Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1804-05-04
REMARKS
7 y" : 2 Z, NEW hNNO > = I
ON THE MirpIrERRANEAN FUND Bill,

The above very extraordinary bill is
found in the Aurora ofthis morning. We
donot hesitate to pronounce this the most
andacious attempt to impose an impress
sive burden on the commercial states,
d hirh we have yet witnessed-and to
rtnderit tie more tolerable. tits imposed
rider false and insidious pretenees.4 Z r I Z
At the commencement of the session,
i will be remembered, MIR. Jefferson
Adorned Congress OF his land speculate
IN with Bonaparte, TO the amount of if
s.sn millions OF dollars. Well aware
i.al The northern states world not rea,ii-
~ consent to the increase of the already
heavy import duties, to, purchase sab
mountains, prairies, arenas, and Ivide
.preads for ths blessings Of freedom near
he antipodes, he took special. care to
mention that 80 the ECoNoMiEs which
,pauR still BE- introduced INFO. oar pdi6hic
expenditures, and,he extraordinary PRO-
erosion Of cur revenue, ,,ooud be saffci!
ent to Rlsef the Intermediate interest efih;s
edaiHpnai debt, without recurring to meu
taxes. - -..-.-...- 4....3 " 2 r. !
r Every man o. sense and reflection
knew all this was mere bhilosophy, or,
in other words, that political qnackery
which 90 eminently characterises every
measure of the present administration.
Since that time we have waited to see
whether the public credit would be pun
to hazard, orwhskhsr the expense woald
6e provided Tor By>a suitable Ind equal
tax. NJ.
|. 1t has happened that our Presidents
* gestions" in his mode oil. warfares In
the Mediterranean with the least posi-
1bieJorcc, has already been attended with
the loss Of his only blockading fri kte.---
This disaster more particularly affects
the commercial states, and the ssnsibili-
ty Of the community: is deeply excited
by the unhappy condition, of our brave
countrymen reiucel - slassry.g Eow,
says MIR. Jefferson, now is the time to
increase the revenue without loss Of pop.
ularity. Eight hundredsthousand dol
lars per annums must be raised to pay
the interest Of the great land speculation
1--WE will take this opportunity to raise
this sum, by callingit !" Mediterranean
fund.-" We will impose this tax, as .
mere temporary tax in the first instance !;
but when the yoke IS onceabout The neck,
we win fasten the riyets at leisure. 44 a
I But what is to be the effect Of this
| scheme! simply this. Because we have
lost frigafe, an additions Is TO be made
to the already heavy duties ON nianufac-
tured articles ola Ia per centum, ad
valorem. 1t appears from Mr.. Gala
tins report Of this session that the arti-
eles now subject TO these duties, amount
to 81 zoe, i6l dollars the new duties
proposed by this bill, will therefore raise
the sum Of z92, 654 dollars.
1t is in vain to say that these duties
viii be temporary they are only NOME
nails so /: the money will be wanted to
lpas intereston Louisiana aebt. Besides,
are our duties on considerable articles to
vary with every momentary EFFICIENCY Of
government. The eifectof such q sys.
TEN will be to reduce all our merchants
10 poverty and ruin. r - r.
We now ask those who are not wilful.
Ify dumb to answer few questions = : s
Can il be true that an addition to our
debtoff feen millions Of dollars could be
safely funded on our existing rexenue,
and that the loss Of "a single irigatc can
requirs 4 new. tax Of 792, 600 dollars per
annum3 'gs ~ hi III 81 "a.
| Isnot this niek-named I" Medfeyra-
mean fund" which Is 20 be created by .
tax Of > 1.2 per cent. on our eloathing and
other necessary articles Of foreign con-
sumption, in fact a Led sidaa find; il il
| any thing more or less than fund on
our trade, TO buy g prairies and sad
Ifthese questions are answered IN the
negative, which they win not be, excep,
bythe Duanes, and Cheethams, and Pas.
gums. then we have to ask whether, IS
our commerce has already been burden.
ed with the interest fthe Louisiana debt,
amounting BY Mr.. Gallatin's own state.