Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-02-12
WEDNESDAY,, FEBRUARY r..
Observations coaaaaed from oatr faafter Of ia
nuary 81.
GILES SC GALLATIN.
nuary 81

But to pursue our observations. II Woulo
seem that Mr.. Giles ought now to forgive MI
Gallatin and heartily to tender him the hard o.
reconciliation for he has hardly Uotsd mol
raised an army, before Mr.. Gallatin has point.
ed out The most eligible modes of supplying
the revenue necessary to support 1t: and
therein has displayed those financial talents re-
CURED by Mr. Giles, of drazying from the feo-
hle The most money solh the least POSSIBLE IN
convenience.
They agree in reviving the duty on Salt,
and probably in the other objects OF Taxation
! for it is not believed that the proposed amount
of Revenue can be raised by any methods
more equal, more proper, and more convent
ent, than those suggested by the, Secretary OF
z Treasury. The tax on stills, and on licences
to sell distilled spirits, has sHmhtnary and
moral effect, and at the same time draws into
the treasury considerable revenue from those
vices which eau netbcrbe suppressed nor era
dicated Morality is one of the great bulwarSs
OF public order and rational liberty. No moral
or religious statesman can then object to this
tax.
The tax on loaf sugar is tax Oh a luxury
of the rich, as is also that on carriages. AND
can it be objected, that those who enjoy most
of the good things of lie, under the protec-
ton ofeovernment, shoald contribute most to
the support of it.
The tax on stamps is a tax principally on
persons who are engaged in lucrative traffic
and negotiation and will draw contributors
from those multiplied machines of pecuniary
action, the banks, which have hitherto ENJOY
ed their enormous profits without any deduc-
ton. This tax will be paid so much in piece
meal, that it will hardly be felt by any and
twill be paid by those who gain most from
bargaining and selling; ard will therefore
bear very little on the poorer classes Of society.
AS to the direct ta1 on real and personal
property, this is literally ajax on the substan-
ti4l wcalth of the country; and cannot affect
the poor. tits authorised by the constitution,
and in great emergencies must be resorted
to by every administration. That we can car
ny eli difficult war without such tax, must
be held impossible by every rejecting citizen,
especially with nation who now reigns I'M
controlled mistress of the deep. IN such a war
all must agree, that little revenue, if any, can
1 then rely on internal sources of revenue. And
hample supplies be not furnished in that way
Our credit must sink aud with 1t the very ST.
news of war must fail. Indeed no wise ma
ton ought ever to be without just and equal
system OF internal taxation, which may be les.
sened or enlarged, as public exigencies may
require. And the late administration commit
ted an egregious, ii not a fatal error IN re-
sfsasling those taxes which Mr.. Gallatin now
.sropoSss. TO revive: Do our zyise Legislators
mean no revenue to moet the heavy
s~xRcssEsnres Required by THEN, present mea-
ssnresa Dostfey expect to obtain loans with
out providing fer the interest, and giving a
stable pIsage for the principal If such be
their reliance disgrace and misery, not glory
and success, must be the issue of our present
undertaking.
- Having, We trg,st, reeonci!ed these two emf
ncnt sia,esmsrs, SIR. Giles and Mr.. Gallatin,
vith each other, and brought them again to a
e2ajoiaf ersfiion OF their sfieadId talents--let
rs now turno attention to the more serious
part Of our subject.
To carry On TIE proposed war of conquest