Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-12-23
COMMUNICATED.

Eii WHICH eve SitiZcii VI d Country Is inter-
ested, AID under a government like ours
where the people are the sovereigns of the
land, 10 person is duly qualified to WELD
the elective franchise understandingly with
out know edge Of it.
1t is exceedingly to lie regretted that a
party turn must be given 10 all questions
that come up in relation 10 the science OF
government & when once party prcjudices
are excited, it becomes exceedingly diff.
cult 10 affect the intellect by sober argument
how ever logical or conclusive. This ap-
pears TO be true in an eminent degree in
relation &c subjects connected with Tariff.
and Notwithstanding the deporablc ignorance
prevailing among the people upon the
tue workings of the system of revenue by
axes upon articles imported from foreign
countries for our consumption, such is the
general favor Of that system that it is al
most as much as a mans reputation for pat
riotissn is worth to avow the contrary senti-
ment of Free Trade and direct taxation for
the purpose of revenue.
However, SO certain am /, that truth lies
on this Size shall endeayor to say some
thing in its favor, regre,ing my inability
TO 90 the subject the justice ii merits.
In the first place then,a5 TO the question
Of revenue for the support of government, !
am in favor of direct taxation because tina.
mode is more uniform and certain. The a.
mount necessary TO be raised being known
can always be relied upon. The basis OF
the tax being known lis product is matter
Of exact computation. This cannot be said
of taxation by duties levied upon lmporta-
tons. BY this method the amount raised
must always vary with the fluctuations o!
commerce, and the fact of these fluctuations
will be obvious TO every one who takes the
trouble TO examine the amount raised in
this way for several years past. And il we
have uncertainty in the time Of peace, how
much moro uncertain, and how aggravated
the mischief in The time of war, which in
terrupts and embarrasses commerce and
thus increases the instability of The indirect
systems. state OF war has ALWAYS Icn-
dered direct taxation necessary, aud though
ii is TO be hoped, our nation may never a.
gain experience this dire evil the necessity
Of resorting to this method for revenue at
such tine, is an argument in favor OF lis
permanent adoplion,to say nothing Of it as a
means directly calculated TO preserve peace.
In short ii seems to me that uncertainty in
a national revenue must be palpabIy ma
tonal evil
But d, am in favor Of direct taxation
because it leaves the laws of Trade und;s-
turbed and therefore cannot be hurtful TO
the public welfare or national wealth. 1t
has not the least tendency TO direct capital
or industry from their natural channels
Ii NEEDLES not with the free choice of ind-
yidual discretion of the producer or con-
sumers; but this cannot be said in truth of
indirect taxation.
Political economists all admit that the
imposition of duties upon commerce dis
turbs the national laws Of exchange. And
in regard to protective tariffs, it is enough
for any argument TO say that the public are
divided upon the question of their advan-
tagcs and disadvantages-no such question
could arse from the other mode of raising
revenue, for it leaves the trade Of the
world aud its manufactures and agriculture
undisturbed.
And Sd, Direct taxation is an open, hon
est, frank and straight forward mode of eff
fecting proper and needful object. The
burden of taxation must be borne in some
way; the body polite cannot subsist with
out resource; the people know that the
blessing OF government must be purchased
and that the price consists of the surrender
of individual freedom and individual SUBJ
stance to certain extent. In communl-
~ like ours, the burden should be cheerful
ly borne and to this end there should
be no ignorance Of its nature OF amount, no
covering or concealing the facts in the
case.
1t is the reluctant subject Of despotism
who needs to be cheated INTO the deusive
idea that he is exempt from taxation But
in country like ours il is an insult 10 the
people 10 attempt such deception.
A duty upon imports in some sense is a
tax upon the whole community, but it is a
most unequal tax. | will illustrate this in
equality by case within my acquaintance.
Mr.. G (by the way great advo-
cate of The indirect sysiem) is worth two
hundred thousand dollars. His family con-
sss only of himself and wife, and being
from habit pa rsimonious, they expend but
a trife for the purchase of goods. Mr..
L. is "a laboring man, himself, wife and
eight children composing his family, and
worth no pfoperty. His children are MAN.