The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-10
From the American Agricultural.
Fences a Direct Tax 10 the Farmer.

FL
In looking over the early Volumes Of the
Agriculturis,. find that, in the commencement
ofyour editorial labors, you called the attention
Of your readers 10 the very important subject
of The non-fpncing system. In running over the
several articles on that subject, was pleased
to see thar your own opinion conceded with
one thai have long cherished in that MATER
vl rural economy, ami which is roofing itself
more firmly in my mind with every reflection
given To the subject. as well as every point Of
observation which am able to gain in giving
the matter more perfect investigation. Bur
why WIS il that the matter dropped where il
l'd Had you no encouragement 10 pursue
the pleadings Of your pen with our brother far
iners further upon this question OF enormous
expenditure. and often yexat;ous care 10 them?
There must, indeed. be a horrd lethargy per.
vaeing the mind OF the body agricultural, while
they go calmly, and indfferenlly. and drudg-
ngly on, and voluntarily submit TO an evil for
whose existence there is no pielext or excuse.
Farmers look at this matter and see if you can.
not effect reform
In the first place, would call your attention
to small agricultural town only four miles
square, in Massachusetts, where, by the or
daining oil the powers that be and that have
been, there are fly miles of roads, which. il
they were all fenced, (they are not, and proba-
bly, never will all be fenced, for in some sections
of the town uninclosed lands are as secure as
those shut up,) there must be one hundred
miles of fence built and supported from year
to year to preserve the crops growing adjacent.
A great tax, truly 10 be levied upon little
town, whose population in men, wsmen, chill
dren, does not much. if any, exceed one thou
sand souls. Any school hoy ough, TO lie able
to calculate the COST of building and keeping in
repair this fence, as the same article costs in
his own neghborhood, say fifty cents rod for
building, which, taking the country through,
would probably he altogether too low. There
fore, there is direct tax laid upon the land
holders Of this small town of$l6 ,000 or more
than ST SO head to each inhabitant, old and
young, male and female, cripple and n6rm.
Now, what would not that community say and
do, If Government should impose on them such
an assessment to carry out any purpose no
matter how usefnl2 They would, unless as
fast asleep as they are upon this subject, cry
out oppression, and raise the voice and the arm
Of rebellion against such a misguided policy.
Blu, this is not the end. The $4,000 is laid
n in cfp in nd ed
on in boards by the way side, and il this were
the conclusion of the matter. you might call the
above sum and the annual interest upon il,
(Which is another pretty tax,A q sinking. or
sunk fund, and seti s.. There is, however.
a perpetual enlailmen, for repairs, which will
DO suing its claims for more or less every year,
in order TO give finish TO The torment ,ba, such
state OF things brings with it, s4
Then again, especially al The nor,h, where
stutms are The almost constant attendant of long
winters, they convert the highways, which
should always be fee and clear Tor the use OF
the traveller into regular reservoirs, where eve
ry whirrg eddy Of the wind deposites the
driving SHOWS, How often have we in New
England seen our highways filed more than
level from fence to fence by the contributions
of the recent storm. And how often has the
dsheal Tened traveller been obliged to urge his
exhausted beast beyond its strength through
these accumulated drifts, or else take circuit
through the adjoining field, TO seek shelter.
perhaps far short OF the point that would have
been gained, had no, nature, aided by foolish
and unnecessary device of mans art, thrown
obstacles in his way "a greatly hinder his pro
gress, Then, 100. how many days Of precious
| lime are spent in many neighborhoods in break
ing out the roads. which lhestorm Of Yesterday
rendered impossible, ani WHICH the winds OF
lomofrew, as they whistle in mockery OF hu
man toll, may gil again, SO as to render every
vestige of former labor illegible anu unavail
ing. Here, then, we have anolher tax upon
the faYnsr, as we'll as vexalious obstacles oil
frequent recurrence thrown in the way of the
traveller, by these expensive, unnecessary, and
very often Unlocking appendages of highways
the fences. Oh when will the agricultural
public be sufficiently awake to their interest,
comfort, and those Of the travelling public, to
remove these appendsges from their premises
and rid themselves of grevious burden.
w, BACON.
Richmond, Mass, June 80, lS47.
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| This evenings southern mail also brings TO