egiaaiion
of ether countries in contraventon OF the industry
Of our people.
Here the report gives the responses 10 various
resolutions of Congress calling for information on
the tariff and kindred subjects. Then follows
variety of statistics in relation 10 the production
and importation of wool
The duty or wool wss imposed to promote it's ia-
PRODUCTION the United ststcs and was expected to
enhance the price 1t has failed to secure the oblec