St. Paul daily globe., 1889-03-12
LEVEL-HEADED LINDSAY.
A Unique Petition to Congress
Bearing on the Tariff.

A Unique Petition to Congress
Bearing on the Tariff.
The following unique petition orig
mated in the inventive brain of Alfred
Lindsay, of this city. He intended to
found it too late:
Petition to the Honorable Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States-Your petitioner showeth
that h is resident of East Orange,
Essex county, n. j.; that he is a native
born citizen of the United States; that
he was as private in the District Col
umbia volunteers in the service of the
United States; enlisted April 10, 1861,
and honorably discharged therefrOm;
that he is commercial traveller sell
ing merchandise imported into the
United States, upon which, he
is informed by speeches of the
members of the present congress of
the United States duty excessive to
the requirements of the government is
ties, he is SO informed, is laid upon him
to raise revenue for the use of the
United States, and further amount
is for the purpose of giving to his COM
petitors, being other citizens or deni-
zenS merely, some of whom did not
serve the United States government in
the army OF navy during the late re-
bellion, an advantage over him in the
conduct of their business; that he
believes his sales and conse-
quently profits are restricted by said
additional amount of duties so levied.
That he believes the additional amount
of duties SO levied in its action as ap-
piled to him is contrary to the letter
! and spirit of the constitution in that it,
first, creates and fosters a favored class
of citizens; second, it withdrawS from
him the protection of his government,
thus subverting the fundamental doc
trine that allegiance and protection are
| reciprocal duties and rights: third, it
takes from him his property without due
| process of law in that he has no appeal
to the judicial branch of the govern
ment as to the right of the legislative
branch to levy duties for purposes other
than to the use of the United States.
In that he may retain his present es-
teem and love for his government, and
to abate the evils and oppression above
| shown, he respectfully and earnestly
prays your honorable bodies to so
amend the present laws assessing du-
| ties on imports so as to show therein the
amount assessed for the purpose Of
raising revenues for the use of the
UIHCeQ OtaUeS, anu dlSGlncGiVely TO
show the amount or percentage therein
assessed to grant an advantage in busi-
ness to one class of citizens over
another. He questions your right to
levy on him any duties other
than are needed for the use of
the United States, and desires
to appeal to the judiciary as to the right
involved. Therefore, he prayS your
honorable bodies to SO amend the clauses
of the acts of congress levying import
duties on china, decorated and white, so
as to read as follows: First-For the
purpose of raising revenue for the use
| of the United States to a sum equal to
25 per cent of the value thereof. Second
And for the further purpose of pro-
tecting citizens gagged in the manu-
facture of such ware in the United
States an additional sum equal to % per
cent of the value thereof; and all acts
and parts of acts inconsistent herewith
are hereby repealed.
He belives the honor of his country is
involved in this question. and prays
your honorable bodies not to deprive
him OF the right of retaining his earn
ings not needed by his government.
And he will ever so pray.