The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-03-26
FEDERAL POLiCT--DiSTREBU
NATIONAL BANK, &c.

intended to be pursued by the present adminisra-
ton The public acts, public declarations and
speeches Of the members of both houses of Con-
gress that has come into power, are now PLAN clear
and explicit, however their dark designs may have
been concealed from the public view before the
presidential election, they now clearly disclose the
wretchcd policy to be pursued by the party which
has Just come into power, That party was charged
with the same policy now disclosed, pending the
Presidential canvass, by the supporters of the late
administration, and promptly denied by the party
then demanding power. Economy was then their
Observation-Disclosures of the late administril-
ton was charge that dwe!t upon every federal
tongue. Thirteen millions of dollars, it was said,
by bullies and blackguards and the whole army of
federal stump orators, would be sufficient to defray
the annual expenses Of government if they could
barrels induced thousands to believe It and to roll
il as sweet mOrsei under their tongues and now
the election is over, Mr. Clay opens the oa with
proposition to divide the proceeds of the sales of
the public lands among the several States, thus
again bringing this old and oit-rcjccted proposition
into life; and we understand from him, aud others
who support his proposition, that This is to be
prominent feature and leading and permanent
measure in the new administration. If this meas-
is to be adopted, the effect of will be to alb
stract about three millions of dollars from the L.
S. Treasury annually, and make use of as a sort
of indirect bride to the States, sort of premium
for their loyalty to the new administration,
Laying for a moment the immortality of such
measure out of the question: and taking it into CON
sidcralion only in pccrnary point of view,
the question then arises how is this three millions
to be supplied, for we may as well at first as at
last lay the thirteen million hunbug out of the ques-
ton. 1t is now seen and known by all, that the
party in power do not expect nor intend to keep the
expenditures within the receipts, and tye receipts
will probably amount, to say the least, to twenty
odd millions, hence the pretended necessity of I'M
extra session of Congress to raise revenue for the
new administration TO eXpend before the next rcgu-
lar session of Congress. The three millions to be
distributed annually must be supplied G,om some
source. There are but three modes of raising
revenue in the United States; these are, LIST, BY
duties on imposts, ID, by direct taxes and I'd, from
the sale of public lands. Now it is understood by
all parties that direct taxes although, probably the
most equally laid and least extensively collected,
are, nevertheless, extremely odious 10 the people
in time of peace. The party coming into power,
although hardened in iniquiry and embroidered in
crime by their late success, have nevertheless, su-
cient discretion to know that will never answer
10 send collector directly to an individual and de-
nand money of him without being able to assign
some plausible reason for it; and, the reason that
it is to supply deficiency in the revenue occa-
stoned by the distribution of the proceeds of the
sales Of the public lands for the benefit Of your
state, in constructing railroads and canals ms in Mr
clay = fi',uuN s"t'otiun bin !, p"o.idod will be
leemed but miserable consideration and will be
purncd with Indignation The party now in power
lare not adopt that course they must resort to
uch Il system Of taxation us will draw the money
rom the peoples pockets mpercep,ihy
The deficiency, then, must be supplied by add-
ional dutes on i,npost. 1t is well understood that
ues arising from imposts are ultimately drawn
rom the pockets of the consumers. If it were pos
ible that they could be paid, by consumers, d.
ectly into the treasury the system Of taxation
would be less Objectionable, hut this is impossible
must be paid, as 1t ever has been in the first in
lance, by the importers 10 the officers of the Gus
pms, and the importer receives it back with per
ent advance upon the duty as well as upon the ,
rhine cost and transportation of the goods, and this
paid him by the wholesale merchant, and, with ,
dvancc, to the wholesale merchant by the retailer q
Tho receives it with an additional per cent of the
onsuner In examining the effects of all these ,
ansierS will not take into account the con,em-
lated ~eviva of the protective tariff, although \
rgc portion of the party now in power are loud in q
ler calls for protective system OF duties and \
'nGdenily cxpec, a revival of that SYSTEM which Il
Spectation has contributed largely towards Il .
mango of the administration. We will nevcrhc- p
IS examine the policy of the measure upon the =
-nciplc of the fifteen per cent. I'D raiOrem duties
they are TO be after 1912. II makes no differ r.
ice in the principle Suppose, then, that the .
upper pays on cargo the sum of $1,000, for du- n
IS. When he sells his cargo, that duty is to be II
paid to him by the purchaser, with, say 90 per b
mt advance. Then the wholesale merchant paws i,
C importer $1,000, and the retailer allowing the =,
me per cent adyagce, pays him SlilO. The .,
taller dsposes Of his goods to his customers who Il,
E the consumers and they, each of thcm pay him ..
e same rate per cent. advance on his goods, and Il,
G duties and the original sum of $1,000 which
Is paid into the Treasury of the United States
zen paid by the different consumers amounts TO y
1922. Only about $1,000, then, out of Sl722, he
id by the people reaches the national chest %
the form of duties. This method of collecting y
,cs is only 10 be borne with from the necessity 10
the case. 1t is Obvious that every government
LIST have n revenue of some sort and a treasury
some sort Taxes in their best form are but be
,essary evil in their worst form they are insult an