Year: 1871

4


| Finance. Taxation and Trade.
| BALTIMORE, Sept. 29.-Thurston, o.
Pa, chairman, presented the report Of
| the committee on finance and taxation
The report, after alluding briefly to the
pFopriety of the action of this Conven
ton as q representative body of the peo.
pie recommending measures to Congress,
proposes that the Convention declare
l. That an early return to specie pay
nsent will promote the best interests OF
the nation.


2. That while the public debt is of the
highest obligation, and any evasion there
of dishonorable, yet the punctua pay
ment of the interest upon its debt, and of
such portion of the principal as serves to
show the good faith of the nation, is all
that is necessary to maintain the public
credit; therefore, we favor such pay
ment of the public debt as will not inter-
fere with the productive energy of the
nation, and IS will enable US, by the pro-
longation of final liquidation, to acquire
greater population, and shall burden
Its payments to develop the resources OF
nature.


8. Equality requires that taxation
should be equally and fairly levied and
collected, that the civil service should be
administered with rigid economy and
care; that the government should derive
its revenues chiefly from imports; that
direct taxes should only be resorted TO in
extreme cases, and the present income tax
should be at once abolished.


That it Is not to the interest of the
nation to levy any prohibitory duties; and
that every facility should be given to di-
rect importation of merchandise into the
inland cities and towns as productive of q
lessened cost to the consumer and the
saving of time and charge at the seaport;
and that duties and commissions on
packages and all other charges except on
the cost of commodities are of question
able utility.


That any taxation in addition TO import
duties that it may be necessary for the
flnaDcial necessities of the government to
levy upon the products of the country,
should he moderate in its character; and
that the tax upon all kinds of manufac-
tured tobacco should be uniform, and q
reduction of the present tax would be
advantageous to both the government and
the manufacturing interest, thereby in.
creasing revenue from that source. As
a reduction in the case of consumption;
and as excessive taxation leads to fraud,
that sll regulations respecting the tax on
whisky should be 30 arranged ss to surely
collect the tax without embarrassment to
that industry.


After an exciting debate upon the por-
tions of the report referring to the gov
ernment raising revenue from imports,
the return to specie payments, snd the
repeal of the income tax, the report as
presented by the committee was adopted.


Resolutions were adopted in favor of
the Winconsin and Fox River improve
meEt, and of a national superintedence of
the Erie canal. On the subject of the
Tennessee and Atlantic canal the commit
tee propose that a special committee be
appointed to petition Congress in case the
survey already authorized by Congress
shall prove favorable. On the Louisville
canal the committee recommend that Con-
gress be asked to accept the canal, and
make an appropriation for the Outstand-
ing bonds, and heresft collect only such
tolls as will keep the canal in order. On
the Albermarle snd Chesapeake canal the
committee recommend that Congress
make such appropriations as msy be neces-
sary for the improvement of the national
water courses in Virginia and North Car
olins, leading into this csnsl, as are found
practicable before a survey by the United
States. All the recommendations of the
committee were adopted.


The Cotton Tax.


The special order of the day, which
was the resolution offered by Mr.. Eng
lish, OF Arkansas, in reference to the cot
ton tax was taken up. The follow ing is
the resolution:


Resolved, that it is the opinion of this
Convention that the special tax imposed
on cotton by an act of Congress for the
years 1866 and 1867, was not equitable,
and was in conflict with the rules of tax
alton as prescribed by the Constitution OF
the United States, and that Congress- be
respectfully requested to provide for the
refunding of the same to the parties from
whom it was collected.


Mr. Topp of Tennessee, made long
argument against the Constitutionalty of
the tax. The Resolution was adopted
and the Convention took q recess.


Foreign Commerce.


On re-assembling Mr.. Kirkland, of New
York. Chairman of the Committe on
Foreign Commerce, submitted report
which was adopted. The report suggests
that it is the duty of the General Govern
ment to use all proper means to secure
the trade and commerce of Central aud
South America and Mexico; to this end
to subsldize lilies of ocean steamers and
send there additional commercial agen Is
and consuls and remove sll unnece sssry
distractions to commerce with all foreign
countrieS


The committee also call attention to the
customhouse service and suggest that
Congress revise the system and correct
existing abuses by drafting a new tariff
law.


The report of the committee on Ameri,
can shipbuilding and navigation reviews
briefly the present depressed and unsatis-
factory condition of ocean transportation
and traffic, and argues as the first condi-
ton of regaining our ocean commerce
that both ships and seamen be recruited
and restored. 1t alludes with confidence
to the forthcoming report of Secretary
Robson to Congress on the best measure
for the revival of our commercial marine,
and recommends Congress at its sp-
preaching session to mature and pass
comprehensive act for the protection of
merchant season. The report was
adopted, the committee continued and
authorized the present report 10 Congress


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