Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1802-04-12

WOIhIBdn dHA IabOrcr OF every character and
defcription TO command a comfortable fubiia-
ence. The reverfe of all this, is now the true
fate OF things. Severe diarels afai6s our ci-
ties, and an almoa universal RAgnation Of bu
fines is the confequence; the mott valuable Por-
ton of our citizens are without employment /;
the farmers, the agriculturalias of the country
universally are involved in the diRrefs Flour
from being at fourteen, has fallen to fix dolls.
but notwithstanding thefe Disadvantages oper.
sting upon all parts of the community, gen
tlemen DO not fec the neceiIity Of reducing the
duties on the necedary articles of lfe--They
indeed have obtained power, but feem, to have
forgotten the people who gave il to them.
What good is to relult from repeating thefe
duties Is the duty On fills and dihilled fpir.
its improper if it is not, what can be the OBJ
jecfions to the duties on PtqfaraBie CARRIAGES on
refined Sugar, on licences and Jales at aul7ion ?
think the tax on fi.lS and ditlled fpirits pro
per one. think it has received the fau6fion of
experience, the bea tef Of the goodnefs Of tax.
This tax has exilted fince the year 90. And /
will ak whether any Inconvenience has arifen
from it.-Whether any Oppression has grown out
Of the law. | have heard of none. On the
contrary, we know the revenue from this lource
has annually increafed and TIE report of the
committee informs Us that the diRiIleries have
sugumented to the vaR number of $4,000.
Suppole the tax lhould refrain the coniumptIon
of ardent fpirits, would not that circumaance
be in favor Of the health, the induAry and the
morals Of the people
The consumption Of the articles Of GPar, 6obea
tea 81 coffee have far different efe4 They *
clude the ufe Of ardent fprits and are promotlve
of all thele advantages An honorable gentle
man fem Jeriey on former location informed
us, that the poor in his fate do not u.e thefe
articles. I am forty for it. 1t would not be
come me to contra the gentlemen in what he
iays RI The Gate he comes from but whatever
be the cafe inNew Jerley, III allure that gehte.
man. that 10 Charleaon and wherever ellie am
acquainted the poor do conlume theie articles,
| mean by the poor, people who labor Tor their
ubiltence.-Lahorers Of every deicriPtioR with
Us, even TO the Carmen fthe city coniume theie
artces.-Itis the folace Of their evenings, after
the fatigues and toi! of the day, which they
Partake Of il common with their families, and |
will ever dePrecate The policy which goes 70 de-
prve them Of it, II Is rot like ardenr fPirits
confirmed only by the head Of the family remote
from his home.
The g,atleman from Jerley has alto told Us
thar the poor of this countrg have nevet felt the
taxes OF he government. | am happy 70 hear
q gentleman from that fde of the houfe make
this coufelIion / believe the poor have ne
yer been oppreded by our predecedors. I whl
not fay, they never felt the burthen Of taxation,
becau(e believe they have felt it, but they con
hdered the taxes imPoled upon them as necefa
~ to the iecurity of the country. The increaled
duties on lalt, coffee and flgar, were imP7ted at
time when our commerce was depredaIed upon
by foreign nation, and when We were :nenaced
with hoAity- cannot fee the necelity or pol
icy Of continuing thef- high duties, at thi, time
they will be oppreaion to the people the caufe
which gave birth to them has cealed to exit.
Do gentlemen (upPol=, that 6ecaule The tax i
COMPOUNDED with the price Of the commodity,
that the people will NOT difcern il II they DO,
they Ultimate very erroneeuily the underltand
i0gs of the people Of this country--they will feel
this tax, and they will discriminate between the
tax and the prica Of the com modify. Sir, there
is another realon and an important one, why
thsle high duties ought not 10 be continued, and
which the gentleman will do well to beltow iome
confederation upon Coffee is ar article Of great
value in fmall compass. Thele high duties
hold out dangerous temptation 70 inuggling
The nature and extent of our fea coat, with its
numerous inlets, afford facility which no other
country does-If ever this Praetice obtains 70
any extent, no laws which this Legislature can
PATS will correct the evil, it will be therefore
wife to Withhold the temptation. He therefore
hoped that gentleman would tor fomc Of the rea
fons aligned, all of which were convincing to
his mind. di(continue thsle high duties On the
neceGary articles of life.
MARCH n.
The bill to repeal the Internal taxes was
read the-third time, and after comfortable de-
bate the queRion was taken at o'clock by
yeas and nays-Yeas 6I--Nays "a.