Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-05-23
G There Is ne MANN, says this french I

writer more sacred than that taxes and
mposts ought only to be charged On re,
venue, and that he who possesses no re-
venue should pay nothing. Il is sad g g
think that the most productive lmposts 9
|excises have been imagined and proposed
with the sole view of reaching tile poor:
because they compose the great mass o.
|all nations. '--AUTHoR.
Note upoa i;.-Ihis remark is just
The tax on salt or black teas, on sugar, or
spirits operate chiefly on the great mass.
|af least in a much greater ratio than on
the rich in proportion to their means. a
direct land tax is on the whole the most
lust, though NEST governments, and none
more than orr present one are too Gun
ming to demand openly the money ne
|csssary to the support OF government.
While they can witlldsawit from the sub
sistence Of the poor by devious means,
withe1t glamour or odium. I think our
system OF indirect taxation in the Unit.
ed States is carried little too far, and
that it will fnally be found to be iniu.
rious to agriculture, and manufactures.
in short toindustry generally. 1t is uu-
questionabIy the ,hirty millions which
are now raised on the people, that are
the cause OF tie high price OF iabour, and
of all articles OF consumption, foreign and
domestic. Ahis must eventually be in
iurious TO our foreign trade anG The stag
nation Of mat will again be felt most
deeply oy the Iabouring and poorer class
at hons. How then are the 80 millions
to be IA sed when such time arrives :
We may one day or other perceive the
folly Of mourning such debt for ne ma
tional or justifabie object,
There is one tax in France too ridicu.
lousy oppressive to be credible without
such nigh authority.
1t is the tax On all bankrupt estates
The author says, I" the injustice is more
|revolting literally crying) in case Of the
duties on bankruptcies. The duty is
charged or the whole amount of debts
due by the bankrupt, aud it sometimes
happens that the duty exceeds the diyi-
Idend Of the creditors"
Mr.. Walsh and Mons. D'Ivernois have
Iendeavored to give US pretty sombre
picture of the expressions Of the French
financial system, but they have said no.
thing equal TO this that the greater the
Insolvency, the greater the loss Of the
citizens, the larger shall be the gains of
the government.
Some of this distinguished and judi
cious writer's reflections on the effects
OF indirect taxes, especially on articles
consumed by all classes Of people are as
follows -
/" They are principally supported by
| the laborious classes"
This is strictly true if you compare
their proportion Of the tax WITH their
whole income and expenditures.
They invite frauds, informations,
HATRED and vengeance among neigbbcrs.
They require declarations on cath, domi-
'ciiary visits, o,tfous examinations, dai-
Ity supetintenaance OF the affairs Of indi-
siduals. They require a rigorous penal
code in order TO deter the flauduleut.-
they afford the government the means
of INCREASING their taxes at pleasure,
without ahffarding to the Individuals al
fected reasonable mode Of redress. n
short their collection is extremely costly,
and requires an army Of officers who
would be more proftably employed in
sooae laborious calling"
These remarks are certainly just, and
no country is more likely to feel their
Justice than we are. We, who changed
our rulers for no other reason than TO get
I'D Of all indirect taxes !! This is anus
|ipg!
|0fthe honorable sfnte Of .Nisi stsrs Ct Re-
lSgi0n IN France.
The able author whose writings have
furnished US with these notes is deeply
with the degraded state of re-
|ligien and the Clergy In France. lie says
tile salaries of the clergy are too small,
the great cities and depart
|ments.Ae recommends that in the towns
where the price of living is very great,
the salary of the curates or Officiating
clergy should be raised to 700 francs, or
lac dollars year +! 4 in other towns
to600 francs or 100 dollars year -
i'' 4 his would be an encouragement, he
says. for greater humber to enter the
profession" -! This suggests many III
Iterestipg thoughts. First the low state
to which the christian religion must be
reduced in France when protested
friend to the clergy recommends an adj
dition to their allowance so as to make
their wages equal to SIS cents per day