Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-26

government) by giving sanction 10 the idea that
mere are abuses here. Sir. would respectfully
submit II TO that gentleman whether the affections
anu confidence OF the people will be most weak,
eheu by the suppression OF inquiry, and thereby
producing upon the public mind the imnression
mat we are disposed TO connive at and accuescc in
abuses or by pursuing inquiry, 10 show deter
,hinauon either TO purify the government from IA
buses, IL they exist or 10 clear il of the oium and
suspicion OF them, if they do not exist.
-. out Sir, the gentleman from Pennsylvania took
sun holder ground. He not only said that there
was fso sufficient proof labIses calling for re-
toruis but ne attempted 10 show that in fact there
are no abuses; and that the administration OF the
government IS distinguished by extraordinary eco
nomy. Sir, how did he make this out By re-
viewing the financial operations of the government
or uie iast Twelve years, from 1915 to 1927, and
exhibiting their accumulated results. He told us
mat within that period, 40 millions of the public
deDt had been paid Oh, besides maintaining the ar
my the navy, the civil list and all the other
niahches oi the public service; and seemed to re-
~ upon TINS as conclusive proof of the economical
administration of our finances Sir the first re-
marx which occurs upon this statement is that.
admitting Its sutticiency as evidence of economy
* uoeS not prove, what Is the only matter with
when we have any concern, that the administra-
non oil the government is, at the present tiine an
economical one. II could prove only that in times
past, there has been economy
put, SIR, waive this objection, and win 40 back
with The honorable gentleman in his reti4spect
Is II not little singular that while the gentleman
was telling us OF the amount of debt which had
Deen paid oil, and the expenses which had been
met ny inc government, as evidence 0f its ee0no-
~ II oid not occur to him that he ought TO have
told us something of the means which had been
put at Its disposal for the accomplishment of these
oDects. Economy, sir, is relative thing; it de-
penis on the proportion between the results which
nave pceh accomplished, and the resources which
nave been furnished for accomplishing them.
Now, sir, what were the resources of the GOV
eminent during those twelve years, from which
the honorable gentleman has collected the results
ne SO iondly displayed TO the admiration of the
house, why, sir, more than 800 millions of dol
idrs During several years of the period ipcIud-
ed In the honorable gentleman's retrospect we had
Girect taxes and a system of internal revenue and
from those sources, added to the customs the sales
OF Puoic land, and the bank bonus and dividends
the whole revenue which flowed into the nublic
treasury, from 1915 to 1927 considerable exceed
ed SOO millions of dollars! now, sir with such
und as this at its disposal is it proof either of ex
t,ao,rdinary irugality, or of consummate financial
1Niii IN le government, to have paid off 20 mil
Mons OF debt, and betrayed its current expensesi
4 ne average annual receipts of the government
curing ms period, amounted to more than % mil
hons We will suppose that about 10 millions
"sie ahhuaiiy applied to the principal and inter
est oil the public debt. The ordinary current ex-
PeiiSes oil the government NAV have amounted to
,hout another sum es 10 millions snnt.aiiv. amt
tfiere then remained sum of 5 millions 10 he ex-
pended ad Hbitum. How the honorable gentle
the economy of the government, cannot con-
ceive.
But, sir, the gentleman from Pennsylyania ex
ho'eo ailother view OF this subject, for the pur-
pose oil showing us how lightly we are taxed for
the support OF our Institutions He told ms that
the whole expenditure of the government for the
year 1876, was p millions of dollars which. as
sessed upon our twelve millions Of populations pro-
oaces charge OF only two dollars head while
according to statement he made, the taxation Of
the British people amounts TO fifteen dollars head
Observing, Tin passing uIerely) that the gentle
man has stated the amount of public burtbens in
Ic"i britain enormous as they certainly are, at
higher rate than have ever seen any authori
" Ter, think shall be able TO satisfy him. ina :
ne mas put our own much too low. His statement
pretermits several important items, which I'M
doubtedly enter largely into our cor,nl;catoJ 49,,
teInof public burthen.
! lie seemed TO assume the amount of DUTIES p,id
10 the Government, as the full measure of Aneri
can taxation. But sir, this is not So II is true
that the proceeds of the duties are all which the
government receives, but they are not all mai tbe
people pay. The merchant, who pays The duties
TO the government in advance, must have his ira
Jtf upon That advance included in the price OF hs
goods and this profit, repeated and muItn,ied
through series oil exchanges, amounts at last to
heaVy TAX upon The consumer, over and abnve
the amount of duties paid to the 0overnment :
he ordinary amount Of duties is tuceull,-0dd Mil
mons, and the usual mercantile profit of s o,n
80 Id 10 % per cent. upon that sum- would raise
- ""o'o SIi"i &c imposed by the General Gov
eminent, to about thirty millions of dollars R,,t
to ascertain the full amount of public burlhens
tanned by the people of this country Won must
also take into the account the taxes imposed nv the
state governments, with all their subordinate In
cal JURISDICTIONS, comPrehending, besides the
general revenue Of the State, the country Ie,ies
'ne parish rates, and numerous other public ex
actions, OF one sort another which have becn
estimated by most able staist, as well as states
man, CCoi benton, of the Senate y at a round surn
OF hoeHty millions ofdOIlars more
we nave thus a grand total of ffiy riiUip1s Of
d0H0TS, instead OF twenty odd millions for the a
mount OF public contributions levied ,,nor H.
people of this country, which, deductinp rom or
/ population two millions for slaves who nav moth
ilig, makes charge upon the residue of five in
stead OF two dollars, head Now sir. this does
! appear TO me TO be enormous load Of taxation
/ even Tor much older people than we are and
accordingly, one OF thc most profound politicians
! OF 'he old world, the celebrated Talleyrand las
mas Dcen stated elsewhere by the gentleman 10
whom have already alludod,) in graduating the
actual taxation OF different countries has placed ms
upon the scale IN middle position between Great
britain, the most heavily taxed and France the
next most heavily taxed country (but for the ex
cePuon nc makes of u.s. in the world
nut, SIR, the comparison which the gentleman
4 from Pennsylvania made between this country
ana great britain, Tor the purpose Of showing the
Teiaivc moderation Of our public burthens IS OBJ
tlOusly U1VdW, in many respects. The British
! government ~ now nearly eight centuries Old
anu during that time has been engaged in a long
succession Of wars, foreign and domestic, which
nave accumulated upon il an iInmense mas Of pub-
NC ocpt' 10 pay the interest Of this debt and
Whatever portion Of its principal il may and AT the
same iime 10 support tie cumbrous and EXPENSIVE
esldpshinents which result from its political or
ganization, Il must impose upon its subjects
weigh OF ssxation equal 70 their utmost capacity