American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-07
For the American Republican,
TAXATION-WHO SHALL PAY IT


the subject that heads this artlce and wish,
at the same time, to pay our casual respects to
"Mercator," who in recent number OF your
paper, has reviewed our late communication;
we ask for the privilege of doing SO through the
columns of the Clipper.
Oar intention was, to lay down our premises
clearly and fairly, and with SO little of amb-
guilty or double dealing, that no one for a mo-
ment could mistake their import, or misappre
bend our deduCtions-and we now assert that
careful reading of it, admits of no other in
ference than that the intention of its author
was nothing mere or less than desire to call
public attention to the gross inequalities be-
tween the relative assessments of real and per-
sonai property in the City of Baltimore-to the
prejudice and direct I'M ury OF the former.
The words "Stamp Tax" or "Stamp Act"
do not occur throughout the entire length of
the communication; the measure is but incl
dentally alluded to, and nothing was more for
eign from the views and intentions of the wr-
ter, than to perpetrate d defence OF the act in
question.
1t is no especial favorite of our own, but up
OH that subject, more anon.
1t is not often that we obtrude our views up
on the public iorbearance; but when we do so,
we claim to be Judged by what we say, rather
than the declaration of Others, as TO what we
mean.
Our declaration in substance was, that exist
ing laws had worked the most unfair exemption
in favor of the great mass Of holders of person.
al property, including merchants and traders,
and that many Of the least taxed were amongst
the most clamorous known to the community,
for perpetuating the evils, by uniform oppo-
stion to all feasible suggestions for raising ad-
ditional revenue, except by an increase OF the
direct tax. All this is fatty denied by "Mer-
Gator who still persists that the trading COM
,nunity bear an undue portion of the public
burthons, and that no schemes Of revenue have
been opposed by any of our citizens, excepting
the measure Of the stamp .4ct
We have been at no small pains to arrive at
the true position of things, and since the APP
pearance of this unqualified denial of the fair
ness of our statements, we have carefully look
ed over all our data derived from the assess
ment books at the City Hail. and our files of
public papers, containing the articles referred
to as evidence OF the feeling Of general opposi-
ton, to the various revenue measures proposed
at Annapolis; from which sources alone, in con-
nexon with verbal declarations on the streets,
all our facts and conclusions were derived and
founded
The obvious improperly in this connexon,
of laying before the community the names OF
our citizens with the amounts respectively as
sessed against them, is the only restraint we are
under in not settling at once, and concluslvey,
all argument upon this branch of the subject
and as to the other, the grounds Of our know
ledge of opposition to proposed measures OF
revenue, we have only to refer "Mercator" and
those entertaining his sentiments, to the fol-
lowing communications which have appeared
in the prints of the day, since the converting OF
the Legislature.
To four elaborate essays ouer the signature Of
"Pubhc Good" aohich appeared IN the 'Patriot''
on the 10Th, l4Lh, 18th and 18th Of January; 10
the tollotcing in the same paper signed "a Mer-
chant" dated the 9Th; ''B." on the it'll; "a 1ia-
der" on the 10th; "JV." on The l2h "a yMer-
chant" on the 18th and 10Th; and sc. c." on the
2lst of February; and IN the ".4merican" TO
".uercato," on The Sd, aud "a .Merchant' on the
10Th and l7Mo Of The same month.
AS before stated, names and amounts cannot
with proprety be here gwen, else they are at
command--but they are written out in legible
characters OH the books of assessment, and he
who runs may read.
The communications OF public character
above referred to, sustain and confirm to the
fullest extent all that we have asserted as to
the course of opposition originating in this city
to action at the Capitol, and would fully war
rant US in stronger terms of remark than we
have presumed to make.
We have made every effort, backed by
strong desire, to ascertain the names of parties
having existence on the books of assessment,
the over-taxed representatives OF personal pro-
perry, including merchants and traders, so Of
ten and SO confidently referred to by "Merca-
tor" and all others supporting his views; but
the labor has been utterly fruitless.
With very competent knowledge from the
best sources of information, in addition to our
own, and in list of about $50 names and
firms, taken much at random from the books,
we have not made the discovery of the first in
dividua; while we can cite numbers who
scarcely pay on one-fifih part of their estates,
and many who escape every form OF tax.
Though we have made no such discovery
ourselves, we are not prepared to assert, that no
trading concern in the city is overtaxed-but
into what category of names, or what depart
ment of business "Mercator' and his adjuncts
should have fallen, to sustain the positions they
have advanced before the public, we are at a
loss even to imagine.
To illustrate the means by which conclusions
are arrived at, we will here give the substance
of hypothetical case of hardship cited by ga
Merchant" in the Patriot of the 18th of Febru-
airy last.
After asserting much which our regard fol
the mercantile character of the city forbids oul
repeating he adds, "Now to the proof that the
merchants and mechanics Chose of this city es
pecially) are more oppressed than other classe:
10 do which no logic or fiction is necessary