Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-07-03

in strains Of plaintive compassion, the hard /
fate OF honest industry, compelled to sa.
cri!ice a portion of its annual gaius for the
support Of decentralization they sound
the tocsin OF alarm to the people to repei
those from their confidence, who cannot
conduct a government without revenue.
All this, we say, is amusing-why, we
shall presently see.
We are uofriends to heavy taxes or ex-
pensve government. We have govern
ment, by the blessing of Providence, the
most perfect in existence. There is no
country in which less bread is taken by
government from Weymouth oflabouf ,or less
from the superfluities of those who are
happy in abundance. There is no govern
ment in. which the revenue is as cheaply
collected, or as economically disbursed
1t has been thought necessary. to enable
the government to avail itself Of its expe
rience OF its own wants and weakness, and
to supply the one and tortify the other, To
continue Ill force, for year or two to
come, portion of those taxes laid durin.
war. This, it always appeared to US, was
the part Ut wisdom and forecast, and that
to have acted otherwise, would have been
the blindest improvidence. 1t is much
such an expenditure as that of the farmer,
who pays ten dollars to repair his fence
Tor want ofwhich, were he to neglect it,
he might lose field OF wheat or crop of
corn, worth hundred times as much.
Such expenditures are the dictate of wis
dom, even though the nation in the one
case, and the farmer in the other, find it
necessary to curtail their other cxpences
to the same amount.
1t appears then to be very groundless
clam0r, that the federalists would raise
against this Direct tax, seeing, besides,
that our Legislators by law limited that
tax, alter reducing il one half, to one gear
from the passage of the act. But histo-
rical fact will shew with what grace they.
in particular. can pretend to commiserate
the late OF the distressed people. When
the bill for reducing the Direct Tax on the
United States from six to three millions,
and continuing it one year, came, to the Sc
nate from the House of Representatives, a
motion was made, by federal gentleman.
TO strike out the limitation, so as to make
the Tax perpetual! This motion was sup
ported with great zeal by MIR. King, and
other leading iederalsts and was voted
for by large majority, ifnot every one of
the'lederalists, and by one or two republic
Cans. 1t failed, however, by republican
votes the advocates ofperpetual taxation
were foiled for this time-whereat thew
were vastly grieved, and in the public
prints muttered every thing but blessings
on those who were opposed to their pro-
,Ject OF endless direct taxation of fhe nen.
pie. 1t was impossible, the Federal Re
publican said, we remember on that occa-
sion, to stimulate the Democrats to any
thing like high manly feelipg-whicb
means. good reader, that the Republicans.
true to their principles, refused to agree to
perpetual land-tax. Whether they act
ed rightly or not, the people must decide !:
but certain It's, that the eloquence and
zeal OF MIR. King were wasted. as the Fede.
raj Republican lamented in indignant he.
rolcs. in vain attempts to urge the mulisb
JacObins to an unlimited taxation of lands
and slaves.
who is not amused, then, with the cIa-
mors OF faction. when they are detected in
such whimsical blunders as this about their
own principles e--.tat. Int.
Enos t. Throop has resigned his seat in
Congress as Representative from n.
York, alleging as his reason, the dissatis.
faction OF his constituents with his vote ON
the compensation bill, &c. is greatly TO
be regretted that the nation should be de.
prived of that gentleman's excellent Ia
Tents and useful information, because he
did not undervalue his own time and
services.-ib.
We are glad to learn, that between four
and 500 Swiss emigrants are now nm
their passage to this country, hayinr with
them money to considerable amount.
aurora
From the Baltimore Putriot.-Juae 90
THE SCHOONER ROMP.
AS gross misrepresentation are circuIa
ted III relation to the Schooner Romp. orI
Santatecino, as wellas destinations thrown
out against the reputation OF some of the
most honorable and respectable merchants
III the United States, Se state, for nuLI;c
information, hat Admiral Thomas TavIor
who signs the instructions TO the Officers
OF the Santafecino, as a citizen of Buenos
Ayres, has been IN the service fourteen mr.
fifteen years, and was sent to this country
by the BueDos Ayres government Ie |
brouuhf nuhlic fttnds ,,,;tlS l.: ~