The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1862-01-28

expenses OF this compulsory process Of collection
may be advanced after few years OF warfare.
Tse Nswspapcr TuS.
soms Of our oo,em porariea, who are ordinau.
" cool headed enough are getting really ffigh-
toned about CoLTANs nsvspsper tax bill and
spin out dolefu columns N prove its injustice.
We should as soon think Of entering into proof
that thore is a sun in the heavens, or . Son
new,psper. Tho excess Of absurdity which
forms tho Leading featuro OF the plan for
stamp. tan ~ the new-papor, IL its'lf the best
defence against IL. We arc not sure but the
very beet thing which could happen would be
the enactment Of Just such law. The rosc-
ton from Il would 10 Inevitable, and so great
a. to sweep down that lit,ls barrier now OK
its 10 the spread Of knowle1go. Then our
people would moro nearly place a right esti-
mAts on the true value Of tho press than Il is
possible for them now 10 do. But wo a'o TO
have no such Law. There may be little enough
wisdom in Congre's but noitt or is thero fool
ishness enough to enact it.
The Baltimore SuS which discusses thsin
jutticc point very ably, says:-
The newspaper stamp tx iT England Wa based
tie use ~ tie Newspaper, AMI such must chTsc-
teritci Ike policy here. But the ininstire, the ia
oPmy " su'h = policy - m1nAtrnu7 hui-oeht
tx uIrIt a uuc-ccut ur w.. cut p,per-tlke t4e
avurpgc Il third tni We have "a mi ty-three Il
Al third per cent tai supp 80 II we've proposed u
put Ia upon the tunsPprt,ti N vi An article OF
m'rchN iite-f rths stamp tax - but substitute
Tor Tie transportation tax At rate 81 thirty three
TeT ctLt. ai v,lIr'W how would IL be tc'eivtdl
Let ~ im1Rine = tS ~ tSp dollars upon every
barrel Of hYur worth Elk dollars brought trptn
west,rn city L. eastern port! tnirty.thrcc per
cent. upon Ill mcrD haniise pu'rhtFd In New TX
and brought e. baltimore. upon every pair Of hsts
every Int aud every sut u! CpthrH sent W IL" int
uuGtotIrrr h. Ia customer over = mai, route, ~
even within tho limits 81 any city OF the Nmln
This would bc tsXst'n Win VenE iuce' Yet
this "a what stamp thx would inii.N upon tne
rrc4,. 4 Willy tho Iras, A. .ut' It's prpIrctor'
are taxed equally with everybody else IN their pr
peity. Then Why tax the prrAS ut al other things
linus utpuit,lly auury 4 "a - W. can cv"rriHs
reason and common sense IA tue premises the
question must remain uhsI '~efed.
Report ofihc s.unic Naval Comuii'tc"
This Committee have mIio report to tho
senate, upon the reply lately made by Socre
tary WrLIrS and GEoRUK ID. MoRdAS IN 70.
| ference 10 tho purchase Of ves els by ths lattor
for tho Navy Department. The Committee
commence with tho avowal that irasmuch as
tho Secretary Of the Navy defends tho purchas.
c,, ard claims praise instead Of consure for full
| fllront e public du'y, it WAS equally his
duty to have incorporated the same systcm Of
puichases for other supple, Of tho u pirtmen,i
the Splirtry cf the secretary ths' tho payment
Of commits. ns not having been direct y m'i'
by tho g. ,vernmun'. the burden Of them h'C
been borne by tho a. Hers q 'h1 vessels, in5.ead
Of by the Depart ment, Is then plainly shown tC
| b, futile, ard commission being allowed up1r
the purchasing price, and the gain oil the SRen
being enhanced 10y the increase Of that price
, tho interests Of such agent are shoTn 70 b
a rcctlv in favor Of tho sellor, rather than tn
! cover m,Ut.
, Tho Committee state themselves in nowis
! shaken in this opinion by the ostsntatious p'
| rado Of the prices asked for the Yea ella, an
taCse paid ror do they attach much weight
%. ""'"'''","', o.c,J ,sTnrv-I. .MTCuELL al
% ooo oil Government fur Dis had been paid to s.
. mnc all 4 Son for the purchase of vessels.
~ 1 which iirm SAMUEL l. MIrCugLr. is the seni
J. Partner. Tho Committee are unable TO find
9 tho arrangement with Mr.. MORGAN tho ssn
}, ton Of the Chamber Of Commerce. nor that
i any other mercantile community on the face
o the earth. To various gentlemen W, II yernod
Q 'imllar business pursuits, they have applied
know 1t, within their experience, such an nj
, rargement would have been considered A lie iii
, mate business transaction, and have uniforml
? received a negative reply, and, among other.
the President Of the Chamber of Commerce. wi,
! no better result One OF the Vice president
Ct the Chamber Ohe President being abser
, from the city, had communicated reply. Stain
that in cases whore no agreement had bee
made, the commissions for the sale of yes,,l
had been recommended at 2ii per cent, bu
adding, " In the sale Of vessels brokers are fire.
, qnently employed, and in such cases broker
age is generally agreed upon between the mar
, | ties."
! The ordlnrry commission paid in New Yor
T upon large purchase does not exceed one hal
, oil that received by Mr.. MORGAN, and in cas-
OF purchases 80 extended a. those made by LII
/ Navy Department, the rate should not have az
ceeded one quarter OF one per cent, and a,
part of the time that this immense sum of $40
900 was paid TO Mr.. MORGAN for these trihin,
services, several OF the most prominent, patri
otic and public spirited citizens Of New York. O.
great experiences and high reputation, had or
gsniztd themselves into Union Defence Com
miitee, and for days and weeks, if not fo
months they devoted their time and talents I,
supply ing the wants and nesessoesties If TN,
: government, without ever having received al
asked srgle dollar for their services; are
their can be no doubt that there are and bay,
been numbers Of patriotic merchants in New
York, emincntly qualified for the duty. VII,
would have cheeIiully performed this work. fol
the government without any charge whatever
The committee repudiate entirely the idea
that commissions on sales, or purchases, or dis
bursemehts, con'titutea proper mode of com.
pcpsatinR an officer or agent OF the Go,ernment
Tor services, and quote the opinions Of Lord
sto"tLIr in Admiralty Reports which entire
ly di'olaim such practice.
1t is said to lie necessary not Only that JUS.
tice should be done, but that the public should
be satisfied that it is dorc and in this view
the committee regret that in the city Of New
York man could not have been fourd to trans
act this business for the Navy Department out