Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-11
For hs EH7unyr.
MERCHANTS LICENSE TAX.

The previous articles over my signature have
been devoted cbirty to the consideration of the FL
nance Committees bill, for the tax on merchants IL
censes and In the proposition 10 amend and aierthe
whole sysIeln Or rather 10 change al, modify It, 80
that The revenue to support It's government ot tho
State may be 80 levied as 10 dchrone N" Yankees
from tine n commercial supremacy over the State" at
ia. sace time to rei:dcr the av"cIon nt merchants
rrplab!e hv tlrhwiIg uut U IL that numerous Class
who daily rduerac liquors, alter marks and forge
weights, and descend u the unlawful and disgractn
habit of corrupinS and debasing the slaves OF the
State, By first ;HduciE, them 10 drink and then to
s;sal aud, in raany Instances by dsreputabie inter
course ::;ll th. Slnv,s cCngregatlng about their
stcre-hoa.es and shops--hurdes Of them ignorant
creatures, AMI fully jas.!y;; the most ultrH nra.
surrs Tor their cI;eri.uallon. IA the bill rendered
by Gov. Floyd ATTACHES penalties to these wanton
proceedings and bind. by an oath all who take IL
censes to uby the laws aud 20 conform ~ the duties
that nppergiu 10 their vocation, the wisdo,a o the
measure IS beyond computation in its effects upon
orr fuan:es ard Our commerce, III preventing vice
ana correcting the moral tci;u OF i!ie traders anu
merchants Of the State, II will add intellectually to
the integrity and honor nt profession, that ny lis
euornou- contribution: 10 the treasury ~ the STATE,
claims the second place in mpurtanr" III the estimate
of the prursriy aud wealth OF the Sia;e. The tege
uernte aud feless commercial attitude @! The Soiln
has been ascribed to various The root mi hl
cuu,ln-rcgl disease "a iii the pa:.k and Tariff poiicyo
the federal government, but thesc perniclouS hien
sures never could hav= driven away enufeiy every
ship from our waters aud every merchs't ron our
cYyhau ses who drew their fes Blood from some To-
r,rn rn,,rnri.e. Il tb. State Legislatures Of the
South bad no, S:ocd The unhoy assault, by refusing
to .at tie eapai a'one OF lie ineresnl. ano py De-
Inaudur the amount Vi bis sales and eaEetiiig cer'
tai, per cen:sss upon oil hi. cperat'eE-' whether
rs and sr:cida but since it has grown
,,, svs,.m -,ncd b. years Of practice it is OBJ
vous that no appeal TO Tie reason OF the Leyl,lstu:e
of any Southern State could be successful. The true
o,l;cy ,ees how 90 hu TO embrace an opportunity,
yh;b necessity :ns brought into existence for couu-
.rsctins the fearful destruction that the Federal Gu.
y.ru,nemt has wrought upon our once cheerful and
nro.uerous foreign commerce, and by changing the
policy Of following the merchants Of the State from
IN. location to another, throughout The limit: of the
Commonwealth, with the ahsurd!ty t!ia! the amount
ofther sales is ccp'saira propery)end should there
fore pay just the same revenue that the vested Fapi
nl II Iho landed proprietor and slave "wurr should
Can any leg found who really d"rs 80 far ior.r me
fact that all sales ar, not capital, and that rnrEchen'
Gales are far, very far above their capital 10 aiuSs'
every iustauos' indeed, d9 not know sinSis IL