Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-30

tract from MIR. Jefferson's Inaugural
Speech of 1905, which conspicuous
democratic paper of that day presents to
its readers, with several very comforta-
bic reflections, as will be hereafter
seen.
EXTRACT.
AT home, fellow citizens, you best
know whether we have done well or ill.
The suppression Of unnecessary Offices
of useless establishments and expenses,
enabled us to discontinue our internal
taxes. These covering our land with
officers and opening our doors to their
intrusions, had already begun that pro-
cess of domicila'y yexatisn which, nnce
entered is scarcely to be restrained from
reaching successfully every article of
produce and property"
Here the Editor, filled with rapture
and astonishmcnt at this picture of ma
tional prosperity, exclsims:
I" What a contrast The American
republis happy, prosperous, * grovins
into mighty importance while desiruc-
ton, bankruptcy, ard oppressive bur
thens, threaten the annihilation of the
British nation. Tax upon tax is levied
upon all classes of pooplr--they must
be paid, and the payment robs them OF
that which thousands want re proc are
the necessaries of life. But 10 America
1t is very different. We may use the
language bf our worthy President, and
ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what
laborer sees taX.gatherer OF the United
States" Our wise and economics in
ternal and external regulations have en-
abied government to discontinue al III
tcrnal taxes, and at the same time rapi'-
Iy TO diminish the national debt. Bot in
G Britain, with areysnue of 23,000,00Ol.
sterling, loan Of nearly that amount is
required to defray the extraordinary ex-
penscs Of government. 0 Protigality
where is thy blush ~
These are precious morccaus, and de-
serve little chewing. The President
Jefferson rests his claim to the approbai
ton of his fellow citizens, upon the sup
preston Of unnecessary cEees, useless
establishments q erhences, and tie diss
Continuance Of interna! tares. Now, as
the servant is not greater than his mas
ter, it is fair to put tho claims Of the
present Chief Magistrate u2on the same
footing, & to test his conduct by the same
criteria. But alas how far short does he
TALL of the glory which his predecessor
has on this occasion SO modestly taken
to himself.
A fatal war has multiplied be-
yond example unnecessary Offices, use-
less establishments, enormous c,xpences,
and oppressive, internal taxes A host
of officers, p!acemen and contractors
swarm over the land, and f,tren upon
The labors of the people. An army OF
sixty thousand men is to be raise q. aud
iour thousand officers are to. ccmnanc
it. Each man Of this immense army in
ciuding the officers, must be paid,
aceording 20 the eSpence OF the MI
litary establishments for the last year,
The sum of nine hundred dollars-jT
M millions, should this vast army. be
brought into the field, will scarce
Is defray its necessary expenees. In
stead OF diminishing the national debt
The government has already increased II
by thirty millions of dollars borro~edt"
relieve its immediate eXigencics; and to
discharge the interest of this sum, Tax
as of,he most oppressive kind are to be
levied upon call classes of the people,
These taxes must be faia, and every
g Farmer" everg Mechanic" every
6 Laborer" must prepare to meet "she