Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. BUCK said, if he thought the advocates of this amendment would vote
for the resolution when amended, he might be induced to vote for it; but
he believed they did not mean to do so. If an increase of the duty on
brown sugar would fall upon the poorer class of the people, an
additional duty on molasses would fall much heavier upon them. But he
thought gentlemen were mistaken with respect to the operation of the tax
on brown sugar; in the country it would not fall upon the poor, though
in the cities it might do so; though in increasing the duty on brown
sugar, that on fine was also increased. In the country it was the rich
who used brown sugar; they had not got to that pitch of refinement which
called for the use of fine sugar; they used brown sugar, and the poor
used none; they sweetened with molasses. Notwithstanding this, if he
thought gentlemen meant to vote for the resolution when amended, he
would not object to the addition on molasses, as he did not think so
small an advance would be materially felt.
Mr. RUTHERFORD hoped they should not agree to lay an additional duty on
either of these necessaries of life. He hoped there was sufficient good
sense in the House to oppose such a measure. They were used by all
classes, from the infant to the stoutest man; particularly by many poor,
infirm, aged persons, who looked upon them as nutritious and balmy
nourishments. He hoped, therefore, they would not increase the price of
those articles; for, if an additional cent was added, the dealers would
add two, three, or four cents, which would be more than the poor could
afford to pay for them.
Mr. CHRISTIE believed the gentleman from Pennsylvania meant, by the
introduction of this amendment, to defeat the tax on sugar altogether;
he should, therefore, vote against this amendment; but if the additional
tax on sugar should be carried, and the additional tax on molasses
should be introduced alone, he would vote for it, but he would not vote
for them together. He did not think the tax on sugar would fall upon the
poor, particularly as fine sugar would be taxed equally with the brown.
He thought it was a fair object of taxation. He believed they should
want revenue, and he did not know an article from which it could be
better raised.
Mr. FINDLAY was at a loss to know how a tax on molasses would operate;
but his doubts had been removed by the gentleman from Vermont, (Mr.
BUCK,) who had informed them it was used by the poor in place of brown
sugar. In many parts of Pennsylvania molasses was scarcely known, and
brown sugar was generally used by the poor; if, therefore, the same
class of persons in one part of the country used molasses for the same
purpose for which brown sugar was used in other parts, it was only
reasonable that both should be taxed in the same proportion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account