Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-10-28

Eryorts. hmr"rts.
So Ti1rs Slll, l23,12i.
Comment upon these facts Is unnecessary
our business is with the remedy AND con
Sr.u,,S that there is 4 remedy within the Iimit'
Of the constitution, we appeal To You for u re.
dress OF grievances We point out Tie act OIL
ls5t,, sec. II. upon tic subject Of merchants
| licenses. IL Il measure which in lis practical
operations, is detrimental 10 our commercial
independence: 10y TIN, act, if an article Is
brought into Virginia from another State by
one Of our merchants, in 4 large quantity, and
is sold by him to the lobbcrS in such quantities
as they may need, and then sold by the jobbcr
to tine retailer, Of whom one Of your petition
crs buys it, and this i the usra! course which
merchandise takes. this article thus sold, pays
Mcge separate State taxes, whilst, If the re-
taller, WHO generally supplies the consumer,
will 20 into any other State and there procure
his supplies, and bring them into Virginia and
sell them to o.c Of your petitioners, II would
plr but 0ac State tax. The policy by which
| Virginia paws every retailer within her limits
a bonus Of from one 10 two State taxes TO abar-
don his owI State and those who are pursuing
4 lawful calling in il, 10 60 beyond her limits
60 find the supplies requisite and necessary FOR
Lis sales, dacs seem TO your petitioners to be
unwisc, and in,icicnSibic under any pretext or
fer any purpose, especially when this course
benefits Yankee ship owners and yankee mcr-
chauts in the y, ..iLern States, where there is Il
powerful party arlaycd in open hostility to a
description Of property III which Your petit
TONERS are largely interested.
That the cnac,rmcuts oi your honorable body,
when LottoInci upon correct principles upon
commercial subjects. are calculated tn produce
the most beneficial results, We state the follow
ing facts: IN the year l>5G An act was passed
by The Legislature. BY which Il merchant who
imported from abroad into our State and paid
duties at anv Custom House in Virginia upon
his importationS, obtained credit on his sales to
the amount Of the value Of the goods and the
duties thus paid. Ia 1870, the year prior to
the passage of this act. there was brought into
this State from abroad $3.50 bags Of coffee;
within four years. this SUN has arisen TO more
| than six times the importation in lS5j so that
for the year ending July !, 1859, the Custom
House returns at Richmond alone make the
numbc,. Of bags Of coffee imported directly
81. 6j3.
Your petitioners could cite many other facts,
and present many other considerations when,
in their Judgment might he quite as pertinent,
but we have stated that we desire 4 direct To-
reign intercourse with those who consume our
products, and we wish such goods as We CON
sumo to be bought rs directly from those who
produce them in our own waters. We wish
to see Virginia commercially independent. 1t
is our birth-right as citizens Of the State, and
We ask that all laws initiating against her
commercial independence, be repealed, and
such acts passed rs are prudent and conSttu,
tional for the pcriccting Of this result. And
having stated irnpcricc,ly our grievances, we
leave the subject in the hands of those who by
our laws and constitution compose the correct
tribunal.