Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-12-17


alton suggested by tic Governors seems The best. To make
this uvuiaba the tax should be ample yet much az
Cypress our own people, who cannot avoid the use oi the
articles taxed. Sacsi course wod I.nir .lor;ivc the
@iie sclrl; ""d l'!l 10 ie .Linn: s"t CAY render
us ridiculous The eyes Of tie world The sy.:cn should
be permanent and never o. Abandoned because abolition
will never abate its secret, il not pubic operations.
To insure SUCCESS therefore, the taxes should be reduced
al other subjects tina, The citizen should he indn
ced 10 believe that the whole scheme goiten up c
from him large sum OF money siuauder some TN
worthy ot)cct He should see that he pays more in one
way, he Will pay ess III unoher that the policy VIII DC
permanent; that he may seek his supplies in another dec
ton; and that the tax will not be taken oil and the
Yankee nation invited 10 return with their goods by the
next LEGISLATURE that permanent encouragement will be
given TO direct mpoItaons from and expectations To-
reign countries ard 10 production in our own States rah
er than to the eneny-a that those who sustain The new
system may be able 10 account fairly their constituents
that is founded not only in necessity Of
talaon III which all good citizens equally Interested
but that based upon broad principles Of justice equity
among the people themselves. That it operate
only upon those who bring into the State and ts taxed
articles and consequently that it will relieve oil citizens
from existing taxes for the support Of the goyeTnmen TO
the extent OF the levy. This relief should be .mne
date and unduubed 1t should be left for future in.
gue ind The frauds and misep sensations of those who
wish TO overthrow the independence of The Stale and keep
her In the condition OF a colony 10 the abolition States
The people who pay the and support the State
men and will not abolition productions, should
have their noses held TO the erndstone while the revesr in
Yankee productions pay nothing, and while the very
principles oil Southern rights and interest stink in their
,res These The people who should bear the proper
burden Of that rebutve justice intended 10 be ndmn-
iscred Ia their friends abroad; and by their wincing
20 shall know them. No true 10 Virginia will
vince AMI ca:obabe burden for the good the
general welfare But the other hand the patriotic citizen
should not be heavily burdcned papcr the enemy in lux
uries untouched by the hand of the taxgathercr We
should recoect the proneness Of mankind old habits old
assoriaons and old Injuries For many Of the people Of
God would rather have chosen the flesh pots Of Egypt Than
subslst for lime on the mama OF HEAVIER with all The
bright prospects Of national greatness and the peculiar ia
vor OF The Almighty in the distance OF future promise IT.
therefore, the should be- adopted IL should be done
Upon such principle that step be taken backwards
and this only be effected by putting under the sanction
OF large reduction upon every other species taxation In
this way the system may be introduced with safety its
friends, and be ovetIown by those who wish
the flesh pots Of Egypt Let have the guarantee
that IL cannot be abandoned without direct anJ afg. in
crease OF taxes on lands houses horses &C., and
will then become permanent SYSTEM giving assurance 10
merchants that they may break their business connex
lions with the North and establish Others with Europe Cd
tai will then be freely vested in and sa packets 10 any
amount necessary our long lost trade will be restored and
Virginia will be herself again
But il may be said that II would be unsafe 10 reduce the
before the system shall be tried Ii go, twill be
unsafe aud the grossest folly try it, lii, will produce
large revenue II will be chds play and unworthy the Goa
federation Of wise Legislators.
u Thus ii tax shall be levied 50 high rate effect
Immediate prohibition, before another Legislature meet
ID repeal it, the merchants will be mostly broken, their
koun,s put In suit the Banks probably suspended and ge
ea be abroad in the andi while the otne7 hand
the be too small to produce considerable revenue, Il
will be nockery, and shall render ourselves sui
oe contemplate in the eyes of the Yankees than now
kppear; shall indeed lose self respect and re-
pse again into Yankee serriude in feeling we have been
II fact Let therefore, while feel right net efficiently
Ind levy which the Yankees trW te but which we
bear and which N produce large amount OF revenue
Ind accordingly admit VI large reduction on lands negroes
Z houses, &c.
To those who doubt this policy, It might be we'll 10
l their attention TO the revenue derived from the tax
tvied merchants. In 1919, this revenue amounted
Sll4737 merchant who sells from $500 10 S5OoC
lays of sl5 and consequently, the whole re'e-
Iue at SIS EACH would 1919 merchants, sell
liz between 81 500 and $1,000 worth of goods nnnu-
Div. Take the sales at the lowest and the aa.r.-
bic amountf goods sold will be less than sl9 q 5OO
vcluc. The grade Of merchants selling from 5000
$40 900 pay tax OF S25 EACH The represents
S7 Of this class and the lowest amount Of sales Us OO0
lakes an aggregate Of S2 600 The grade selling
BIN $4,000 sl5o00 pay $50 tax. The revenue repre-
n,s 3525 lowest Of sales the aggregate
ould be S35 00O So the class selling from sl5CG0
pay S3 and the lowest would represent sales
the amount ii sl92l50O0 And the scale Of taxation
Increases with the increased amount OF sales by each nsr
hant while the per cent; on the amour, Of sales constantly
:. lministes. II may also, he observed tina; double
H. in this way, Is not unfequently paid on The same
oods; FIRST, on license to the Wholesale and then 70
le etu merchant All merchants selling less Than 81, SUI
aue pay OF $40; and the first year before the sales
Ian be known tax OF 800 From these data (when
scted with the fact that in lS49 Virginia imported from
regn countries in value only S2i $685. while she exported
foreign countries 50 1922 1t may readily be Inferred
hat enormous amount Of Northern manufactures and
reign goods imported through Northern States, have oec
I'd must continue 10 he, consumed in Erginn for many
l. ,ars Capital does exist in Virginia sufficient 10
e US TO aTres, this influx In short time. We adopt
policy by which capital may be attracted from Europe and
,n tho Northern States themselves. But let suppose
l. nj not more 600 worth OF goods and
It schandze brought to, and annually purchased and
nsumed in thu States and that than IS 900
i that is composed actually of northern production
u will have subject At once capable at ten per cent
ssuggested by The Governor and certainly ought not in
geul TO he much ess Of raising revenue OF five hun.
ID thousand dollars And this even, will DO OF lttle avail
iproducing direct trade or In releasing from Yankee
y dendence unless also foreign goods imported
= lbugh the northern States. We might just well pur
! OF northern production, Of northern mpor-
,an They have indeed injured much by taking
u fcgn trade, by selling their own productions.
l. eiore the Revolution in 1862 Virginia imported in value
} s]e5 472 and New York s]07, 200. In 1919, stated
e ave- Virginia imported s24 1885, and New York the
nus of 1872 369 If then, shall tax foreign
gds imported through Northern States shall have the
mans of raising much larger Of from this
srce than the whole of the State collected from
aolher The whole Of the State in lS49
vs. s64s l99 and i'll very clear that any merchan
de which can at all affect the trade with the abolition
C ates must amount halt million OF dollars Then
nera reduction Of from twenty-five 10 fifty per cent should
tmude other and ii any person doubts the avaia
y the meet the current expenses let the
dyernor make temporary loan 10 meet the deficiency.
C : S. D.