, 1841-06-19
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1841.
TAXATION-THE LICENSE SYSTEM

should be based. The principal object Of
taxation is the support of government, and
government is established for the protection.
and maintenance of the rights of man, and
the rights of property. If these premises
be true, it follows that The proper objects of
taxation are first the person of the man
who is protected in his rights by the ordina.
nary institutions Of Government, and second.
ly the property which belongs to society, Of
whatever character or description it may be-.
This property may consist of various kinds.
1t may be in lands, houses, negroes, horses,
cattle, money, stock or merchandise; and in
whatever form individuals invest their Ia
Dor or capital, it should not escape the bur.
den of taxation-of paying its proportion to
the support OF the Government that protects
it from invasion and guards its rights. The
law passed, at the last session of the Legis.
%lature, taxing money loaned at interest, is an
approximation TO this principle. 1t places
money oil the same footing with other kinds
of property, and lraws the obvious distinc.
ton between m"nied capital. and the
mere evidence of indebtedness. 1t is in not
attending to this distinction, thataIl the obiec.
tons TO this Law. have their origin, and
when it is recolIected that what passes for
money among us. is not money. but the mere
representative of real money, and in truth
nothing but the evidence of indebtedness
from the Banks TO the holder, the difficulty
for the popular mind to discriminate between
the notes Of the money lender and the case
OF the nan who takes Il note. or. bond as the
mere instrument TO show the Indebtedness of
the debtor, is no little.
II we had no other currency than me.
or If the promises topay OF the Banks,
were driven from among us. these objections
would vanish with them. and no man could
fail 10 sec the proPriety and justice of the
Law which makes no discrimination between
the taxation Of different kinds of property.
But we are losing sight of our subject
have said that this taxation Law is an
approximation 10 the true principle OF taxa
ton. 1t is however but an approximation.
It does not come up to the mark. 1t falls
short OF the correct standard. Every man
pay 4 poll TAX. or a tax upon his per-
son because it is one Of the objects of gov
eminent TO protect the rights of his person.
lie should then pay tax, in proportion to his
actual worth. after deducting what he
owes. As a general rule the amount of
property. which 4 man owns is the best cri-
tcrion ofhiS real wealth. This will no doubt
admit of some exception, but these onlv es-
the truth of the general proposition.
1t for granted, that in the aggregate
of cases i mans wealth is measured
by the amount Of property which he posses
'cS. his actual wealth would be the correct
'tndard of taxation Even if in a great
of cases. this proposition is not true,
in isolated Individual cases. the operation
IF the rule would be unjust, in the great
Of cases. there would be no inius-
ice done. and the State would suffer no ma
d l'sSN VI ltNClluts Liz HlcICIJlL
who owes for his goods purchased out Of the
State, and who Is trading upon 4 fictitious
would not pay rs much tax under
he operation of this rule, as he now does,
,ut those who deal with him would have the
advantage Of knowing his real pecuniary
condition, and would know how far to trust '
i'm. The assessors tax list, would then
cprcscnt the actual condition ofevery mans
in the State. and no man would OBJ
ain 4 credit Tor what he was not entitled to.
Zach taxpayer. should have his property,
cal, and personal valued either by HIM
elf or the assessor, and after deducting his
Indebtedness. should pay a tax upon the bal
nee. This brings us to the consideration of
he License system. which we shall examine
It some future period.
We have received the two first Nos. OF
he Missouri ariner ,an,agricultural papercom
nenccdln st. Louis. The price is one dollarper
nnHm, published monthlv. or six subscribers
mr. 81 ErDr, ,Lo lib, combination yvhIch