Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-05-14
Taxes Taxes . Taxes.

aud with that expressed by best In
formed citizens"
Taxes Taxes Taxes,
The Enquirer copies from the Abingdon Demo
cra,, article, which hugely extols She innate ,ir-
tues of taxation The writer addresses himself to
the subject in very comprehensive and philosophic
spirit. We make space for the opening paragraph,
from which the tenor may be inferred:
OUR TAXES AND THE TAN BILL.
"The is subject whatever upon which in general
reasonable much disposed 10 b.
able upon the subject Of taxation There is not
oi ordinary in community who will not saw, that
taxation just indispensable for the proper regulation
Of cry community, the admnists alton OF justice itself
Indeed taxation is the great foundation stone upon which
every public Of State for ts support
Without taxation the whole of government
would TALL To pieces anarchy would prevail and brute force
would be substituted Tor Law and order"
That is, the higher the Taxes-the more perfect
the Government the more money the governing
and spending class extort from the people, the
farther they removed from anarchy and brute
force, and the finer times they will have This is
the first time, have heard this same doctrine
We had touch of it from "Gissdrd Foot" himself
last winter when in his first message to the Legisa
ture, he told the peoples representatives, that the
taxes were not high enough.
This is one of those questions about which people
always have differed, and always will differ. Those
who toll and sweat and produce constituting the
great mass of mankind-are naturally ayerse to ha-
wing the fruits OF their labor taken from Them with
out consideration, for the benefit Of others Those
ON the other hand, who, like "Ebo-Shin," did
"A hands turn of work in their lives-who set out in
life with determination to make living out Of 9th
or peoples sweat without expending any OF their
own-they, OF course are clamorouS champions for
every augmen alton of taNeS-for they the men,
who reap all the profit of high taxes.
This latter class have become thoroughly organ
lied in this com'nonwea tn, and having seized the
popular idea Of Internal Improvements, pushing
that TO their ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and the general
proStraton of the industrial classes of the State
This party faction have welnigh ruined the
of Internal Improvement, by adopting every worth
less scheme their jobbing cegenerS could suggest
Unable to borrow more money on the credit of the
State they have been forced to double the taxes TO
pay past delinquences; and now, with view of pre-
pairing the way for still further increase, tell US
that high taxes is the best evidence of refined policy
aud exalted civilization
How the "gromiag" masses will relish this subl-
mated sophistry we may safely leave to the future.
Mr.. Moore hit very near the mark in his speech at
the Staunton Convention, when he said that the tax
bill, when presented by the Sheriff. could not and
would not be regarded ~ WAig te." That will
open the eyes of the masses to the decisions under
which they have been laboring.
But if the scheme of n continued increase of taxes
shall fail from the incapacty Of the masses for ap-
precating that sort Of perfect government aud their
bitter repugnance To intolerable burdens; the De
mocracy ever fruitful in expedentS, will not be
The decline of State stocks and the inability OF the
party To raise money by borrowing, has thus far
saved us from total ruin-and we feel a strong dis
position to raise shout every time we note fur
ditona guarantee against the ruin that impendS.-
But the party have scheme for getting round this
! difficulty As their credit is 50 low that they can
not sell per cent stock at par they propose to give
usurious interest by shaving oil the peoples Jonds
they hope 10 raise the wind 1t is nothing to them
what the bonds sell for so they can get money.
! They pay uothing-but spend ALL We had propo-
SitiOn Of this sort last winter to borrow millions
at per cent. But that would not be uSury enough
for, under the absurd and preposterous system OF
I these bungers, who take with one hand what they
| give with another per cent when the tax is de
Quoted, is only per stock. Heaven grant that
the folly may contribution to that folly alone
will the farmers merchants aud mechanics OF the
State, who rely upon honest labor for livelihood,
be indebted for their salvation.