The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-28

the revenue WAS daily &C cteEsir1g,. il was il
nc same report preposedt that all The ex-
istii,g duties should be doug ted on important
ems subsequent to the first day of January
leC9. rs the net revenae accruisg from
customs during the three years, 1909. lSIl
and 1911, has without any increase OF du-
ues exceeded twenty-six millions of dollars,
1t fot'nws, that il the measure then submit
ted had been adopted, we should, after
making q larg1, deduction for any supposed
auntnution OF consumption arising from the
proposed incrcase, have had at this time a.
bout tsse3sf millions Of dollars on hand, a
sum gre:ifcr thar the net amount OF the pio-
posed insefnal taxes for four. years.
proportion as the ability to borrov is
diminished, the necessity Of icsortine TO tax
alton is Increased. 1t IS therefore also pro-
Per to observe, that At that time the sub
lect of the renewal of the charter of the
Bank OF the United States had been referred
by the Senate tothe Secretary of the Trea-
sury, nor had any symptoms. appeared from
which It's absolute dissolution without any
s'sias.t:itc cs.sisi hnse then 8.n anticipat ted
The renewal in some shape, and on a more
extensive scale, was confidently relied on
and, accordingly, in the report made during
The same session to the Senate, the proeri-
ETY. OF increasing the capital of the Bank to
thirty millions Of dollars was submitted,
with the condition that that institution should,
IT required, be obliged to lend one-half of
ITS capital to the United States. The a.
mount thus loaned might, without any in
convenience, have been Increased to twenty
millions. And with twenty millions of dol
lars in hand, and loans being secured for
twenty millions more, without any increase
Of the stock of the public debt at market,
internal taxation would have been unueces-
= ~ fNs. lf loo
other resource been wanted than an additi
onal annual loan of FIVE millions a sum
sufficiently moderate to be obtained from in
dlviduals, and on favorable terms
These observations are made only in re-
terence to the finances and "esnurces of tine
general government. Considerations of n
different nature have, on both these subjects.
produced different result, which makes a
resort to internal taxes now necessary, and
will render loans more difficult 10 obtain, 8,
heir terms less favourable. But the re-
sources ofthe country remain the same and
! 4 promptly and earnestly brought into acti-
m, will be found amply sufficient to meet the
present emergency With respect to inter-
nal taxes, the whole amount to be raised is
so moderate, when compared either with the
| population and wealth of the United States
or with the burthens laid on European natl
ons by their governments, that no doubt ex.
lists of the ability or will of the people t.
pay, without any real Inconvenience, and
With cheertuness, the pr posed WAR
| TAKES. For it is illhopcd, that the or
| binary heace revenue of the United States
will be sufficient to reimburse, within rea.
sonable period, the leans obtained durine
the war, and that neither perpetual and
increasing public debt, nor permanent sys
tenn OF ever progressing taxation shall be
entailed on the nation. These evils cannot
however, be otherwise avoided than by the
speedy organization of certain revenue
| Delays in that respect, and a reliance on
indefinite loans to defray the war expendi-
ture, the ordinary expenses of government
and the interest on the loans themselves
| would be equally unsafe and ruinous would
In short time injure public credit, impair
| the national resources, and ultimately render
much heavier and perpetual taxes absolutely
necessary.
OF the gross amount Of five millions O
dollars, to be now provided according to the
| preceding estimates, by internal taxation, ii
| is respectfully proposed, that three million.
should be raised by a direct tax, and two
millions by indirect taxes.
The Sum OF three millions will not, con
sidering the increase of population, be much
greater direct tax, than that of two millions
voted in the year 1898. To this, permit mt
to add another view of the subject
The direct taxes laid BY The several states
during the last years Of therevoutionarvw war
we're generally more heavy than could bs
paid with convenience. But during the year
lIS5 to 1889 an annual direct tax of NOR,
chan 100000 dollars (S205 1897 was raised
| IN Pennsylvania, which was not oppressive
and was paid with great punctuaiity. Tn,
increase OF population Of that state, betwce,
the years 1877 and 1912, is in the ratio O
about 4 to 9. A tax Of 100000 dollars paw.
able in the year 1878, is not higher in pro
portion to population alone & without REGARD
even t. the still greater inCre ase Of weaitI
and ~ circulating medium, than tax o
100000 dollars was in the year 1887. bnt
| thequota OF Pennsylvania, on tax st three
millions OF dollars, will Counting Orleans a
state,) hardly exceed 365 600 dollars
The proposed tax will therefore, so far
relates to Pennsylvania, be near copper cent
hghter, in proportion to the respective DO
pulation, than that paid during the wear
1855 to 1889.
The rn;e Of appoftionmcnt, prescribed b,
tine Constitution, operates with perhaps a
much equality is practicable, i'm rclat,o
to states not mlterially differing IN weaitI
and situation. II may therefore be inferred
that direct tax which IS mot greater. tina,
Pennsylvania can pay with facility, will no
| press heavily upon any Of the other Atlanta
states. It is only in reference to the west
crn states, that the Constitutional rule q
apPortionment, according to The RESPECTIVE