The Wilmington Gazette

              the wilmington gazette iree doljars per annum thursday m a y a 9 , 1800 publishe n weekly y all m and hat^l vol iv no 177 important report 1 saturday lait in the houie ot lit prefruiativcs of the v stares mr h ah per he the following report frem the cosboiittae of ways and meant on the fubjec't of farther revenue ; which was cons«it;ed re a com mittee of the whole houle he conssnittee of wa-.s and means having in a former report wherein ttiey rccemmeaded a loan of three millions and an half far the fervice of ihe prcfent year adverted to the propriety of providing permtnent revenue equal to the imereft of the debt to be iocurred aad to mt gradual and timely eitiuguinhment of che principal mow hrg leave to call ihe actenuon of the ho«fe a 1 gain to tbat iasportam fuhjei't ; on which they fubmit tue following report : the firft paint which pretented it elf tor the cunfidentioa of ttic eom i nitiee in examining this fubj<-ct was ! 1 the aiaount «<> which it would tie ( roper to eftabiilh additional reveoue this time this tnvft depend on hc prefeut and future increaflr of par man cut expenditure compared jvitli the probable aqiount of peroia iient revenue from exilttng taxes when concre in the year 179ft 4>as eoaipelled by the continued ag greffiotis of a or»ign power to com m nsenee aaive and extenfive prepara tions for defence by tea snd land the ordinary expenditure of the gn ternment ioclnding the intereft of ihe public debt the payment on ac fount of the principal and an ade quate allowance for occaliena grants pod incidental expenfet was tome thing lefs than feveu millions of hol lars no increafe of any continence • has been made in ths exp miiture i f\nr that time ; except what w.is oc calioncd by the intered f the dr.hr awliicli the meufures necellary for the defence if the country force con ! gr«fi to eontrart as this 4ebt a 1 i*ountt to five millions at ei^tt per j cent the increafe on that account is 400,000 dollar j tut r.ontinuation of thoh meahires . jfor loine ti.ne longer teavino render * led it iitcclury in tbe opinion of the : houfe to contract a further debt of three millions and a halt far the pre fenr year that neafure it nlttmaiely adopted and carried into effc«ft on the ame term with the former v»hi:h 1 may perhaps be found unavoidable will induce a further increafe of 280,000 dollars in the ordinary expert diture of tbe government ; making in the whole an incrcalc of 680,000 4»u j rs for the iittereft of new loam it is known that at tfce bs^ianinp f i ajexc year a lurther addition of about i 1,200,000 dollar mult b m-irlc to the j oidiiijry cxpendiim e tor the tnttreii j and extinguifhing annuity of the de ; ferreddebt ; and that in 1s02 the pay i ments on the foreign debt will be lar j per by one million than in the pre ' lent year in 1803 and 1804 thole > payments will be increafed to two mil lions beyond their prefent amount , but after that peri id they will gradn ; ally diminifh ; and in 1809 they will finally ceafe by the cxiinjjbiusuieru of the debt the eoaamitfee however thotifi they have thoapht it ufeiul to extend their view 10 t'hit more remoia in crcafe ol expcn<li'ure are nf opinion tbat it is nor neceflary for conpiels o make proviiinh now on that tubjecl no part ot this increaftc will ake plare till two years henre ; and before that period arrives congreft will imve a , rxttrr ricw of the political uuct fiiun cial fi oariun of ihe country thmati prefcnt and will be better nl>l tat u'lge refpccling the means ef rnrer : jug the eni|«eiicy but yet ntcer , lantty of