Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-19

Gcucc hy Offering Inducements Tor the gradual wllhuIa"
al OF our merchants from the Northern markets. The
j-cct inevitable effect Of this Will, and can only
oe TO compel the country merchants OF Virginia and
North Carolina only continue but 10 enlarge their
dealings viii. Northern importing houses, aud thus EN-
btr-as and cripple the operations Of the wholesale mer
chants I'm the seaOoard cities. We see nothing but
evil in this sort Of legislation at airy time, but more es-
pecay &C the present when it il important TO take
advantage of the opportunity afforded by recent events
build up the trade OF the State upon an independent
basis The spirit requisite for such revolution Is man
igstug ilsefat all points in way 20 give the most Hat
trigr promises of eventual suc-ess-pObic opinion is
steadily sustaining the movements which nave been IN
augurated for the pishmeut OF the grand object
aud here m tue midst OF this favorable reaction comes
from the House of Delegates an enactment that, per-
ected would utterly crush the Efforts when are making
for practically carrying the new policy We doubt
whether under the circumstances, worse and more ex-
Jraordudry buudsr was ever committed Oy legislative
bOdv The extra tax OF when we peak Is IN ltseii
most oppressive burheu upon those ON whom us TO fall
There Is neither reason justice or wisdom ~ IT, Nothing
Is easier than 20 show it's injurious tendency upon the
commercial interest This has been done ably by the
Redmond WA and Dispatch, that there sno occasion
for our discussing the subject further. We hope most
sincerely thst the Senate viii promptly strike out from
tie Tax bin this odous provision and thus save the Com
ouWalh from che perucioUs consequences with which
&c IS pregnant We most earnestly invoke their nterpo-
saou I'm which is peculiarly entitled 10 their cor
receive supervision.
We substitute for any remarks OF our own upon the
subject the following forc5e article from the Richmond
Wmg 90 condemnation OF the policy which certain mem
beers of the Virginia Legislature seem disposed 10 adopt
relative 90 the Merchants sales We are not I'M
aware OF the difficulties that DE in the way of taxing the
nett profits In any given business conducted upon the
creI. system owing uucegtuty respecting the real
value of accounts that may be outstanding az the end OF
the year, which uncertainty battles TO some extent, the
sbitv of arriving 90 correct estimate Of profits
n a. yf-lHIL "a funrs
merchant doing an extensive credit business,
sa-y encounter heavy losses resulting from bad debts
But upou the principle now sought to be eugraed into
our legislative sv-cm Le must pay tax upon his losses
the same upon bis profits. Moreover as orr cotem-
u0-ary very Justly observes, the tax viii be unequal,
importers and 0b5ers must pay than retailers be-
cause their sales larger and their profits smaller;
which unjust discrimination is calculated 20 crush all et-
forts looking to direct trade and the building up OF
own seaport cities There another aspect Of the case,
s-0 which Indicates the inequality aud injustice OF the
principle 20 which ve have adyerted.
a many sections of the State owing to active compe-
lu or other causes the profits goods are less than
realized On ether sections; hence, those merchants
who sell 40 small profits would be taxed just as heavily
as those whose good fortune might be TO secure large
We conclude, therefore ha. the proposed tax is not
only too high uUt chat the principle upon which It lev
tel is gr0ag aud that tue basis OF taxation should not be
upon thc amount of business done but on the profits
-lereof, as nearly Us these can be computed.
From tic Cisr'0tssgils Aig0cate.
A more unreasonable tax was never imposed It's ei-
fee, will be Co break down a the large merchants in the
cities and 20 dgec, the retail buyers irom our own cities
.o New York and other Northern cities. Under this
lax "a wen suowu merchant. 30 Richmond, vii, have 10
pa. $4,000 FAX. W-l such q burden upon his shout
Iess what earthly chance has he or those Ike BIN 20
compete with thg merchants Of Baltimore philadelphia
as Nea York. Take % case il our own small town.
