The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-07-11
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$4,000


~. - n .ollac,;on 1877 900
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Secondly he said, "A wise policy il is believed
will induce the United States 70 abstain 'chersrsr
practicable from erercising. ne rigm o. faIa'on :"
those subjects orer irtich me Hatp'a""t ou' Po'''s
d concurrent right
T,Aat is the great principle But Mr., Randolph
added
Other reasons concur in producing an opinion
favorable to the repeal Of these duties Ihey con
sist--
l. In the yexation and oppression Of many OF them
some of which are peculiarly obnoxious to our eni-
:,
. In the nature of the excise, which is hostile TO
the genius of free people
3 In the tendency to multiply officers and increase
the patronage of the Executive !,
And he speaks afterwards of the host Of otiieers
which the system required
The Secretary of the Treasury at the time he re-
commended those taxes, had allowed tor loss Oh
fifteen per cent for attachments, erroneous assesshes'
and charges of collection. LII.
Altogether these reasons considered 80 weighy
that for the next ten years the Federal Government
instead of touching that OF revenue by direct
IA alton of which the States had concurrent Juris
dction and by means of which they meet their own
expenses confined itself to duties on imports OF WINCH
by the Constitution il has exclusive control.
The necessities of the war of lSl2 however, com
pelled the Government to have temporary resource
| once more to direct taxes but these 1t abandoned
again Immediately the return OF peace, anu mas
ever since wisely adhered to the raising OF revenue o
| indirect taxation alone for the same reasons WHICH
had previously guided its policy in this respect
Law before YOU some few details of the acts OF 1877
1898 and 1873 in confederation of the objections to
! direct tax summary stated by Mr. Randolph
The Internal duties Of 1877 and l796, were levied
on refined sugar carriages distilled spirits stamps
licences retailers and sales at auction lnose o.
| 1913, applied ALSO to variety of articles ne d.
| rect taxes Of 1893 and of 1913 TO 1913, were on
| houses, lands, and sidres.
The act of 1873 allotted out the United States nto
multitude Of assessment and collection districts
with of necessity host of supervisors inspectors
| collectors and auxiliary officers.
| The yexatons, inseparable from the system, were
SUCH that the stad and prudent State OF rem
syvania broke out in insurrection -
The acts of 1913 and 1915 also allotted out the Y nj
| ted States into numerous assessment and collecton
districts with multitudnous body OF assessors, as
sistant assessors collectors deputy collectors, aho
clerks constituting the machinery by which alone .he
| lands houses and slaves could be assessed ana the
direct taxes on their, and the various internal duues
could be collected Thus, each assessor was TO uiSids
his district into convenient number OF assessment
districts and to appoint assistant assessor Tor eac
Moreover, each collector was to appoint as many ae
puties as he may think proper The board OF asses
sors for each State also had clerk or clerks.
Being at that time in the quiet halls OF the unNer-
sity, occupied in the absorption into my own system
of given quantity OF Latin and GreeR, Matheha't.
and Metaphy have personal knowledge OF th'
working Of those direct the feelings ana sys
tenn of the people but appeal on this point TO the re
collections of all who the stage OF active NE
then to testify whether those taxes were not among
| the sorest pliets of state of war.
And that odous method Of raising revenue IS no"
proposed on the side of the Administration, to serve al
one Of the attendant blessings first fruits OF the Sub
Treasury Bill. -
Task the States whether they prepared to see thu
Federal Government step in, and skim OIL the cream
from all those sources of internal revenue, by mean
Of which their own State Treasures are now supplied
| ask the people of the United States whether the,
are prepared to see the agriculture, mines commerce
manufactures fisheries and forests Of this country
placed at the mercy Of Britain, France, or Germany
ask them whether they wish to see the power AM
In
lection districts spread all the Uned States, WIN
all the inspection and collection machinery Of the Fe
dera Government in ports carried into ever,
town and village in the land, with assessors and as
sstan assessors besides, sent from Washington t
doom and tax their houses, lands, and sidres 7
These are questions which belong to the time, ant
| trust the people will anwcr them in voice of repro
baton suited to the time unless they have lost tina
knack Of the nostrils of their fathers which snuffet
oppression in every tainted gale.
| remain, very faithfully,
Your fellow citizen and friend,
CALEB CUSHING.