The Arkansas banner., 1845-11-05
From the Unlon. THE TARlFF.-No 3

atarW and C direct tar-Posjiion, piers, ] and purpose of the democratic and fedcr-
 at parties ia relation 10 the tariff.
 By way of preface to this article, it is proper for me 10 state, that am not writing for the purpose of enlightening learned and experienced statesman and legislators upon the subject of the tariff, or of taxation in any form. As it is their business to become acquainted with matters of such high import 10 the common veal, in order to act upon them undersandingly, take it for granted that they are well acquainted with them To that class of readers, therefore, do not particularly address myself; but, if it be pos slble for me to succeed in the effort, do de- sire to explain this somewhat intricate and complicated subject, rendered sIil more in- trIcate and complicated by the spacious dfa- peries of lalsehood and humbug which the advocates of pFotetivesy system have thrown around 1t, to that class of our ieilow-eitizeH5 the farmers, mechanics, and workingmen of this republic-who have not the oppor- tunity nor the means to study this subject, which those have who possesses the means and the time to make themselves acquainted withit. Hence my desire to define the mean ing of terms which may be very well under stood by the more enlightened and eXperi- enced reader.
 In my first communication, proved that the modern signifeation of the word tarif was book of rates It means no more not less than a list of tareS, duties, or toliS.- l Persons who have travelled in the N orhern States of this Union, must frequently have observed on the gates of bridges and turn pike roads, wide board with the rates ol toll inscribed upon il, and headed ''tdTB ol tolls" This clearly explains the meaning of the term A list of the tolls levied on boats and merchandise passing through the Erie canal of New ! ork, would be no more nor less than tariff of tolls. In the legis- laton of this and other countries, the list oi raes or duties imposed upon the merchant disc imported from one country into another. Is known by the same ternl-a tdfH. Ii means no more than HSt of tareS imposed by the government on articles imported from one country into another, for the use and consumption of the people oi the latter cou- try.
 Having explained the true and precise meaning of the word tar0, according to it's modern acceptaton, l will now attempt to show the difference between tdrD tae and direct taG, those being the two modes of taxation generally fesorted to by the the gen. eral and State governments, for the purpose of raising the necessary means of support.
 A direct tac Is tax levied upon the property of the individuals composing the
 
 the community which resorts to it. By this mode of taxation, each person is taxed Gas near as it is possible in practice to ap- proximate 10 exact justice) in proportion to the property he possesses. It is leViet upon lands, houses, money, stock in trade &c., &c. And he who possesses the larges amount of property, pays mostior the supPor of the government, by whose power his life liberty, and property are protected. He has greater stake in the stability and perma- hence of the government, and therefore he should pay more fer its protection. He al- so has more means to bear the burdens which it imposes. This mode of taxation is alse j honest and abore-60afd in its eXactions. Ev- cry man, under system of direct taxation knows what he has to pay, and for what he pays. It is collected by the professsd tax gatherer, or collector. The officer comes with his book of r,tes, or taX-blll, in hls hand He shows 1t to the persons of whom the tax is to be collected. And they arc thus enabled to learn from it the amount oi tax they are obliged to pay, and for what purpose. They thus learn precisely what government costs them, and whether It Im- poses its contributions on all with just and impartial hand. This, in short, Is direct ta1- aiion. It is system of taxation, which SC far as the general government Is concerned has been hunted down by the advocates o protective tariff-as 1t were, by hpe-and- cry And yet, direct taratjon is the mode 6J mhich he gouernment of eUery State ta tht Union is supported. Itis the mode by winch all the State, county, and town taxes ln New England are levied and collected; and ye the very men who resort to 1t at home to sustain their political communities, denounct and cry it down when il Is proposed as the proper system of taxation to be adopted by the general government. And it must bt confessed, that they have persuaded res pectable portion of the people of this coun- try to believe that 1t Is some horrible mon ster-some terrible mad-dog, to be avoided for their lives, and knocked in the head, | possible, when they are, in fact, every day and every hour, the victims of direct taea- lion at home
 will now endeavor to show the manner in which the tarig system of taxation oPer ates upon individuals and the community In the first place, il is a tax upon the con sumption of the country. By means ot tariff, we are taxed for nearly everything wt eat, drink, and wear And as one man, hay ing the means to purchase, pays as much 0 this tax as another--the man who support: himself by his daily labor pays as much a' the rich, because he consumes as much a' the rich nam. A arif-tax, therefore, IS, II substance and effect, capilaton-tax, or ta' upon persons, and not upon proPerty-tht man who possesses a million of dollars pay; no more than he who possesses but ont thousand. IL Is, therefore, an unjust system of taxation, inasmuch as 1t exacts as muel from the poor man as it does from the rch because the former consumes as as great al amount of dutiable articles as the latter. r It is also a deceptive and dishonest mod of taxation. It does not go in broad day light, and with open-heart, to those on whom 1t levies it's exactions, and apprize them 0