The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-17
THE ENQUIRER.
~RTCHMoND, Jdv0fRY IL, 1909.
To"THE DIT OF THE ENQUIRER.
No I.

The object of the writerin the following
remarks, is to submit to public considerable
on the advantages which would result from
a tax on dogs i'll the state of Virginia. lam
well aware that the subject is of such a ma
t,re as 20 be incapable of affprding much u
mcsement, or any display Of that literary
refinement which while it delights the fan
Cy, conveys instruction to the mind. Ny
highest expectations will be gra,ified, if the
subject is placed in such a light as to induce
a serions consideration Of the objects con-
temp'ated. as ann convinced il it receives
such consideration it will produce the effect
desired The general object Of 2 law ought
to be the accomplish: meHt Of some positive
or relative good, or 'p% suppression of some
public evil. If sh, Id be enabled to slIew
that. a law imposing a tax on dogs would
embrace both these objects, | may fairly
hope that the question submitted to public
view will receive that weight to which it
is entitled. In the first place then it is con-
hdently believed that such a law would
produce a very considerable public revenue,
with less Inconvenience than any other law
which can be proposed Let it be supposed,
Tor l do not pretend to be accurate on this
point, that there are in the state of Virginia
one hundred thousand families, and that
there are TO a family upon an average three
Digs, which is considered u moderate Com
putatien, taking Tito view the number OF ne
groes who are suffered to kcep dogs, and
the number OF Fox hunters &c. Let us
suppose that 4 tax 1T ore dollar was imposed
ON every deg in a family over one, and We
should have a revenue of two hundred thou.
sand dollars derived from such a tax, if none
at the present number of dogs shcuId be des-
troyed. Butit; IS presumed, that MANY would
be destroyed, and it is ardently to be wished
that such an event should take place. have
stated that | do not pretend to be entirely
accurate; / mean as to the number OF fami-
ICES Iii the state, nor cal ] be supposed to
nave ascertained the average number of
dogs to "a family with positive certainty.
1T is thought however. that my estimate ON
consideration will not be found to be extra
VACANT. The times loudly call for a full
treasury, and the public is here presented
with q plan which would lay the foundation
Tor "A handsome revenue, without much in
Convenience or hardship to any orc. 1t will
not produce much Inconvenience on hardship,
because none will inthe case supposed, keep
TGore dogs than he can afford. Tile tax will
fall principally on the rich or such as can af
ford 1t. and here will be a vast saving to
the comn'unity m preventing a part of the
consumption of the present useless number
Of dogs. A dog will consume more than A
hog, and ] will leave it to any coasidcrate
Inan to say, which'woUld be Of most advan-
tage to the poor man, = dog which he might
well spare, or a good fat hog.
81 it may be asked wby it should be
imagined chat a man viii keep more dogs
oriiiis plantatiCn than nc has an absolute oc-
casiw for? 1T is in vain t. attempt to ac-
cn,rit Sor unen's prciHdices, and often as DIFF
fcplt 81 remove them by argument. But
J nay safely rely on the experience Of my
tellow-oiozens to decide on the facts / have
taken tot granted. But have ad'Ditted that
IT tho tax in question should take place,
that many dogs viii be destroyed, such pro-
badly as are useless. and q part of the reve-
nue. which would be received If all were
preserved, wc;jd consequently be lost. But
still IT is believed, t'Iat a sufficient number
would be left to raise considerable revenue.
] have sGid,the tax would principally fall on
the rich On such as can afford to pay it, and
yet the rIch as we'll as the poor il l am not
deceived, would be greatly benefited, and
a public grievance wOuld be removed.
This brings me to another point which |
have proposed to consider, and it is thought
much the most important one. The present
daily destruction Of stock, logs, and sheep 1;
particularly sheep. IS Il serious public evil,
which wogId il is believed be greatly dimi-
nished by such "a law as the enc proposed.
If a man can save two thirds Of the hogs he
intends for consumption, he is fortunate.-
Often one half is lost, and there can be no
doubt OF the principal Cause OF such dcstruc-
tion.
But the destruction Of sheep at the present
moDIentous crisis, - certainly an evil which
every paeiot must feel disposed to redress
1t - 10 UNCOMMON thing for the farmer il