Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1805-12-09


70 TK0aAs AL1Ea, JUN. Of Putgfeld.
SIR,
THE internal duties, otherwise called
the excise, was generally opposed to, and
that from the following reasons, viz-Firstlv,
because | considered that the numerous Off
GERS which II created the officers Of which
holding their Offices at the pleasure of the
President, would be liable at all times, let
what party would prevail, to form IN lInweaI-
dy and dangerous Presidential patronage
This was my principal objection. | was op-
posed to il, as 1t respected the duties imposed
on home refined sugar ard distilled spirits, be-
htTing that II was unwise to embarrass manu-
tacturcs IN this country. ! also thought it
reasonable i'll the extreme, that those people
who emlgrated to the new countries, so re-
mote from navigation, as to render It inconve-
nient for them TO obtain foreign distilled spi-
rits, should have the privilege Of converting
their grain into spirits, and use and enjoy it as
a substitute for foreign distilled spirits, duty
free, as we do our cider. | was moderately
opposed to it as ii respected the stamps, con-
sdering that very inConvenient tax, and but
little profit arising from it. But as it respec-
ted the duties on licence and on carriages, no
man could be more firmly attached to It than |
was (; especially on carriages, | considered TO
be the most salutayy measure as 1t respected
the farmer and common people that ev+r has
been adopted by any administration, since tho
organization ofthe general government This
was tax imposed on class of our citizens 10
whom taxes are not a burden. b. this expe-
dient our rich and opulent citizents were made
to contribute something to wards their share
~, IL,
mcnt Of the national debt and without this
we have no means left TO draw from the OpU-
lent characters the eightieth; and in many In
stances not the five hundredth part Of their
share according 10 their property and ability 10
pay for we have no principle left bT whiChto
collect revenue from, but the external duties
duties 50 called, that rs, duties on rum, sugar
moasses, teas Of all kinds, coffee, pepper, spice,
ginger, clothes Of alt kinds salt, and almost all
Kinds Of merchandise which is imported into
our country, and sold bg the merchants 70 TIE
people--so that he, (whether he be rich or
poor) who Ou,s and consumes the most ofthOae
articles ofmerchandize, on which their Il a dr.
ty (and that Is nearly every article which is 10
be found in the stores Of our metchants) paws
the most taxes, To the government. ID appears
Therefore to be fact, that If q poor man eats
drinks and wears Of those duted articles, as
much as a rich man hc pays a8 much taxes
to the government, as the rich lnan does
How unequal then i the operation OF tt,s
mode u collecting revenues. i appears also
to be truth, that farmer worth tIrre or four
thousand dollars, wants to use more spirits II a
year, than tie opulent gentleman, III Jhe city,
who is worth three or four hundred thousand
dollars, lor this rich man lives on the inter
est of his money, retired from business, having
no having or harvesting, OF heavy business to.
require iaborers, and therefore, no spirits to
ina for them. IL IS also y fac that III,