Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-04-25
( NO. 81 ].

4E@s 2z-4<
about which there cannot be two opin-
ions; and as the people of America are
generally pretty well skilled in arithme-
tlc,almost eve ~ one can test the truth Ut
the answer for himself.
The. same process of calculations
which have applied to the cost of the
coffee, will show that, Of the above SUM
OF four millions six hundred and forty
four thousand three hundred and thirty
three dollars and thlrty-three cents,
there goes
FIST. Into the treasury,as
nett revende, 4 S3,OO0,00o 90
/ Second-To the officers and
agents of government, as
their compensation for COL
lection : $780, 900 90
Third-To The importing and
retail merchants for their in o..
terest and profits 1,544, SIS SIS
The two sums last named be-
ing added together, will.
show an aggregate of 1,644.3S3 IS
every dollar of which is a tax thus paid
by the people, in the form Of tariff du-
ties, not into the public treasury, but in
the pockets Of government officers and
merchants, and is 0! course dead loss
to the. people.
Now it must be borne in mind that
the people are to bear this loss eve
~ year in the process of collecting into
the treasury the three millions of nett rev.
enue, to take the pIacesof that sum dis
I tributed. Bat this loss, great as it is, is
not all; for from experience in the case
CT the surplus revenue, it was shown that
the process of distributing money from
/ the national to the State treasures, costs
III the charges of public officers and "a
gents, at least five per cent. CT the the
sum distributed. This cost OH the dis
-tribution Of the land revenue of three
millions, will therefore, at five per cent;
amount TO $l50,O00 90
This is also loss to the peo-
pie, as it has to be subtrac-'
Il ted from the sum distribu-
ted, and of course leaves
for distribution but -9,850,0C0 90
Here then, the last named
Toss sustained in the pro-
cess of distribution added -
the sum of 1904, S3S IS
sustained in the process Of
collecting the three mill
lions Of nett revenue, will
show the aggregate loss
thus far to be f,794,5S 80
Yet, even this is not all the loss sus-
aimed by the people in this operation.
For, it is to be observed, that the above
named $15OOOO, which it is taken out
of the S3,OO0000 distributed, does not
go into the treasury, and therefore does
not diminish the amount of taxes neces-
sary to replace the three millions. This
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars
is, therefore, in effect, a loss to double
that amount, and being added as such to
the aggregate loss above stated, will
make that aggregate one million nine
hundred and forty.fOur thousand three
hundred and thirty three dollars and
thirty three, cents. These facts | have
stated as briefly and as plainly as could
in this form. But as they are facts of
such vital Importance to the people, and
as it is my desire that they should be full
ly understood by every citizen, will,
with view Of making them yet more
plain, restate them in another form-in
the form of an account between the peo-
Pile and the sovernment-as thus:
The government TO the people. DR..
First. To het revenue paid
into the treasury to supply
the place of that distTl-
buted $5,Ooo,oco 90
Second. To amount paid to
government officers and a.
gents for collecting the a.
bove revenue 10000 90
Third. To interest and prof
i its paid to merchants in
the process Of collecting
the above revenue |, S44. 3SS Sc
Fourth. 10 amount paid pub
I lie officers and agents for
and in the process of dis
!; tributing three millions to
the States, ard which is TO
be subtracted from that 2
4 sum 2,850,000 90
Total S4.794,s55 55
The people to she government, DR.,