this further iucrcafe proves tbe necrllity of providing as far as c^n ' be conveniently done for that which ha already taken place or mult con happen 1 fo that the burden way be ■ divided between difteicnt periods and j as little aspofliblc may be left to be done hereafter 1 neither do the committee think it ' neeeflary to make provifion during the prefent feffion for the deferred . debt tho political fie cation of the country it now far mere ancertain ' than in all probability it will be at the next meeting of coogreft should it change for the better 1 a there is reafon to hope the augmentation i oir to be made together viih in * er r e of revenut we may reofonably exprtfr from oar prefent fyttem m«y be fuflicieot with come fasall aitlt for defraying this additional expenee if on the contrary our fituation bntild remain the faaae till we hall have osore experience thaw we now poftcfs ) of the operatira of our prelcnt lyltem and of the effec't of the wai on our comwerce and oar revenue the pre paratory arrangenicacs moreover for ■ n amelioration and enlargement of our yit»w will then bt compleed or in ■ ci'ich more advanced itur than t pr.leut we flmll conlequ ntly be tl>en in a better fituation than w now are for judging whether a fur ther augmentation will be neceflary to whar extent it moft be carried and bow it may belt be made it i only lor tlia inter of ht loans of the prefcnt and hf year ' therefo-e and f«»r a lum equal to tin : reiinrnirfemfiit of the principal with in a eoh«eulciit time lhat the com , mittet wnuh prrtpofe to tn.tue provi | flon during i pre tent uilion ot cou grel's that imer?ft at rl<e hi^hed c-ilru i.iiion will amount to it it known than on extmguiflitnt an nuity or a finking fund equal to two percent on the principal of a debt will inteajily applied extinttulfii it | in about twenty tour y«irs thi i i ibe plan heretofore adopted by can f?rrf lor ihe ejuinjiuiihiiivnt uf the , • fix percent lock j and the committee i conceive iliatit m:«y lin.'e.y br n mured j to in all an-hmfcrmenik ' or • ' fimilar purpife « it appearing certain triarj while adequate provifmn in made for , he puik'tunf difcharge within fu j ftiort u f>eriqt of every new engage ■ mem theie can be but little reafon o , apprehend .: danperons or incojiveiii rni accumulation of dewt tail annuity of two per rent on the loans of the lalt and prefent yean admitting the utter ta be b;ed at 3,500,000 dollars will amount t<r 70,000 dollars and added to he a mourn oi inietelt will produce an g jrejjate expenditure ot';;o.ooa riof lars annually for 34 year a this annuity uow«»e r hy the terms of the former loan which are likely to be found neceifjry i the prefcnt alio cannot until the end of ten y«:ir be applied to the difcharge of this uni cnlar debt it moft be employed fliauld congrels think tit to ruile it in tun p ji ilufe of the public debr in general by way of a finking fa lid . the committee are of opinion titat every coufiileiatiou of found policy and the belt aitablithed principles of financial econoitty are in favwur d railing it at the period above referreo to rhe umener of 1 79 the novernihertc p;i(fen"e-d a revenue of fomerhing more than ei*ht million of dollars leriveh from the duties on imports and ion pag>t the tax on cioiuellic diltilud ff»iiit and hills on reiamers lieenfes on refined fu^ar ow carriages nnd on film at auction the potrajje of letters dividends of hank lt<»rk ixlouyin to the untied s:a and lotne other in coiifidcrable branches of revenue <^» the ordinary expenditure nt iti.tt liiwp was lefs than leven millions there was a balance ot a million hiki upwards in favour ol the ttralvy had the revenue continued equally productive in h fnwvqient ejr 1709 there would have bptn no need of further prnvifion at this time 1 fi"cr the above inentinne'1 bnlnnr.e wouui hate been ni^re iivjh fufficiem r < » v«r the incieafe of permaupn f xn.'i " i dttnre but thai whs nni tf<e cafe i i lie duties on imj.oi.s and tntmnne which in 1 7o3 produced dollars 7 40c 4:0 fell in i7qqi o dollars 5,4^7,2^6 , i diniintition «>< vrrv 1 e..i i y one million ; ami adhon^n the it.imp hit)e am perii8 llie othf r biantl.es of internal revenue were mote productive in that yertr ihmi in the former yet that incteale enionnf inj to oily dolls aoo.ooo wai ar from h.fliriei't to counter balat'.re the diioitimtiou in ilie iuiporti and ton nase h is iir>t fiowever oue appreliend erl in the opinion of the committee that ilte diminution in qneftion will be permanent on the contrary they ' nppole it to ha«e refulrrd dam two caufrs of a temporary nature hilt the extcnftve depre<(at:r)ns on onr cctiii'irtt which took place in 1796 i 1 797 and l?9 ( '. e'peeiaily the two mi - mtr ; the full tffvt whereof was not elt in the revenue till 1790 ; beeaufe ; it was in that year that the duties on 1 the imports of 1798 became pajabie and econdly the great r csuor'atia 1 n of foreign comma tines in 1709 1 which amounted to dolls 4y.3j3.33j exceeding by dellars 1 2,coo,oco thole of any former year ; and which drew the irealory very great fmni in , drawbacks as thh branch ol riic i revenue i bottomed on i^-e cnfitup tinn of the coautrr wli rh notwith flartding occai onal fluc'tiiarioni lias a coultam pro^reifi increafe with the livcreafeof populaiion and wealth the cornmittpe eonceivit that it nay be ex pected foon 10 regain i'sfor/ii^r level and gradually to augment in proof of which they rein^ik that tlic fv il quarter of the prefi/nt revenue veur the returns of which are before h houle cxcccdl in ptotlurt ihe fi«ft quarter of the lift year or of t 797 mild v«ry nearly equals that ot i 79 8 - tlii e«ei : l»owe»er though highly probable it it f««m to them bring rill uncertain : nnd tke revenue in i i it prefem itme being uncqnal 10 the increafed cs.lc of expeixlnure relult ! ing from the interelt of this m«i the uft year's lonns and to a realonahle pre»i(ion for ihe deficiencies and for i the rurinp.iiifhinent or the principal i j the efmrniuir conceive it prop«r ml i even ibdh'peitfh>»e to provide at pre j fenr for the id.liiional fum of dollar ? 50,000 at lcilt ; mme they think will not now be necefl try h*vin f>r«e to thif concluflon a to be 8<iioi if of me 1'irti which ii ' ni»ij be extiedietit to provide foi «. this v.we i'lc.f ricxt u-rni-d : * r «•• tenrionito :>; wayi and uicau ••' rikitig t r r rfon rt ilie uflk.»ifi»'i»"ort«f ihr frere tary orihe ir«amrv r tf m him more ex n't and venfi*e information o>i the iiv»j -«*♦ ol levenue thnn any o'ti-t ' pei ion can •'<• hippofb'l io yo\\l u ■, and lenablci him u fortii the moll corr.-ct j pinion r«r<,i?v'tmn the prowawl ope ra'iort od o'iipjraii»e meriis of 4 i f » frr»m idieihjm «>! rmwtion ; the co;n imiuee tliuiiith it ptnfter to a-mrefji 1 their in(|']i if til he firtt init^nc n him aiii cf)r wait for tha reful of ini j rietib«r»m*nnl v*ei a they huulil te fc cide tar lt»i purpoie w<i wiitren ihe tener ot vr.ich a eouy no i is i'ubjoined to tins report in huoi.lwer which ojetvi*r w'no ur l<l«m«i"t thrr^ih rpt?<rel io j nota ) i m j h«r«mnto p'icx#fl >/■•! cretgiy bribpolei ; » 3tip mirtu the riu tic on i'ttcrui kiij'l ■•'• vini 1 — to •'»"<* thof ariidrt lmch now pay i jmy or io par entufll a aloren io 1 2 1-2 er rffft an>l to m.ike t u v j j ra|igsnsiit ralpet'ting drawbacks joo.l tf fk;out'l t»ie eftei'ti of ! which o'>'i '■"", to imipoft » i'x i'l jro:n.ylu fii'teen 10 uu>ti ri^hiten l>«i ceit/uiu of heir wlxile itinotmr tut flc i*'l itow allowed — pill trrir v't would je pro«ti»t«l by rtlnfing n\io ■ e.tier i diawhjck on certain arti c'les rhi h are enumerated hi the pi per c • . <> i,a y^rf ilie ei rerun's ' letter i dv v»nhiiol<ii«g a tire.iici n ii ■■- ji «- r •» '" * vartiijr of o l>i*r ' urticlti in !>:<• niy f •. *'. d 1 ilit , pap«i b mferrej i «>• i'»c l-»i.»e lfitcr t ne lecrcmijt w informed r.-i commttcee m«r in x;>»'.'ti rotn r v s . i three fn*(»i"te ik.->'!i1 tlxrv i ad«/j e<l u edilitiom u iic ie ■'■? u ; bout dollar 9?o,ooo intimity pi he lu not llated wt'at p-i 1 o ir ni onion he exi fron j{p rnvklun ftpnrately i •»<■ iwofi.il '...■ ' f r | j fes to waita pt'vp«tii*l ' tf ' bird iie inx on drawbacks lie weum ■ <• ri iui i ii lo<;,i<rr t in jnriiiji tlm r elem war ft kinoii vhenf profpeded to jif e««i«»ii i nation t ibi p jp «' <••♦ )■ u.i p .!.■ : kttilty u to tlui part nt it hi»nr latet to lic an i-mtatmr of il«ti*f . witusindeeo nrem iw hijt'i'y mx r.l bur n a w ■ •••■ ■ i '■ '■' " .'. confumea i ' ; :'' - b , ; t-oplo *.. ■' riu j t-ni 01 e»fy ironitfai ts hey ap pt'jii to be a v«ty prrpar oi t i re vf n«e ; ii l t is -.« t pprehcn«l»d hint awedorate incn >•• of the duty would liitiiiiifli the cnnlun'.pti«ii or euttan ei jc«iiiic ttii rea.l«ni»ci ••'!'* conimittihp conrei*e vml betw fiirn ed by a ttautweni of the amount f mimjh 011 wines which i annexed toj this repor so 111 nritro.nvvi.iclt ii appears uimi from . 94 i i7f7 clufi»e ' '• e n pioduct <■• lime d ii»i haw it cresiled fiom dolll 45 3 r doli 524,1.55 ahhtujjli no addir ou.»l flui ti.s l-ecii la<<t during tlim pe'io^i tlt return frit t f,3 r lot i'tokiple'e to h«t«w«i 11110 the i<l iji ion ■ uiiftih the iier tart ofifcnt period irnlrc j there ha bun a ull in th:s prodin 1 !, a in that or tcany o ther brn;icl>e of the rtteuuo 1 but it appears from the ei%vt hnt tbi f;ill i mure than eoui)ier_hn!ancc by the rile ii the former p»it — ami the committee conceive that lucb fl'ictu-aiio'if arifiwe from accidemal and riii ieit raufe are lv»ayt 10 be k[)erfted . n<l af the etnpe of a 1 umber of ytati enn alone f#«rd a fofe triierion whercky to judge on i lyujct'is of f h"i5 kind ii ii moftovcr to be obfrrved that the duties on winrs liave hi thertu been irjudiciowfly laid j fo , at to protlute a itiorg ttmpiation to enter hi^h priced witieji wlch pay a very high duty under the nimes of tbnfe of a low price ♦ hsrenn the duty it comparatively low there is reafon to believe as the committee arc informed by the fecreiary of the treafury that much loft 10 the revenue has alre-uty been exptrienctd from this caufe 1 he plan contained in his ntw tariff ee paper b projofes to re move this caufe ty a different ftd jiiftmeiit of the duties in qsn n as the ave-rav product f the duties on urine appears y the i the llateme.t no ill '> m up ' wardl of dollar coo.oco n atil i dieion of 2 ,-• r cent on i e ■• mown ofthe prefen duty would i prouvic dollars lato,ooo this addition it ss conceived might ba lately mode in tha manner pm noled by the fecretnry ot tha tres i'ury ( t j as to fhe articles paying a dity of to per cant ad valorem vlst h are very ntirmroua and of grratl value including all wool en gools white co tons and nankeen with oilier articles ol lofs in rtaicr.i ihe committee are of opinion ih the facretary of the treafury that an additional dniy ol wo anj a half per centum on ilia faint i lsc ai ficle may lately be laid on them the prel nt duties 0:1 all aitlclas paying a rate per t «;; t ti,n ad valo icrn ol which the io per cent confiitute a great proportion pro babljr two thirds wire fiaed in 1792 except a few which wert lulled from to 10 12 1-2 per cen in 1797 and they pro lured theii full effect in 1793 from the end of which alter jcar until the end of 1708 the ntu product of thofe duties rule from do.lars 2,319,811 to 2717,657 i as appears by a itatement no i v.j tvhich-is fub ( joint i o this report 1 lie increafe indeed mult probably have bet-i greater as the returns for the lafl . mentioned year 179h arc very j incomplete ; two quarters bwing | wanting from philadelphia as many trom ciiarletlun acid lour from savanna which dencitncie vill probably he found to hav produced a gre.itcr deduction fi m he proiiu.'t in 1,9 than can have been meat for b die addit'onaldu 1 icsl lid in 1797 this proajreffi vain creali iioiwiihdan.iiiig ihe inti r mediate flue uation appears to ihr comm tee to prove it fatisfacto tify th^i ih irsiprrrarirars of ttsfear title in queflioii is not irijiiriouftv iffec'ed by the prefc-nt duty ; whirls ' may iherc'ore he lately augment ed to tie amount prnptifcd 1 h re 11 ano'her c nti irra'ion on : this bead which i cm dived to b ' oi j.;e t t lir tlief'e arklrsait 1 i"i f»rd irum d ft nit pl.tes 011 getier.ii ire t and in fhipsof greai ■',;:. i winch criutiiftinccs o rruci s«...e ,- slii lidicu y md hazaido • 1 i'l .' us tn ie e l'fle dangtrt il ii being * tempted tii'dcrtne ojie-j - . ton ot ait ilut'i-s lhat the c j nn tt in vi ill bc.tr ii ey an nu ri -' ovei ui the fame fi uati n wiih mam | otlur article inch as tnudnis mullm rts and tuloureii 10 t ns which now | pav tue pn-j ol'ed duty ot 12 1 2 pei cc'.'t l 1 ne average nett prnduft cf thi ati*/.l rein du.ies lion 1794 to 1798 inclusive a ptrnd ol hvtj jean b sri dollars 3 81 173 as appears trom the llateiiitsi t above mentioned ; i v -. ; iv ufolions lhat if ihe lo per ten be furpoltd to conllitutrj iwoth rils o the whiles in-fi which iii probably the cale the additonal 2 i-i pi 1 lent piopxifed tobela'donl inenijwr.u't p clucedohi'i,6co,ooo as 10 the thiid proftfit on ot the fecretnry ihe t;.x en dra«vf*iks it apppt-arcd liable 10 mere doubi i in li'po it cl the plan it was orgrd lhat the treat ni,l of omr re-expor talirn cos lifts in con itloditits chiet-t iy lugar and often which we bring trot tie halt and weft-indies and nl ter w.-,r*l carry to eurrpe fur ihe conlumptii n of france holland and germany at.d iaa eaft india and china poods whtrewi'h we tupply the people of lh weft indies and of south america that the ccm meiceol france holland and spain being annihilated by the events of the war and that ot sweden and den maik very inconfieferable ihe carry ing trade may be ct rfidrnd as alimift exclulivaly petit te if by the englfh and burlclrei that the engl.'.s beiiitf at war with france spain and holland and thereby excluded from the pens ef thole nations in europe afia and america cannot enter into a ci mpetititsn vith ul ill the bufinefi of lupplying iheir pi it lliotis ripe rally ilioc in s america ; nd the w*il ii d.es villi lad india and china poods , and ihit sac conic ucr.tl laving theexclufive ppffcf hon of this ir rn , may lay whit nri'-e we p'eale on the gen da rr-rxporied ; and of ccuirlr may crn pel tru cnr jlnmer to repay to us tl r r la : j t n t holt poods i-er by t l e r»*t.