Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-06-03
VERMONT EGRAP H.


of horse tooth corn, or a little more than
peck of medL,an ounce Of salt, and, where
slaves are rerg well treated, taco or three
pounds of pork or bacon. or too or three
smoked Gtea0ires per week. constitute the
sum total of the taxable necessaries and
luxunes allowed for the table, (the ground
hut) of the southern laborer.
There are certain prurient and prag-
matical prigs of the skin aristocracy. who |
have been whirled through the south in
stage-coaches, and looked big in southern
hotels, who may holly deny the truth of
this representation. They will say that
slaves do not sleep on the ground, because
they have seen them sleeping on the kich-
en- and entry floor and that they do not
eat peck of corn, because they have seen
them eating cold victuals, &C. The opin-
ions and statements of this class, we leave
out of the case. Every man and woman,
who knows the southern slave system,
will confirm every word we have said or
be silent on the subject.
AS an example TO illustrate the princi-
pie we have explained, take sugar and
moiasses. The taxes paid on these arti-
cles by the free States are upward of one
million OF dollars per annum more than
they would be if the same amount of taxes
were apporioned according 10 population,
and upwards of Sia hundred Thousand dol
lars more than if the same amount of mo-
ney were raised by direct tares, according
to the theory of the constitution. Thus
IN twenty years, the free states have paid
on sugar. and molasses alone, at least
taceLce millions more than their Just and
constitutional proportion of the taxes.-
I Apply the same calculation 10 the tax on
woollens and caIicoes, and the results will
be more astounding. Thus the richest
I and largest part of the country with 'the
best system of labor in the world in the
first place stipulates for exemption from
burdens equal to those imposed on poor
er and smaller section, with qoorse sys-
tenn OF labor, and then avoids the payment
of great part of the little, which it did
assume
But we have not told the whole, nor
the worst, concerning this unequal and
unconstitutional system of taxation
/ 1t might have been expected that on
stutts for clothing, which the Shareholders
cannot grow, and must buy, imrartiai,y
of taxation $50 far as the constitution ad
mits it) would have naturally recovered its
equilibrium. So far from il, this branch
forms the most aggravated part of the bu.
siness.
The farmers, mechanics, laborers, and
even paupers of the free States. canno,
, have woollen garment without paving q
tax of 40 per cent on We cloth, which
] will amount TO two or three dollars on an
ordinary coat, and SO cents 10 a dollar and
5 a half on woollen vest or pautaloons.-
, A poor woman can not buy bit of fan
f mel or baize without paying tax of le
: cents yard, or about 80 per cent, which
amounts 10 so cents on garment for her
self, and rs cents for her child; and she
can not have cloak or shawl of wool
without paying tax of 40 ger cent, OF
one or two dollars on a shawl, and fou,
, or five dollars on the cloak.
5 The wealthy and boastful southern
, planter, on the other hand, has the coarse
woollens, which he wants for his bond.
men and women, admitted at five pei
, cent, which would amount to about 25
r cents on complete suit for an able slave,
! equal to the tax paid On free child's
! pettlcoatl The coarse wool of which
t negro cloths are made, $50 far as they are
made in this couutry,) is imported free Of
! duty; so that, whether those cloths are o.
!; foreign or domestic manufacture. the
STAKEHOLDER obtains them at an enormous
and unrighteous advantage over the free
$ working men ard women of the North
Again, the truckle bed of laborer's
cottage, or of the almshouse, must have a
, blanket or two in winter, on which there
r is tax oil rs to SO cents: while the mar.
r brow Indian blanket provided for slave
: and serving him for great coat by dav
S and coverld TO his plank bed by night
$ pays tax of three to five cents only!
D The summer wear of slaves, CONSISTING
e OF coarse hempen or tow cloln, called os
5 naburgs and bnrlaps, is imported duty
I Tree Cotton osnaburgs. product of our
: own factories, come now also very cheap.
: This IS the result OF the improvement and
competition in our manufactures. which
: the tariff has brought about, Of this re-
t suit we are happy to say that the benefit
f IS open to The notthern free laborer, and
? the southern Shareholder in common: but
: then 1t is TO be observed that the former
4 mad to bear alone the high prices which
7 the tariff occasioned during The transition
= from The foreign to the domestic supply.
Can any rejecting man believe ,ha, the
statesmen, who have been cunning and
powerful enough to impose such system
OF taxation upon the enlightened and acute
North' will be so stupid and passive as to
: permit war, which is now kept in bag,
and is pleasant and thriving speculation,