The National Register.
London, England, 1819-06-20 00:00:00

PEACE-TAXATION.

A GAIN ST the general systtetn of peace-taxation we
Lave already eatered our solemn and decided protest,
a protest not dictated by party spirit, but by a feel-
ing of compassion for a Leave and patriotic people,
and by a fearful anticipation of the evils which
Must the its inseparable attendants. These feelings
have been by no means soothed, nor our regrets at
the inefficiency of the opposition these new taxes
have met with softened, by the open declaration of
ministers that they ane to be imposed, not for any
absolute necessity that exists (f n. their adoption, for
it' the sinking fund be seized, and made available to
the current expences of the establishment, a surplus
of at least two millions is already provided, and
another million might easily be added by economy
and retrenchment), but for an object which, after
the horrible and wanton sacrifices which this
country has made, in her last two wars, both of
life and treasure, our heart shudders and our blood
runs cold to contemplate, namely " To pal us in a
Grooming altitude to,mect the czigenciss of a new
War." Now without charging upon our rulers a
motive so diabolical and inhuman, as a wish or dia..
position to plunge our exhausted, and all but bank-
rupt state, into the horrors and miseries of fresh hos-
tilities, we may yet urge that the very attitude and
defiance, of itself alone, often brings on a contest,
and is at least an incentive and even challenge to
others to assume a cart espondiag position. We sea
it in individuals, audit is not less true of nations
The busitiess of peace, and the object of those who
love it, should always be to conciliate mutual confts
deuce and affection, by the total avoidance of every
thing which can create distrust. A spirit of proved
defiance is not less adverse to tranquillity than it is
to social happiness. We are not insensible to what
is due to national honour, but we differ, lota animo
tapir tole, Marie, with the present administration
as to the best way of supporting it. We are not
t.ss anxious than they can be that our resources
should be most carefully husbanded, and that we
should not tbrget that as long us pride, and ambition,
and wrong, shall exist upon the earth, so long will
the scourges of war be employed as the minis-
ters of their cause, and that no nation will be safe
from their influenceand aggressions. But we must
most loudly deprecate the doctrine that a govern-
ment is therefore to squeeze the last possible
firthing from the pockets of its subjects, fur the
parpose of having a large revenue at its own dis-
po.;al, instead of leaving the earnings of honest
industry, or the .proceeds of substantial property in
the hand); oftbeir proper and rightful owners. The
principle itself is an outrage upon the social compact,
and it has been not less beautifully than truly
remarlsed by Nfontesquieu, that " though moderate
taxation tarp .favourable to civil liberty, yet that
a rich tfr easray and a star p; n pimple are not only
destructi:e of liberty, hut flute the strongest fea-
tures of d,:spotistit, and the most damning testimonies
of misrule." Bat it' our objections be thus strong
against tl,e whale system of peace taxation, for the
purpose of accumulating revenue—what can we say,
how can we attempt to express our abhorrence of
the items upon which these fresh imports have been
hail ! We may be told that opposition is now
and complaints idle. But the act of
abip-r.ioney had Len some time passed, and yet
Vac r.s.itigir.cc of flatarden was not without its