Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-11

stance in which any crcha: ~ mercantile firm G
:. rht sel more in amount than the ca;ie in ,I busi
ness, i'll many Instances Gouulc To-. ries and ,he
rIrthi, III some irebie and sDme len t!nrs; vet the
state - guilty OF the mprdprity @: d..nrniin., Il tax
al ali these sales. il they really cupitA 'un.
s'inS ;he small dcu!crs The moS;, for the ONLY r-as,n
tt; tiey are the !uet numerous, au-t s;ippcse;
as can ~ :eGson why the smr Ill should pay more
III proportion than the large, unless indeed, i, may
seen! just [" respect the large and render him, The.
usage Is in EuyIand, in dG,iug with c ari.iocrucy,
an ohscr Of tho lrnicucy Of The government. The
revenue from n.rclaus !icenss can be III arranged
as 10 bre!it MI VIII" rngGged in mrrcGntiie pur-
suits, without any Inequality, by adopting Governor
Flu:ds bill. Unless The Yankee agencies u the State
| may be lnconmodcd by throwing n barrier between
! themselves and their PRINCIPLES, is there any rea-
son why the goods coming from another State into
this Tor sale and commission should not pay, ou the
amount of their COST five per cent whcl. the I'D va!o-
rem principle Of taxation has been lusi sight of en-
frcly IN collecting the revenue from Eierchaus' L.
censss This tax is really an encouragement TO our
!orcign co!n,ntrcs aud will .u=tain IT, whereas the
| method OF the committee Of finance IS trr 10.
definite bonus to avail any thing, md will o,!v
| perpetuatu our bondage 70 Faakecuon for. IN.
stead of encouraging purchases and sales amongst
our merchants, it OFF, bonus Of vary noIry
Per cent To overy engaged in tr1dc 20
the State il he ia retailer 10 buy his goods Instead
OF buying them Al home Of Of his ueich bor5 y-
Ing N some commercial poiu. in tho State. Aud Jus.
| iS you ncreGae The Tux on merchants licenses
bonn, TO tho IdGkee who seils II Retailers gouds
wares, and mgrLhandise. IL there were no du-
ties levied by the Federal Government, and trade
was absolutely free, the commercial independence OF
the South would be established in single year, pro-
vlded the States levied taxes alike OH ali merchants.
Fifty ysars OF partiay and tavOrilisn, have rendered
the North thrifty and proSpern"s, by transfer.
ring our labor und capital t0 them. And II bo-
hG0ycs u- now 10 freak down this ay-le;il, aud 10
give 10 our own people protection III their voratarF;
but above oil other considerations, To ou: thai
dtmoTh!snS lutercOufee that brings into cur midst
the negro rtcairr and his .ussarits sowing ia. seeds
OF boodsllrd and revolution" amongst our slaves, 10
whom nature and circumstances have denied every.
thing that can make them happy in any condition,
where they may be lett To take nf themselves.
IL may be alleged, that ali goods from every other
State or territory iu the United States would he tax
ed five per cent, and that i: would operate alike
MI. The answer To this objection il obvious. Seven
eighhs Of the manufactured goods cursuned in Sir-
GINA come into Virginia from, and are the produc-
ton =" free Sra,a, and thn tux would therefore ope
rate on them almost exclusively, Das;Iuch til.
empion covers nearly every Soa;hrrn production.
We wish to establish direct foreign trade, and any
measure that will produce that en!, will be popular
with the people "f the State, and unpopular with the
Yankee merchants III Virginia, and through ghuut all
J lankcedom. Shall we crafty own people. or
Shall We p.ense Yankees and their agen.si Answer,
gentlemen Legislators, yun have the power in Your
hands to decide whether Virginia shall carry on her
own foreign coi!inrrcc; Or skull she bc tributary ~
New York forever! On your shoulders must rest the
responsibility OF fastening breaking our chains.
Let the Results be what they may, right or
wrong, I think you ought 20 make the et.
fort. You have allowed our foreign irndr to te takea
from us against oar wishes-you have driven il OFF
from the State by your present system Of legislation.
VIII you change that "y-'em, " !n you Intend. right
or wrong, 10 adhere tn n fully simply hrcagse you
and your fathers have practiced il! Whatever such
coiir-e n.Gy say inr your hrunrss and consistency
Il speaks but little tnr your %i-iOm and were it not