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![handle is hein.usccsset/usconset37773 and id is 1 raw text is: 45]
REPOR I
Of the Committee of Ways -and .Mekns, accompanying a Bill to abolish
the Internal Duties.
DECEMBER 9, 1817.
Read and committed to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow.
The Committee of Ways and Means to whom has been referred so
much of the President's Message, as respects revenue
REPORT.....
That they have supposed, that they should best comply with the
intentions of the house, by directing their first attenton to the repeal of
the internal duties, which occupied its deliberations during the latter
part of its last session,and has been since recommended by the Presi-
dent. From the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, it appears
that the clear revenue which will have accrued during the year 1817,
will be about twenty-four millions and a half of dollars, while the
ordinary annual expenditure, (including the provision for the extin-
guishment of the public debt) is estimated at less than twenty-one
millions and a half. While the committee do not consider the im-
portations of the three last years as furnishing a certain criteridn for
those of future years, they believe, that without a diminution of our
exports which is not to be anticipated, or a very considerable reduction
in their value, the estimate of a revenue under the present laws of
$24,525,000 as made by the Secretary of the Treasury, may be safely
relied on, for many succeeding years. No doubt can be entertained
under the circumstances of the United States, as to the propriety of
reducing a revenue so far exceeding their ordinary expenses, and
the committee recommend a general repeal of the internal duties.
This will leave, according to the estimates of the Secretary, a revenue
of about twenty-two millions exceeding the ordinary expenditure by
something more than half a million.
Some difficulties will always be found in determining the period
at which the collection of a tax shall cease. The consideration, how.
ever, of the large proportion of the internal duties which will be-
come payable in January, induces the committee to recommend that
all internal duties should terminate with the year 1817.
The entire amount which will have accrued to the government
on account of the internal duties, exclusive of the direct tax, from
the 1st of January, 181, to the 31st of December, 1817, may be
estimated at more than seventeen millions, and the receipts for the
s'sme time at upwards of fifteen millions.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.usccsset/usconset37773&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)