Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-03-02
"l'seC FlAdG and Slavery,

mI'.ec T4@G and Slavery,
Mn. Eorror:--T know not what your views on all
these subjects may be- but do not ask your endorse
ment Of vhat may say unless you coincide with
me,
Direc, taxation is a great bug-bear, which has been
held up ia many liightul forms, andrepresonted with
such odou5 features, that many think resort to it
would be one of the greatest of evils to the country
But let u3 strip The monster aud examine its true char
acter
Revenue for the support of government must be
raised in some way. The great question is; How is
the best way 10 raise it2 Tariffs have been the COM
mon resort and to make them 90 down the throats Of
the people the kee p-dark policy has been observed by
the "knowing uns, with reference to the nature and
inequality of their operations. The pill has been
gildod and sugared over so that its true character
should not be known Or detected by the masses.--
Indeed have no doubt that many superficial obsery-
crs, violent par3ans, &c, who are intent upon the
tricks and palry issues Of politicians, never to
think Of testing question by its merits provided it
is put forward BY their party really think that tariffs
are Indispensable, so they are swallowed with great
gusto. The consumer pays jadred trrcg to the retail
dealer in the shape of higher prices for the articles
purchased. The retailer pays the higher prices to the
wholesale dealer, who in dine pays the duties to the
custom house In this way we pay our taxes as ef-
fectuay and positively for the support of government
as we shouId by direct taxation; and what is MORE
we pay them blindy without the least knowledge Or
conception Of their amount, and without considering
how they are constantly sucking as it WERE the very
likelihood from every pore of our system
But perhaps che worst feature Of the tariff policy
is ho fact that it taxes the consumer for the nccessa
ries of life. When we remember that the masses are
of the poorer and poorest classes, and that coppar-
lively few are wealthy, We shall see the injustice Of
this feature. The poor, as well as the rich must have
food, clothing, &c. Any system which taxes the
poor for the benefit of the rich is inquitous and I'M
Just So far as those necessares of life are concern
ed which are dutiabla, the poor pay as much as the
rich, while they are debamed from pattalng of the
uxuries by the higher prices which they cannot pay
Wealthy men, capitalists, hodesmen &c, under
stand all this, and are interested in keeping up the
system. They know that it puts money into their
pockets, and bears with unequal weight uponthe poor
Il is literally taking advantage of the necessities of
the poor, which the government virtually makes OPP
portuutes to wiring from them, for its support, what
they can i'll spare from their needy families So in
effect we not only are taxed blindy, coyery and de
oeptvey; but the poor have to bear the main burden
of the support of government from which they derive
little or no benefit comparatively, having nothing on
earth TO be protected or encouraged by its aid.
And why do not the poor understand the operations
of this policy as we'll as the rich? Simply because
they poor and have much as they can do to pod
on and support their families. Necessities upper
most in their minds. How to supply their immediate
wants is the first great question with them. They
have no time to study hardly to think of aught else
If they read a newspaperts generally party paper,
whose object is entirely foreign to any such purpose
as disseminating truth this subject II they hear