Ws,-r- Ner,sutlacs Gentry sell $4,000 annually on
which obey aiI have 90 pay a tax OF 500 The same
hing 1 Glergu, degrees viii be felt by every merchant
ir town or country Is 10 rights is IL equitable or even
GOOD uo.cv t1 make merchants pay these enormous
tlNesg And worse still; VIII not the et'c, OF the tax
bill DE 20 break down our oan merchants ana 20 build
MI those OF the neigbuOriug States. Richmond Nor
f5 and Petersburg DO large Wholesale aud retail bu-
,,e- with North Carous aud Eastern Tennessee. VIII
tbe merchants OF those States buy any longer IN our CT
ties when they know that the one per cent LAX has 70 be
added 20 the price Of the goods they buy Certainly
not B.. on the other hand our country merchants iy-
irr ON tue North Carolina line viii 90 70 R'.eish or
Wimiuetoa TO lay iu their supplies The proposed tax
sin produce disastrous revolution ia the commercial
ttus OF our State. How much longer they will be de-
pressed bv fool sl suicidal legislation Canno, cogiec-
rr. Two yeys VIII fully show the bitter results Of this
mos, a. JUST and impo.uc ace, OF legislation.
Fr01, ne N0-to.5 Herald
Tax the merchants, Lay it upon them, pile up
tbe agony The has always been tHe policy Of Virginia
u-t,-d % giving due encouragement 20 commerce, as
ma FI..
ror-. interest agriculture she has treated as ce-
graded drudge and imposed upon all the lUrthens II
could sustain short OF the ues exhaustion OF is power
20 bear them And now we see "a proposition brought
forward IN the Legislature 90 lay tax OF one per cen,.
on merchants sales makug no provision for the coAn-
.elcv t1ad deots) which with a large ca.s OF mer-
chants v-0 sen on commission would sweep OF nearly
sf OF their Income and 50 seriously infringe upon the
profits oil those who sell on their own account rs 90
drive them % other States where no such exOrbitant
and the loss 70 the State will be ten dollars Tor every one
she viii collect from the tax
From, the Wheeling Hts'ligsacer
The proposition 10 tax tie merchants OF this state one
m cent on the amount OF their sales caused feeling OF
tse .uation among the merchants here yesterday,
As is noted elsewhere in our paper IL vas the only tax
on e streets in the afternoon and everybody Was IN
Weighing aaus, the proposition IN the most oellgerent
terms We're iJ 70 pass 10 would amount 10 prohlOltO
ry tariff OIL commercial transactions IN this part Of the
co1ut-y-taal IS provided merchants would submit 10
b. which, Judging from che feeling expressed Yesterday
,.I.v woul not We opiue td1t the collecting OF the
--oi tax I'm Washington county, Pa, would be light
fob compared wish attempt " collect tax OF this sort
From He FreF-rfcky5,gg Herald
Tn, Din imposing taxes tor the support of the State
Government contains q provision which charges per
cen. on s safes OF merchants, and eNemps entirely all
goods Of direct Importation and all goods made IN Vn
guia
tons and In the course of few wears might possibly
work 10 the advantage OF the industrial pursuits OF the
80 ts b.. at this my 10 Is surely rIUgh with elements
detrimental che entire reliant service, without the
SLIGHTEST relieving feature !ar the purchasers them
selves are concerned 10 had better be entitled An
Act more eectuaIy 20 clog the wheels oil the mereau'
,i.s interests
From. Hs Baltimore Patriot.
L. further appears that this attempt has created quite
a sensation iu Richmond. And well it may, for this is
encouraging trade and commerce and inviting eNpan-
sion in navigation and importatOu,iin way, that no
other party would think OF adopting, except that party
who's. leaders motto, on one occasion, was ferl>h
credit, perish commerce. 10 Is nothing NsS than as
tonsbry % U.s. that such things happen day after
,y and bring no special wondsr-that they can be again
ana agail repeated and merchants,-men VINO export
he productions Of their country and import tnose
Of other h1d5-and still men, j0j5erS and wholesale
f.r'sry the rcrg men aimed a. and loaded with TINS
15o1, TAX sd continue be Of that pary-supp0rt ITS
/ principles and vote for is candidates.
ur. Hoore's Card.
We rc7ub.sh l.ou the Lexington Gazette a card from
the Hon SAMUEL McDovElL moons, Of Roekbrdse,
touching the presentation Of bis name in our late Con-
veYtioa as Presidential eecor for the Augusta district
We we're Of those who thought bis appointment as
scto- would under an the circumstances, be impohic
and i1aicious but never for moment did we entertain
he remoe,. hoaeht Of casting any reflection upon his
.iacaritv AID honor as man or upon his hdeh'y ana
devotion to the Wbig faith. On tue contrary, we were
fully aware that no gentleman in the Commonwealth
stands deservedly higher is more true and loyal to
Wing principles and Wbig measures. Nor IS there to
BEE found in the State more faithful and able advocate
those principles and those measures Never despair