Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-10-04
Ne per cent. oc sales made:


10 above jv,0rO l.i0"f per c..
For the working of the system at the above
rates | will cndcavor to show case o! every
""! rty'ct
i, It i. known thu, the city merchants rs above
rated are the importers, &C. OF foreign and oi''er -
Ts ;nbl.T Or ;aerchan, who usually supplies the
coru,ry trad. rate AS above and p1yS.... -
sd. The country merchant Of elias. o as An ayet"s"
which covers the class in number &C, ot cenii
try dealers well ~ The most numerous "'',''n'
) Involved, rays....'. '.'..''''''''''''''''''''
"mHS "'''"'' % ''N e,."............4! Il
But il the country merchan, goes GU, Of the state, to
buv Iii, stock say o. class ., rs above 'ic eV"'s 40
whic. he sells will be taxed, rs he VI
Balance In favor Q. buying on, Of the State 81 10
! Which, it appears to me, is mace To act as 4
! sort Of premium in favor ol lierchas's Mho
! now 20 to Northern markets for ther s'ipPieS;
and We NAV expect them toso there so long ~
we continue 10 prevent them rom trading VITA
our own merchants by tax q 10 per cent
on their purchases if they c.ltr to do SO.
This is the effect on the mercantile part OF
, the great interests Of the state. but VIII
now eudcavor to show how 1t affects the aeii'
Z culture, and what believe would prevent It's
/ destructive effects on all and vastly increase
: the c0n.D.yn.rtalM Of all our cnzcnS.
/ We will take Alexandria US the port OF M
snia, for instance. The counties (ot winch ii
would appe-r by geographical position, &c, rs
the outlet port for commerce. "hich CONNECT
with it hy statistical evidence, show about
I $500, 900 bushels Of breaGs;uits. which at !9c
per bushcl. (thc average difference between
New York and Alexandria prices.) WI! be
I $3.50, 600, and, according TO what believe TO
be statistical tables, corrected regularly ana
kept ior ten years past, that Is the difference
between Alexandria and New lork; cohSe'
| auentlr, loss 20 Alexandria OF that amount;
! for New York does not manufacture II, ana II
might equally as well be shipped outward i'o'n
Alexandria But this is not all, because, IN at
/ dtion to this $3.50, zoo, there will, nnaonotcd-
", he added al equal amount Tor l:anSactlhs
| the necessary business or the manufactures Oh
foreign imports from whence they may pc In
ported, for the balances have TO DC made by
exchanges caused b. the purchases OF our ncf-
chan.s who have subsidized 10 thi, system by
offering premium D! l-6 per cent, and winch
will make in ali n loss TO the producing classes
of the Commonwealth, who are resident III the
range Of the counties contiguous 10 .NIeNa''-
t.ria alone, rs before named, Of $4,000 The
effect, by statistical evidence, Oh Norfolk Inc
same rate II, before NAMED, on Alexandria, on
flcilillu!ri l!!c >d!lle, tA'SP' ''''s ~ ''' 49, -
feet OF tie trade IN coffee being exempt to some
degree by the direct importation as under
stand.
am afraid am making my letter too long;
but will endeayor to show what | thInE w!ti
reuedy the evils in q very great degree, Il not
wholly.
lst. lie. Tie tax on merchants be fixed al an
uniform rate. say so, Sl5 or $50; anu
one per cent on the amount o! sales. And, ~,
With the addition Of this part, that tie goods
shall pay tax but once in the State, and think,
then the premium will twrn in favor "i our
own merchants Direct trade will take the
place OF the levy that Is n"dc on very large
amount OF our produce. on nearly all our 'nanli-
features and on nearly all We buy, and which Is
hl;ely to continue so long as the present >ys'
TEN Of license tax is allowed 20 injnre TIE
ColSTRr
p S.-Tnc writer requests the views OF
anv Q! your numerous country friends on tins
subject as the fact he conceivc> too PLAN ana
the consequences too evil 10 pass unhscdgd:--
that our foreign commerce Is gradually OWN
ding to nothing; ii it is not i'll great part rom
the license law, then, what is the ca'isc: