An Exposition of Evidence in Support of the Memorial to Congress, Setting…

Excerpt from An Exposition of Evidence in Support of the Memorial to Congress, Setting Forth the Evils of the Existing Tariff of Duties Prepared in Pursuance of Instructions From the Permanent Committee Appointed by the Free Trade Convention Assembled at PhiladelphiaThe manufacturers, not content with this duty, which, added to the common importing charges, gave them a protection against the foreign fabric of at least 55 per cent., again demanded more duties, which they obtained by the act of 18528, granting them rates of 45 to 150per cent., and rising generally on the articles in pro portion to their coarseness; thus taxing the people, not in pro portion to their wealth, but to their want of it - one of the most prominent features of what is termed the American System.The duties, then, within the period of ten years for which we have given the amount of importations, range from 25 per cent. Ad valorem, or on the cost, up to their present rates of 45 to 150 per cent. It is not to be supposed that many goods will bear the extreme rates of duty which are established, and we shall therefore call the average of the duties actually collected, under the existing act, 60per cent, though this is probably below what has been actually paid. We have before us statements from importers who have paid from 80 to 100 per cent. On this year's importations.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.