Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-12-14

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the public service. That service, whilst
it would we'll justify in some of its bran
ches an additional revenue, cannot be
properly conducted, at present, with d
less one; so that if the Legislature should
deem 1t wise to change. in any respect,
the modes, rates or subjects of tsxation,lt
it will be hardly possible to contract 1T
In its general range and results, without
lnt1lcting upon the public interest, at
some point. serious disadvantages
There is no one branch of department of
State concern now resting upon the
treasury for its support, that could be
stripped OF it without more or less disas-
ter, whilst there are many objects of
benettclent influence receiving little, il
any thing. to which a parental succour
could be safely and wisely extended
The commerce, the schools. the admin
istraton of justice and the police, u
pom which for the most part, the revenue
Of the State are now expended. are all of
them fundamental to Government, and
cannot be impaired without correspon-
IDENTIFY impairing an ultimate purpose Of
civil organization itself. If first one,
and then another of these objects were
to be thrown aside, upon the ground that
it would be better to spare them that the
money which supports them, so irration-
al mutiIation could only result ih the
expensive and runous economy of sup
porting Government incompetent to
its ends. And it is with Government as
with everything else intended for human
use; that is cheapest and best, which best
answers the purpose for which it was
provided. Taking it for granted, that
you would be unwilling to abridge, in
any respect the salutafy action of the
Government, and that therefore, you
heartily concur in the wisdom and expe-
rience which have SO lorg prescribed the
general objects of our civil list as essen,
rial to its nature and to tie general good
Of the community, take it for granted
also, that you will as heartily concur in
providing for these objects the means
which shall be necessary aud sufficient
to sustain them. This you will no
doubt consider it your duty to do. 1t
is however, no more necessary to an eff
ficent and useful Government to main-
tain it in suitable capacity for service,
than to have that capacity suitably iii.
rected, and hence the legislative duty
which overlooks the administration of
the means which it is yet both liberal and
careful TO supply, is but partially &C
complished. Whilst therefore, you are
laboring to maintain the Government in
a condition, which will render it a bles-
sing to the State and are for this pur-
pose, freely extending your demands to
the property of the people, it would be Il
seasonable exercise of duty to took into
every branch of the public service and
see whether the administration of, 1t,
could be altered; whether it would be
practicable, without producing more real
evil than real good, to dispense with any
existing empf0yments; to retrench any
existing allowances or expenses, or TO in
troduce in any way. or at eny point,
stricter or sounder economy.
Whether the present Legislature will
continue the plan of taxation adopted by
the last one, or not, it is obvious that,
unless the burthens of 1t are distributed
as much as possible, they will fall with
uuequa. and oppressive weight upon par
ticular interests and classes of property.
That they should be so distributed at
all times, is no more indeed than just,
and no time perhaps could be more TT
than the present For converting this prin-
cipaI of abstract justice INTO rule ofes-
tablished action. AS the contributions
which are made for a Government, and
which are applied to- its support are in
the very best sense of them, contributions
for all, it results from the evident truth
of the proposition, that all should be
contributors. Limitations of expedien-
cy may be applied to this principle and
Fbe made TO qualify its operation, but
there are no limitations upon its justice.
This at least, is positive and undeniable.
Taking it, then, as principle for appll-
cation, and it follows that every right
and interest Of property. whice can In a
ny way claim TO receive, ann be entitled
to receive, the protection of Government
or which be enauired into, tried ant en-
forced bv law, is fair and legitimate
contributor Or subject FLAX. Whether
this right or interest be of greater or
smaller amount, is of no consequence
whatever in principle; and therefore no
Fiestifiable cause of complaint is aforded
to any one, when this claim of contribu.
/ ton is extended to the furthest limit
which due regard to practical effects
will permit.
To this view of the basis Of taxation, it
may be proper to add, that Of the several
modes by which each contributors share
of the public burden is determined, there
is no one which, upon the whole, seems
to be SO sound as that which regulates
the burthen to be borne BY the value of
the property which bears it. This asr0-
loren, or valuation principle, it is true,
is not entirely exempt from objections,
Ebut they are fewer and feebler than can
be urged against any other mode-are
theoretic, rather than practical, and a.