Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-09-08

Il is true that such measure as This,
woul be heavily fe. by all thoe who wish
to distinguish themselves from the mass of
the people by pomp"us equipages, splen-
d d entertainer gaudy and. exp ensive
Clothing. and by their numerous servants,
with irawn from agriculture or mechanism
to minister To the r qualification.
AS such persons are detrimental to a re.
public from the attraction that pomp has
frpon weak minds, and from the imaginary
opinion of pers nal worth, which is suppo-
sed to be consequent Oh the acquisition of
wealth wise government should, by AK
alton, make the expenditure of this class
of men contribute to the maintenance of
that evil ord r which 1t has a tendency
to derange. A heavy tax .tion on Their
wesl h, will draw them tow ards that me-
DUN from which they would ascend, and
like a counterpD;se IN the political ma
chine, will reduce the aberrancy Of any part.
to th' equibp and correspondent move.
meDts Of the wnole Perhaps even direct
taxarion ofproperty, increasing IN certain
proportions. until from the accumulation
of some extreme term, it should act as an
eff ctuai prohlb ton TO the acquisition of,
enormous wealth, might be the only and
prop-r exped:ent. :
Nor can it be re pl ed that such mea.
sure would have a tendency to produce a
varicious and selfish characters. By NJ
means. There is no arrangement in the
moral as well as the physc Il order of ma.
ture, for wlich a wise prov dence has not
already prepared remedy.
The ambition ot beng distinguished acts
toopowerfuly on the mass of tue rich, ever
to allow them to accumulate money In n
manner undistingu shed from the poor,
whom they cons der as an inferior order of
mankind. Butterflies, formed of mud and
fitted only'to bask NJ sunshine, will expand
their painted wings and hutter to Inhafe
those warm vapours TO which they owe their
being, and upon which they continue to be.
Supported.
We see the nabobs Of India, sprung from
the sweepings of hospitals, alleys and kit.
chens, frequent the Bristol and BAN wells,
the race-courses and jocky clubs of Eng
land; keep equipag S, liveries and mistress.
SEES: or that the snns of such among them
who possess the more than ordinary seabi-
lity, of not being N dc giddy by their ele..
walton, at least take Gaze to sport the dir.
ty acres and rascally counters, their fathers
had been so long a-gathering. If provi-
dence, from the couvulsions or the elements,
establishes that equilibrium by VIII CHI they
are governed; Why, from the vIces and foi-
lies Of individRQis, should society derive
ns advantage
The number of carriages, coachmen and
horses of pleasure IN our country, are enor-
nous for republic.
Were one of our youns misses to make
"a visit on damp morning without Coach,
she would probably catch a cold Were
madam to walk, as the way are so bad, it
might probably cost her her life: and we're
our gentlemen TO walk on foot, they would
not be distinguished by having horse.
But sufhcenr tax on carriages and nor
ses would work miracle on all three; and
that too in things the least expected. IL
would force miss to stay at home or brave
the weather; and fit her better to add TO
the population OF the country. 1t would
restore madam to thsuse OF her legs, w lcn
she lost some TWEEN years ago: and would
fit monsieur for the plough, or to march
in the ranks his country.
L. would have one other effect. 1t wou. ID
make our roads and streets better.
The rich viii have their ease some how
or otner: and when they shall be obliged
to walk Or pay for riding they VIII be the
first to GlAmor for roads, pavements and
foot-ways.
At present, willis. they are either noun
tied on another animal, or sung IN a move.
able house, what use have they for better
than what will serve their horses
"Why," says Scotsman TO a Dutch
man, "are the herrlngs IN Germany caught
" in the same water, better than ours. -
"Because," says the Dutchnan, tPrinces
and not Scotsmen, eat them"
The Dutchman was right: though per.
haps not well enough hammered. Let our
/ graadees but walk Our streets IN the month
of December; and instead OF dams of coal
dust, which we two-legged beaver use to
render them passable, we shall have pave
ments and foOt-ways.
| POPLICOLA.
49,
A doctor at my elbow tells me that the
proper expression is {" constipation, or de.
huxIon of the lungs ;" but as j know that
less luxury and more exercise would no
increase his bills, Il shook my head and kept
in my own word, lest, perhaps, he was pre-.
scrlbing "aheno consiHo," ruth an eye q
the trade.
FOR THE ARGUS.