Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-22

of every, cit!Zcr.---GIt when government:
laws direct taxes, for example, a Certain suui
or every rlall's head (theace called til Or
cahitaaosi tax or certain alliis on h's house,
his land, his horses AND cattr-'-i.e KNOWS prs
ciseIy the amount CT his t4xSs; aid i! ..tsc
be heavy, discomfort is not an unusIal co..se-
onencc. Yet sometimes necessary wars
1such as that of the American revolution and
defensive wars il. general, arc-of such extent
and long continuance, rs TO require Large It
venues, and proportionably heavy taxes. Now
&c, he whole of the taxes III such case. were
imnosed upon goods imported from other
countries. great portions Of them could never
he collected the temptation to run or SNUG
ole the goods into the country, and thus eyadc
tbe taxes altogether, Would be SO great, rs
with mary to be irresistible II, ior instanee,
a tax more commonly called q dNfy on -,y
imported articles, be twenty five per cert
Tor one fou!th) Of its value and 1t E:ay be
brought or shore ard concealed irons tue eoi.
lectors, at risk 10: exceeding ten Or fifteen
Der cent,---the probability is, that large port
ons OF all such goods viii DC s1nuggied VI,
without paving any duties at I'll. lis olsIy
remedy in his case is, to lower the audes On
such articles, SO as 10 approach IL liisir Il
mount, to the value Of the ilsk ct smvssiui,
them. COR then the merchant Will r-inti p:y
The duties than hazard his reputation as hcI
as his goods, ior the small! gam Wi'lcA might
be made by smuggling 1T IS well ki.own
fact, that iii e. Britain, where frequent walls
have demanded immense revenues, ulal tie
duties Gu some goods imported were SO hisa
as 10 occasion very excessive smuggling, -
Al ~ I'D it
ment by lowering shS duties actually esiicg,si
more money.
have gone into this detail 70 give son,c
idea OF the powerful retsens Wnlcn Mdnccd
Washingtoll's administration, at & time VIVA
our revenues from commerce. were conipai..
lively small, and the paoiic expenditures u
avoidably great, to rai'e 81 p.i! OF sne nseess..-
ry revenues by C.ncr taxes than tEese GA
goods imported; lest the Increasing OF the
latter to tic extent ol the public wants, sheu!d
par ia jeopardy he wuo.c system ny tee
it would have given to staaS.;tag.
And tina, this policy Was cclrecs, IS deli9'--
strated by its effects toE probably i'll no crli.-
try Ill the world were tue duties Oh goods iin-
ported SO universally auG kcaolaoiy Gai9 is IN
the U. States. Tie sfs.ein tlily established,
ant the i:aoit o. itgul;r I'.yiag oi.ce axcs, tAs
same duties admitted OF gradual sUh inods-
rate increase. and had the same system been
had not Mr Jefferson, Wal. ot.a.ef
views than TO Save the persons ara property ot
the people, caused the eiirbacgo 70 Ga in,pcs-
cd, that honorable peymeiit of aates would
have been continued But his total prohibits
on of trade, by which hundreds OF thousands
OF our citizens gained ! livelihood, bein;; ingy
continued 90. stcmpofaly embargo Wouias lot
have answered the purposes of bonaparte, III
forming his system TO destroy the commerce
and the power OF Great Brittany produced
such general distress as 70 be 10 logger to!e-
rable. The embargo laws were broken, tic
practice Of smuggling introduced, I'D the
morals OF the people corrupted. Indeed it
could rise from tire deao, and
devote another iorty-hve years to the service
Of his country, and administer the government
with his unsullied purity and patrlotism--.he
could not repair the waste OF virtue, and bansfi
the corruptions Of morals, introduced III MIR.
sHerson's ten-years administration.
But to return. When Mr. Jefferson had
paved the way for his ascending to the pfesi-
dency, by various arts, among others By en-
or countcnancIng the popular dis!
contents respecting taxes + one ot his hest
acts as President WAS, TO fulh! the eXpectai,'
on-.generally and industriously excited TO IL,
crease his popularity. of repeal of the inter
na! taxes, which he accordingly recommends
ed and overwhelmingly Tor him, he en-.
tered on the Presidency at time when the
.. States were in the enjoyment ofpcace, and
when they were Gas he himself saidD ON the
full tide of successful experiment, under the
government which had SO far kept Us free aud
firm )" and when our Agriculture, Mani
features, COMMERCE and 'NAvIeArIox, tie
four pillars OF our prosperity,"S were in tLr
most foufishng condition aad, when Ell.
revenues rapidly Increasing, rendered pracs;'
cable diminution Of the taxes. But whether
such total repeal was correct whcttef
sound policy, in reference to future cortll-
gencies of war or essential reductions or conn
merce, did not require sou,e Discrimination
and reserve, MIR. Jefferson did not ccnsider;
or if he did, every thing was made to yield to
his personal views at the moment.