__l of p.fr r>f i lie tlrav baik ti tbe lane ealonmg will upv'y in a pr^-.c degree fo the fnppiy of e r p lth iogar * ■ rvee ami i her hart and wdt.fd a it nroudiiies | he e france holland and spain up f-iiu ai_amlt the englith by hie sar they cannot oceome otir compel ore for the dircft fupp'y of tr-oi • couniriei that 21 to v tb ir.dir.cf fupply hrougb the p r ot germany and portugal tfp.ci.l y the former wbicn are sy f 1 the tin ii couiiderab'e we can f..rn fn ton better terms than they j be^an they are excluded f cm many of the coun'riei where ti.-e coa.modirice ne procliiced and brcante their tmde with the nrnh of germ by is •_. u<i«d to great danger ard int.rrup ion from the french and dutch privs'ecri and rin»l!y that the ling ith are the lefs able to enter in o a competition wbicb we ought 19 iread inasmuch at tl 1 monopoly f their eaft india trade by a par - ocular c nipiny pivf.nt individual inte-prxr and in^enuit r ai birg tacit din carrying it in upon the otft term ; and at the englilh pc ver.imci t ufelf hai laid a duty on e»p:.ti duri r the war equal to at pr-paled by r'te p'.m under con iierati 11 ; to thai her merchant and nirs being on an qui footing in chat r p they couij not under nid us in the foreign niarketi to which both reforr from hence it was concluded that while the war in europe a-.cl he prcl.nt itate of things refulting iron ir h_'il continue and a tax on iraw backs fuel as that prupofed would or a tax not on our own commerce or our own merchants ut on foreign nations ; who being rosifumtrrs ot iho re-exported com moaitio wherein the tax would all in lie inh inlt*kb nj being otnpvlled during the war at leatt 10 purchafe thofe commodities from is alwne would be under the nc itti'y of repaying to us the tax in addition t the price which we llio-ild otherwife demand to ti-is it was anfwererl that iht whole argument refts on the fuppofnion ot our being able to i-n.ift two things both of which are of a very uncertain naure nameij to monopolise the bu fine is of liipplyirj the cout tries in c|iief tior with fait and wed india and china commodities ; and to compel tl.ofe commodities to touch firft a our own ports before they are carried to the places where they are coufumed ; it being clear that i by railing the price of the com modities we fhould raife up com petitors who would under bid is in tl foreign markets ; or fhould by taxing them on their arrival in our own roris render it the in erefl ot our merchants to carry them diredtly from he places f their pro^ufiion to the places v here ihey are to be confuened without landing them in this coun try ; we ihould in either cafe lofe the duty ; in tlie firft by ruining altogether the trade whereon it mult depend ; and in the lecond dy turning the trade away from our own poits where alone the duty can be coil-fled i whether we couh be able to monopolize the bufine-ls in queflion 10 fueh an extent as 10 have it io our power to lay our owa price on the com-dodi-itu which compete it was faid to be very uncertain for various reafons firfl becauf the englith poffefs vety tar the greater part of thofe places in the eaft and weft indies where the valua ble commodities corfumed in eu rope are produced and their mer chants can carry them iliredlly from thence to ihe ports of germany or of denmark and sweden from whence they would find their way into holland and france second ly becaufe the duty on exports laid in england may esfi'y be a voided by her merchants by meant of poing diredtiy to the foreign markets in.fead of firft touching at home and the cangers of priva teers is greatly letiened t-y the convoy which hegiv^s to h trade