Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-03-30

TO the wants of the State, when every
farmer, however humble his lot OF Iimi-
ted his means, is compelled to paw his
tax into the Treasury? 1t is Il wise
principle--and it has long been practiced
upon by the States Of Pennsylvania and
New York.
Let the present Legislature attempt
to make the law as perfect as it may. it
will no doubt have its defects. and sub
sequent Legislatures will have to correct
them. the Senate are ALREADY amen
ding the bill But the Wings have been
making capital ont Of misrepresentation
land raising paHic out of their own
mistakes. One objection to the bill is.
that it throws the great Burden of taxa
ton on the East, and saves the West
| The first town meeting of PETERSBURG
had this idea probably in View, when
| they complained of '.uniast Distinctions
being made in different geographical
portions" But they forgot, that whist
the tax on LANDS, through the whole Com
monwea'th, is increased 30 per centum.
the tax ON slaves is only increased IS
per cent. Who knows but some inser-
able Western Wing Demagosue will dis.
ENORMOUSLY seize even upon THIS Ills.
tinction, and try to make capital for
himself out Of the objection?
The Petersburg 1--WE mean of course.
the flfsD meeting. also object t. the bill.
because the tax on merchants licenses is
''enormous to snail dea ers." Most iu
genuoas critics indeed! Did they not
know. that under the the late law. small
and large dealers are put upon the same
footing-the merchant, who sells $780,
600 worth Of goods, paying no more than
the small dealer, who sells only $1,000
and that the present bill is calculated to
remove this odious inequ4lityG
$685.
The wing journals in this state ai;e us
ing every effort to make the tax bill, just
passed by the Legislature, appear as obi
Gus as possible in the eyes Of the people.
This is wrong, whether the bill be objec-
tionable Or not. 1t is contrary to those
high and elevated principles that should
govern the conductors f,the public press.
who exert SO powerful an lnffuence>upo
the public Mind. Who will question the
purity of the motives of the legislature
in passing the bill?-and who wiz doubt
that they had not the honor and welfare
of the state at heart} lie is true, she bill
may not be as perfect & equal in its bear
lngs upon all classes in all it's details, as
could be desired; yet we can see 90 yea
son for those bitter deuunciations against
it, which Of late have emanated froln the
wing presses. Such denunications are
highly immoral in their tendency; and il
is our candid belief. that, unless the:pe0-
pie prove superior to itheir iltauellce. ie-
suits which even those presses could not
desire, will be produced those classes
that consider themselves imposed upon
by the bill may resist it., aud refuse TO-
pay their allotted portion. 1t is we'll
known, that the present lhiH embraces
subjects Of taxation not heretofore taxed
in this state. with the express view of re-
lieving the farmers, who have here tofore
borne heavier burtllens than any other
class.
"Feed me, pray thee, ,oith that same red
pottage; for an faint. NO doubt all our
readers are conversant with the transaction
between Jacob and Esau. 1'he latter sold his.
heritage to the former for .'that same red pot
tage." Politicians sometimes sell their 2rinci-.
piles for u few 'sed ceits.'' Some are SO faint.
that thesum of .torty-o,ae cents is sufficient to
induce themt TO turn their backs upon those:
principles which they have cherished and act
ed,uPon tor 10 these many years. Nut let all
such beware, Hest, iii thus hastily transferring.
themselves to the ranks of their opponents,
they may have occasion hereafter to "despise
their birttright.' A little penetrating fore,
cast, We doubt not,wil satisfy every democrat.
ic republican, who loves his country's welfare
more than his personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, that
he need not fear to abide in the faith he has
hitherto held, Ill regard to the distribution
policy.
-eG-
FOR TUE sEsTiSkL.
Having shown i'll my last, that the
distribution of.the land fund is impolitic,
| shall now examine it Is legal and
constitutional question. We lay down
us propositions that cannot be coDtro-
verified, LIST. That the lands which were
ceded are held by the United States by
virtue OF the deeds of cession, and any