Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-01-24
For the Portage Sentinel.
Sheriff Sales" and aTax Sales"

0ENTLEMEN-lhese two operations, or
kinds Of sales, are had tor nearly the I
same purpose in many cases. In the one
instance the delinquency is towards the
State; in the other, towards the General
Government. know that under our sys-
tenn OF hidden and blind taxation 70 support
the General Government, it is not often
considered that debts, bonds, and mortgag-
es due to merchants for goods, sc, have
anything to do with government assess
ments and taxes. Yet it is nevertheless
true, and easy Of proof. Our merchants
are the treasurers who collec, from the peo
pie the taxes that support the federal gov
ernment; and when man fails to pay, or
becomes delinquent, note is first taken,
and next mortgage. Afterwards comes
foreclosure and sale. In store debts orig.
mate most of the embarrassmenis that
bring so much Of both the real and per-
sonal property Of the community 10 execu-
ton. The debtors are delinquent tax
payers of the general government to a cer-
tain eatsnt. l will shortly endeavor to show
10 what extent precisely; but will now say,
that it may be estimated somewhat by the
consideration Of the fact, that in one town.
ship in Portage county not less than 20
farms have either fallen into the hands of
roaroho pfo or hova bnop sold to n.u ooor
chants debts, in consequence of the own.
ers being unable to pay their taxes; in
other words, to refund 10 the merchants
what they, the merchants, have advanced
for them at the custom houses, at the de-
mand of the general government. Other
townships, and other counties do not, l
suppose, fare much better. Merchants
debts have always gone by wrong name.
No small part oftheir real element, when
ana1yzed, are pure unadulterated tases.
''Indirect taxation''!! This is mighty
convenient term with which to dupe subject
citizens They are made 10 think it means
s'no taxes at all'-and to think that no
part of the different sums of money they
pay out of their pockets yearly, possesses
any Of the properties of tax, unless it be
such as they pay to county treasurer
They do not see much the largest amount
Of their taxes, nor do they feel much the
heaviest part of their political burdens, be-
cause it is cunningly hid, concealed, and
incorporated in the cost of merchants
goods, and paid up as merchants debts usu-
ally are, by mortgage and sale, or some
other forced process. But when they are
paid voluntarily, and promptly, the same
proportion Of the money paid, bears and
combines the same characteristics of an
imposition, and tax.
1t seems to me that one cannot sufficient
ly hate the scheme of taxation by which
our general government is sustained. 1t
is most splendid piece of rascality. No
other kind Of chicanery, and jugglery ever
equalled it. Ii is almost incredible to be
lieve. that people as intelligent and en-
lightened as the people of the United States
boast'o being, should suffer the charlatan-
ry Of law makers to delude them into the
belief, that their great and extravagant na-
tional organization, costs them nothing at
all; that State taxes are all they have to
pay. 1t is true, they complain some about
the $3.50 day" and s'$9000,O0 outfits
and in6ts," and some other such like things.
Yet auhen, avhere, and in 1ohat manner or
to ,chat anaeunt they are called upon TO
contribute to the fund from which these ex-
penses are drawn, remains 10 them mys.
terry. They on the whole conclude that
they do not pay any thing at all towards
them; not rehecting, that if they do not,
they certainly have no right or business to
find fault with the manner in which the
general government disposes Of its reve-
nues.
But to the figures. 1.-THE calculations OF
the Secretary cf the Treasury of the U.
States should turn out as well as they did
last year, he will receive at the different
custom houses the coming year $36, ,O0O,.
000. If this amount is raised at tariff
duty of 20 per cent, the imports must OF
course amount TO S1s0,000, 900. By add.
ing these two sums together, and saving
nothing about transportation, insurance,
&c, we get the cost of the whole importa-
ton as it lies distributed in the stores of the
wholesale dealers. A fair rate of profit
with that class Of traders, suppose to be
10 per cent. Oh the capital they invest in
their business. The first cost of their sup
ply is, we said, $3.50, 100000. Before they
can land it, they are compelled to pay
$36, 100000 more to the agents which the
government has placed in the custom hous-
es. They of course charge 10 per cent.
on this duty, as well as on the original cost,
and all other expenses. The country mer.
chants are obliged, to pay the duty and the
10 per cent. profit on it to the importers,
II