Litchfield enquirer., 1841-01-07
TAXATION IN ENGLAND.

NuSOUS UbtO tuG-VtOUSH Ot ~ONOtS NNtG Uu&Ap Ol is placed under she foot-taxes upon every thing which is pleasant to sec, hear, feel, smell or taste-taxes upon warmth, light and aocomotion-taxes on every thing on earth, and in the waters under the earth--On every AhiRg that comes from abroad, or is grown al home-taXeS on the raw material, and on every fresh value that is added to it by the industry of man-taxes on the sauce which pampers mans appetite and on the drug which restores him to health--On the ermlne which decorates the indge, and the rope which hangs the criminal !! on the poor mans salt and the rich msn's spice-on the brass nails of the coffin, and the ribbons ot the bride-at bed or board, couchnnt or ievant, VIC must pay. The school boy whips his taxed top-the bcardless youth manages his taxed horse with taxed bridle, on a taxed road-and the dying EDglishman, pouring his medicine, which has paid seven per cent, into a silver spoon, which has paid fifteen per cent, filings himself back upon his chintz bed, which has paid twenty two per cent and expires in the arms of . taxed apotheca- ry, who has paid license of GlOO sterling, for the privilege ot practising his calling {! His whole property is then taxed from two to ten per cent; and, besides the probate, large fees are demanded for burying him in the chancel his virtues are handed down to posterity upon taxed marble, and he is at length gathered to his tathers-to be taxed no more !-English Paper.
 SOMETHING CuR1ous.-Clipping a quill editorial yesterday, we found in the midst of it., closely embedded in and incorporated with the pulp of the quill, n long, large, black looking needle, encrusted with rust.- This set us to pondering incontinently how ho uooI1o Cos,1d hovo found cl1Oh ahiAinn place?
 The thing was neither rich nor rare
 The wonder was, how came 1t there ?
 One only natural inference remained which was that the gander or goose which was the original proprietor or proprictress ot the quill, had s,callo,ced it; that it gradually worked itself forth from the maw through the skin, and incorporated itself with one of the pen.feathers, and thus the quill grew to maturity with the needle within.
 Our first impression was to endow nu- scum with this amazing production but we have concluded to retain it, for the examina. tion of any ofthe "gentle public" who may choose to call at our office to behold it, in pairs or singly.-Phi. Gag.
 Moral Suasion.--We copy the following from the Baltimore Sun-it shows the happy results of moral suasion in the cause of Temperance: e." ..t ~..,. I.
 One of the most extraordinary moral re- formations that has ever taken place in this country has been in progress in our city for the last nine months. Its origin we will briefly state. Six or seven men who had for years abandoned themselves to the bru- taliZing effects of intemperance, formed a resolution, while in D tavern, and surround ed by every thing to tempt their morbid ap- .petitcs, that henceforth they would not again touch, taste or handle strong drink Acting upon this resolution at once, they formed "Total Abstinence Society,"" the members of which, like themselves, should be of those who had been habitual drunk ards. This was the first step. The next was to go to their old boon companions, and by argument and persuasion endeavor to bring them into their association. Their success was beyond expectation. Men who had for years resisted the entreaties of friends, and the prayers and tears of their suffering families, acted upon by some new and strange impulse, laid aside the cup of confusion and ranged themselves upon the side of temperance. Thus, by steady and rapid acOessions, the society grew into strength and importance. and at this time numbers over POO members.
 Terrible Calam;iy.-One of the most heart. rending calamities we ever heard of, occur. red in Berkshire, on Monday night. The house of MT. Jesse Smith, a respectable in- habitant of that town, took fire and was burned to the ground, together aUitA aN tke in- mates, consisting of Mr. Smith, his wife, and three children, the youngest of which was eight years old. ...
 It is remarkable that the fire was not dis. covered by the neighbors, until they arose in Ahe morning, when the building was nearly burned down. Not single individual saw '16e fire; and the house and family were consumed by the devouring element, without the knowledge of any, save Him who seeth all things. How the fire originated is left to conjecture, none being Jeff to tell the sad story. One child, a girl of l6 years, was absent from home, and she alone is left of this hapless family.
 Since the above was put in type, we learn discovered. The surviving daughter, we understand, says that her father was in the habit of making large fire in the stove, just before retiring to bed, and of putting wood .on Ahe top of the stove, which he intended for {: :kindiing in the morning. This, then, unrav. , els the mystery. The wood on the stove took fire and the brands fell on the floor, which being heated by the fire in the stove, easily kindled. Thus have this family fal. Ven victims to most needless, but we be- iieve very common practice.-OTego Adu.
 We have before us the annual report of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions. The following is sum- mary ofthe operations the past year. u. ". r. Commercial Ado.
 The receipts during the year have been S24l, ,69l GA, and the expenditures $246, 500 Cr eEl n.n n ~a Axvny,Hx f',o v,,iSO;onS sspnhrD