Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-24
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MsSCEHLANE OUS.

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All taxes uneqnal are demonstrations
al. All taxes, direct or indirect, ON
the necessaries uf Lie are, in point ot
fact, unequal, and therefore unconSu-
tutional
These assertions may require eXpia-
nation. 1t may be asked eft J., a
working man, pay tax of five cents on
the sugar use in my family, aud il my
rich neighbor paws the same, can this
be called unequal T. We answer, yes.
Does no, the tax weigh equally OH us
both Z" We answer, no.
The working men have been persua-
ded, that taxes on The necessarles OF
life a,e equal taxes. Let them look
narrowly into this subject. No tax can
be called equal, but that which requires
as great a per centage from the rich as
from the poor. A tax which should
require the man who has an income of
$500 year, to pay four per cent, upon
it, while it requires from him who has
to the amount of 10000 year, only
one per cent, on his income, would be
styled an infamous tax. The country
Woutu flSC NY aSoihSs W
The legislato, who proposed and sup
ported it, would be set down as a trail
tor to republican principles. Yet such
are all taxes on the necessarleS or COM
mon comforts of life. Take the tax Of
five cents on sugar as an instance
The man whose income is $500
year. will use, If hls family be large,
dOn lk,, Of ariu 'Ihn IN
on that quantity Is $50; that Is four
pei cent. on his income. The man
whose income rises to $40 900 year,
cannot easily use or waste more than
1000 lbs. of sugar, the tax on which is
$lO0, that is, one pei cent. OH his in-
come.
1t is evident, therefore, that this tax
on sugar is thus paid at the rate of four
per cent per annum, by him who is
the least able to pay it.; and at the rate
of one per cent. per ann. by him who
rolls in riches. Were the inequality
the other way, something might be
said in its defence. And il is, all the
taxes on the necessaries and common
comforts Of life, are continuance TO
tiIC ppc- cShi wiz Jul
den OF government.
A fair income, or property tax, sup
posing it could be Justly levied, would
bear much more equally and impartial
ly OIL the people. Take for instance
the above case, in which $3.50 is paid
by two men, whose yearly incomes to-
gcth"r amounts to YlO,500. Ifit had
been levied by an equal per centage,
that per centage would have been one
and a seventh for both-ior one and a
seventh per cent, OF $4,000 is $3.50.
In that case the poorer citizen would
have paid five dollars and about seven
,y-one cents, (instead of S26 and the
richer citizen one hundred and four
teen dollars, and about twenty-nine
cents, (instead Of $lO0) BY the pre-
sent conlrivance, a yearly burden Of
fourteen dollars and twen,ynine cents
is saved to the receiver OF $4,000 a
year, aud unfairly thrown upon him
who receives but $500 year.
This will apply to all taxes on arti"
cles which are used equally by the rich
and poor And that such articles have
hitherto been thus taxed, IS proof that
legislators do not think or ACT for
the q greatest good Of the greatest nun.
ber.'-N. Y paper.
TIE Daady.-If there is any object
on elrtb deserving Of especial contempt
OF unqualified detcslation, it is the
modern fashionable exquisite, yclcpd
in common parlance, dandy. He is
thing made up of starch and linen
OF whalebone and corset-the dressed
puPpet Of the tailor and barber-a To-
connective automaton whose ideas new
er rise higher than the arrangement Of
a dickey, or the display Of watch
chain. Man he is not-woma6 he is
not-human he can hardly be called.
He is weathcrcock turning in the va
riable atmosphere Of fashion--souless
heartless and efFeminate--a direct Ii.
bel upon the human species He can
stand erect. and so can the Ourang
Ouiang. He can grin and bow and
chatter, and so can the monkey.
Yet, how often does creature of
this Observation-Disclosures and penny
Iess-with no recommendation save his |
affected gentility and his fashionable |
exterlor-become the lion Of the day
the favorite OF avilIage Merit and ia
tents give place to the miserable apollo
gy for maphoed. Old friends ere for