Southern Commercial Convention at New Orleans [pp. 749-760]

756 COMMERCIAL CONVENTION AT N. O.-1855.
cipally upon milk, and absolutely did not contribute as much
to the expense of the general government as a man in Minnesota or Nebraska who kept a cow, ox, and horse. Now, in
return, what does this man who resides in the interior want
with army or navy? A foreign foe cannot trouble him; and
yet he contributes more to the support of government than the
man who possesses millions.
He thought it perfectly fair and honest for a man to contribute to the maintenance of government; and at the same time
the people had a perfect right to inquire how the government
funds were expended. He would like to know how many
millions were being expended on the custom-house here.
Nothing could be gained by taxing foreign imports. The
addition was immediately made upon the articles on which the
duties are imposed. An English or New Orlenns merchant
buys flour at six dollars per barrel, ships to Cuba, and a duty
is laid upon it, which advances the price to ten dollars. He
ships to New Orleans, pays another duty and advances the
price to nineteen or twenty dollars. Now who pays this duty?
The citizens of New Orleans. Here was a subject which intelligent men should think of. He had heard men talk of the
sword leaping from the scabbard against direct taxation. It
remains to be seen whether the liberality of the convention
would aid him in obtaining information of government at
Washington as to the amount we have invested in the customhouse. He had been informed that it cost near thirty-three
per cent. to collect the revenue of the United States. He proposed to avoid this vast expenditure by direct taxation. He
wanted all duty to be removed. The people wanted railroads,
they wanted iron. The duty on iron is thirty per cent. Remove this duty and it can be obtained from England for less
than in the United States. He wished to make the port of
New Orleans free; to let the produce of the world come here
and make this the greatest exchange market in the world.
Ships of the world will come here with their produce when
they are exempt from a duty of thirty to forty and eighty per
cent. At our next census the United States will number thirty-six millions of people. Thirty-six millions economically
expended will be sufficient to defray the expenses of this government. In conclusion, he asked most respectfully, that these
resolutions be adopted in order that they might know what
the collecting of the revenue cost. His remarks were very
attentively listened to, and he was highly applauded on taking
his seat.
Mr. Wilkinson made a few remarks in reply. He hoped