Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-10
COMMUNICATIONS.
IN THE CITIZENS OF ALEXANDRIA.

III. ANNA, election for Members Of the
common Council for The ensuing year be-
IA. near A. hand, and the circumstances III
wh;ch we are now placed rendering II Of vital
;,,nor,ance 10 The best interests OF the town
,h.I /. iudicioos selec ion for that impor'an' oil
6er should be made, will, l trust, be sufficient
apo,osy for calling your attention 10 The suojett
IT this time
The loan TO complete the payment OF your
subscription 20 the Chesapeake and Ohio "a
nal has been obiained, and the amount VIII DC
paid in July nex': provision must, 'hereiere, DC
made TO nav The interest on the whole amount
of tina, loan after tina, period The STATE OF
Vireipi., contrary to her usual hberaiisy' mas
refused TO subscribe 10 tine Middle Turnpike
Road; we are, therefore, left exclusively 70 our
own resources TO complete that road, sho IL
must be completed: il is OF vital fmPor'ah0s''
our prosperity; and ways and means must DC
devised 10 raise the additional supplies heee''
saty TO meet these objec's.
The time has therefore arrived, whe" II 'as
become necessary 10 select, for Members o, ne
Common Council, men who are not only ~ re-
s,ec,able character. Of sound and discriminat.
ING Judgment, but who possess general aho
intimate aeon aintance with the character ol our
nopula,ion, heir resources and obill'y to con
tribute 10 the supplies necessary tor The puohc
service: who have talents and independence 10
originate. and furnaces sufficient 10 CARY INFO
eff.c, such measures as will have tendency 10
relieve The ci,iz ms from unnecessary burthens,
and 10 eoualize those which are absolutely ne
cessaiy 20 sustain the public credit
Our taxes are already heavy-They operate
unruualy, and ore therefore orerous TO certain
portions Of our ciiizens.-rhey must, nolwitb'
S audng, be considerably increased. New sub
Ircts of taxation mus, he >rugh' for, and they
mus, b. aade to be ar more equally On all class
es Of our citzrns: and il will quire all The a.
Tents and weigh Of character OF our best mrn
10 effec, these objrcs, and TO carry them into
tx, cution; aud, therefore, such only should Dr.
elected 20 the Common Council, TO whom these
important duties are assigned.
Iha, the subject Of taxation Is one OF great
dlffieu''y, I am well aware; and that no AK can
De Levied that will no., in some degree, operate
urequslly, | am willing 10 admit. Bu' to les
sen this inequaliiy as much as possible, is The
du,y Of every wise Legislature, and, as il regards
US. that Of our Common Council; and, there
fore, il becomes of great importance TO us TO
make ivd,oious selection for that impo' TAM
Office /, is no, my intention, however, TO 20
mo a discussion of ,axa'ion generally: my pre-
sen, object ixnAo show TO my felow-ci'izens
tina, our sssunder the present system, ope-
rate un,qually, and, as conceive, nnJuslly
and oppiessivrly on some portions oil the COM
muniry. aud that, therefore, change oil thai
system has become necessary.
To prove hat our taxes, under the present
sys'em, operate unequaliy, it is only necessary
10 submit few facts which are familiar 10 us
all, which 1 will now do. a drayman, (and
here are many such) who has a large family
dependent upon his exertions alone Tor a sub
| sistence, has only one horse and dray, by the
means Of which he obtains q scapty support,
worth, perhaps, sixty dollars (ofien not so
much0 pays tax Tor that horse and d'ay 81
three doll rs, besides other taxes, wien mer
CYAN. who nas capis' in actual business "t
| 82O, 900 which h urns ovr' two Or 'hree times
in :ue wear, a : pr f Of or 5000 dollars,
pays only tax 1910. Nav, is lh' re not great
Inequality here? Ag1i A poor widow with
hsif dozen child en-, with 20 o hsr means OF
So por, for hers, IL and children than her own
labor, OF perhaps snail shop, the contents OF
hich is not wor h one .undred dollars, land,
therefore, her smhs,s'-nce niseraby &C anty and
,recarious,) Su, one small house and lot, on
whioh she reside,, valued BY The Assessors at
$1,000 when il would no sell for onr-thiid
n a amount, pays ak "frighi dollars, beeid,>
o. her taxes Now, compare mis- widows 81
,us,ion (aad Their are many even worse with
the merchant shove mentioned, and add to u
that the merchan, - wi'hou' family, has no
foot Of real property, and yet deri'rs oil tn
benefit, and muC h more ,hsn he widow from
the improvements for which the taxes arr le
ved-anG then Say If ,herr'is no, grea' inequa
lily in you pr sent sys"mzof TAX ion, direct
and pslpabe injustice aud oppressio" in such
a system, ADD il! it does not rrq"i'e ref r"iug.
4 SUBSCRIBER.
To be continued