Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-23

made but with the certainty Of betternp their con
! ditIon II must be manifest TO every one at this
day, however, that any attempt 10 fix the price Of
article below it's true value only has tendency 10
enhance the price to those who want it. by compelling
them 10 obtain 1t in ndirec, instead OF direct man
nes Just so Il IS with money he present price being
too low no che obtain it directly, but resort
to indrection, which produces all the shaving as 1t
technically called) loudly plained of. AT the
present time, men can atiatd 10 borrow money at the
price fixed By law for IT, Tor the purposes of speculation
And ofcourse all The money OF the country IS collected
into the hands oi few moneyed for that purpose.
And the needy creditor is compelled seek at second
hand OF them instead of paying ills real value for il 10
the tenders. thus monopoly is created for The be-
neht OF SPECTATORS and The Of The country who
have too much respect for the laws take than
legal interest," are driven Of the market The risk
the law itself creates, adds 10 the price the borrower 10
compelled 10 give for money. 1t said that TO enable
the State TO Tax capital, II must become too inqnsito
rial Capital has always plausible arguments al hand to
shield itself. The commissioner OF the revenue now
has to inquire Of the individual 10 the number OF ms
horses and negroes and Why not inquire al the same
time, as to the amount Of stocks and bonds 1t IS hardly
Presnaaie, that those who hold stocks and bones are
more likely 10 mss.a;e the amount than those who have
negroes and horses for the las, case, If they might
be little liable detection in the other, they
would be less tempted by the pressure OF the taxes -
Vanity would more frequently exaggerate the amount
than cupdity would lessen it. My plan, them IS, TO
tax every according 10 what he is worth, lei ms
property consist in what it may.
Let member of The Legislature suppose, that by
any ingenuity they can lay tax that VIII not be
burthen upon the productive labor OF the community.
The only they relieve that, is By reduction of
expenditures; which, after all is the best
them suppose, that they atter the people into
hearing any amount Of taxation | believe that The
People of Virginia honorable, !aw-abiding peo
pie; and for farther from reputation of any kind,
io.,i tIn I,,a
but they are sensible people, and at The time
they the necessity for rnising the taxes so as TO
render her just her creditors and Independent, They
know ALSO that prudent men, when they are straened
in their circumstances not only every effort, by
activity and industry, but they use frugaiy and
Monty also. Let all salaries, that be- be reduced in
fair and equal proportion. DO be alarmed at the
cry that j, is necessary 10 keep up the salaries
command The best talents in the county, The great
evil Of tie day is, the eagerness for Office in every
class OF the community. Besides, according 10 my
observation, large salaries make idle gentlemen, and
low salaries make working men. Look a; chief
and best paid ensnesrs.-Every thing must be done
by assistants. y man with large salary thinks il is
not worth while To ae able 10 make so much money
If he must be drudge for it. Besides high salaries
have bad general effect. The expense OF living de.
pends mere upon fashion than necessity If therefore,
he Government, give large saarec 10 IFS officers they
being generally al the head of the fashion, will Set
fashion Of expensive living which will be followed anc
inflated by those around them; and thus an expensive
style Of living is introduced which always bears hard
the protective labor of The country. The merchants
must sell goods at high profits to meet this high style OF
living, and Of all other classes. In the general
ducl,on lei not The Legislature forget themselves.
verify believe that If there be any point at which
duc,on benetcay be made, IT in the pay Of the
Legislature. Their pay toes not generally constitute
their of subsistence and ils reduction would have
nut little effect to lessen their comforts whereas, II
sufficiently reduced, would afford great relief from
taxation. good many oil he members go 10 the
Legislature with the determination TO spend their pay,
and OF they must be idle while they are doing
III that the only fleet upon that class would b.,
10 give them time 10 attend TO their duties
OF legislation. Another class 10 there for The pay
! of course, they Interested TO prolong the SEES.
sons-so that with those who have 10 take up great
deal OF time spend their four dollars they make IT,,
and those who want to make many four dollars as
possible the time of the Legislature spun out 10 such
length, as to keep oct OF The body almost every
who has any regard for bis family has any thing To
attend to al home. | have but little doubt, II Tie
pay reduced 10 two dollars per day that the
would be reduced one-ha!f in length-so that
should three-pur,hs OF the expensss-and We
should be better repre- ented Men who IA something
to DO at home, would consent 10 spend sho, tune
the public service-and we should lave fewer Ex-
Ministers Of the Gospel, Ex Deputy Sheriff., and
Young Lawyers-and the business would be done
much better, as i, would be done in shorter time
II is n, least favorable time try the experiment,
saving of onehalt the expense Of the Legislature
would be of some benefit these hard tnles-and it
would be very easy to go back again to four dollars, ii
It did not work well upon trial. MADISON
We should have been happy 10 receive the opinions
Of cur able corresponden on the proposition TO tax
G;erchants licenses, in proportion 10 the eS,en; Of
their operations. Much camor has been raised against
1t, and, certainly the question: s entitled to the most
serious consideration The prtncpic ot reaching the
is thing-the rate Of The tax, another. Il does,
al the first blush, APPEAR unreasonable unequal and
therefore, unjust 10 tax the license of the small dealer
as much as the large-of the shopkeeper, who sells
only $4,000 worth Of goods, much the merchant,
who sells in the course Of the year, hundred or
two hundred thousand dollars And the only question
is, how the amount OF sales be ascerained or ap
p,oxma;ed with least burthen nqusition upon the
merchant. Auctioneers taxed according to their
saes-and, Madison shows, questions even put TO
the landhoders Why should attempt be made 10
equaize the merchants license, III The farest and most
liberal way In what way that can be effected,
not at this time advisedbut It well worthy Of the
partial consideration of the lie legislature. As 10 the
rate and amount of the proposed tax, it is modifed in
ar. Rando phs amendments Of Tuesday last. Ii the
annual sales be under $4,000, he is to pay only, at
present, S20--if under $1,000 $50, &c, &c-if
ever S25, and under $4,000, $780, &c.-,iover So
000 and under 100000, S200-if over ;S2O0,G00,
tax OF $500. s.ln estimating tie amount ot sales, the
merchant shall be governed by the sales Of the pre-
cedng year, and by the stock hand, ordered,
expected to be ordered in the current year and if the
commissioner shall not be satisfied with the statement
account oath of such merchant, he shall be, and
is hereby authorized to call for, and examine other
witnesses, touching the same and SO on with Mr..
Randolph S amendment Of Tuesday about auconeer s
licenses varying in the rates from merchants licenses.
OF the propriety of this Of assessment, we do
OF profess 10 be Judges We have considered the
subject, and therefore cannot form any denltive OPT
nion- Enquirer