Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-03-13
TASATlON.

TAXATION.
1t is Indispensable to tho existence OF all civilized
society-inseparabe from all we'll ordered organiza
tions among men inherent in the very vitality OF
government itself, that sufficient fund should be
regularly raised for public purposes involving ndi-
vidua interests, and essential TO the welfare Of the
COMMUNICATIVE taxes should be laid and levied, and
dIabursed for the benefit Of those who have paid
them out, for the public and private privileges which
they enjoy by virtue Of citizenship and membership
in society To be returned to them again in &C
cumulating advantages arising to each from an ad-
vancement of the interests Of all. Taxes either di-
rect or indirect, are nothing more than tributes on
the part of the people to themselves, each to the
other for the enjoyment of mutual counsel and as.
sistauce and the reciprocal reaction Of the innumera-
BILE relations incident 10 civilization and society," an
investment for The maintenance Of law ard order,
for the protection and appreciation of property secu'
r!y OF person. elevation OF intelligence and fultIment
OF the destiny OF man, on the part Of every ndivid-
ual in the Commonwealth, according to his interests
in The affairs Of the State The OF immense
must pay into the treasury OF his State-nto the Golfers
of that community whose mmunities and advantages,
whose protection and privileges extended alike to
his property and his persona larger tribute, hea.
vier tax than he whose worldly goods amount to not
90 much. The opulent planter has an interest in the
government, greater than his more needy neighbor in
exact ratio to the difference in their fortunes and
therefore. their taxes are apportioned accordingly.
That this ia as it should be, is not to be denied
And analysis of the principle unfods the fact, that
rate OF taxation bearing equally and impartially
upon every member Of society, every individual in
the State in proportion to the interests which he owns
should not and cannot consistently be obnoxious 10
any class any man, whether il he augmented or
reduced as long az it is in conformity to the require.
ments Of the Commonwealth and the interests OF the
community in the aggregate neither higher nor
lower, heavier nor lighter, than will furnsh fund
sufficient for the public purposes and projects. Like
everything else dependent upon the artificial enact
menls of men, in contradistnction TO the lave Of
ture. the scale of taxation must vary with the vary
ing value of every marketable commodity, every
monetary movement. every increase or rerenchuent
Of public expenditures. every impediment or impe'
tus to the operations Of the resources OF the State.
The value Of almost everything that contributes TO
the physical comforts of man, is relative rather
than intrinsic; and consequently the every day
events of life afford opposite Illustrations Of
tho facilities for huctuation in the price Of pro-
ducts and Of lands the creations of art and science,
and indeed in all things that appreciuble in
money. 70 complain that the taxes are hgh is sim
ply to aay, the aairs of the State such that the
people are expected to pay probably little more
than usual for their membership Of society. The
burden is borne equally by all according to the ca
pacity Of each. The joint and general fund, in
which every citizen has invested something, and in
which each is an interested owner. has been So re-
duced hy disbursements and appropriations Tor the
good, that it is necessary for individual con.
;rbutions to be increased in order that what has
been expended may prove profitable 10 the accom-
plishment of public purposes, which will rebound to
the advantage Of every individual and repay to all,
perhaps more than ten times the amounts advanced.
If negroes or horses or agricultural implements are
high does the farmer fly into fury and curse the
philanthropy that estopped the African slave trade =
doe. he enounce the dealers in horses because they
cannot afford to sell lower does he rail against the
manufacturers of farming utensils, because the
value of their wares has been enhanced in ac-
cordance with the lave OF finance IL the same
staid tarmer-the same honest sovereign Of the
soil should own nh estate at an announcement dis
lance from Il landing or market, to communicate
with which would make iis products incidentally
more profitable, and he should commence to open a
communication at Il tremendous cost, would he stop
in his undertaking OH account OF the immediate e1
pense or would he be willing to add thousands upon
thousands more for the completion of the work, in
order that he might realize afterwards q rich re-
ward for his labor and llis money in the enor
mons profits accrung from the products OF bis estate
through the indispensable agency of the arduous and
expensive work in which he is engaged 1t is a
practical question, and we treat it plainly, that it may
be unmistakable TO the most ordinary understand.
ing The State OF Virginia is situated now identical
IL as We have supposed the farmer TO be- She has
nexhaustible resources of every kind and class and
character which, like jewels locked up in the granite
heart OF The mountain, must he br0nSM on, to give
her an impetus in agriculture, i'll commerce, in manu-
Gctures i'm arts and sciences of every sort, which
would soon enable her To ou'srip every State in the
Union, in activity, enterprise and wealth. as far as
she has always exceled them in influence and
favor with the coniederacy Eastern Virginia
is bounteously blessed by Providence with all
the requirements OF commerce with bold, deep
rivera broad bays and capacions roadstead.,
with avenues in every direction leading to the great
gateway Of the ocean. The soil too is fertile, and the
people are prosperous and happy But stl,
in being thus easily enabled to transport their
own produce to any OF the rnarts OF tho world
the people Of Eastern Virginia have as yet only
foretsste of what is in store for them. And, be-
sides il is Chinese-lke abuse of such advantages
not to open them to the availability ot tho rect oi
mankind" Western Virginia and the intervening
divisions and sections abound in every element OF
wealth, within Themselves but hey have no natural
channels through which 10 pour the treasures OF their
great garner houses into any emporium either Of the
old world or The new that may hold out the most Ct
tractvc inducements for ench branch Of trade or ar
ticle OF traffic. And there are millions upon millions
Of acres that might be made to quadrupe the revenue
of their owners and of the State. it their rich re-
sourccs were developed. Rail roads and canals are
tho arteries to convey the life blood OF Virginia
heathuiy and into its proper places. Let them ra-
m;fv through every section and district of the State;
let Item inersect upon every mountain and in every
valley. let them all converge towards the waters
of ,bs Fast and bear their burdens TO the shipping
which will soon translate them TO Liverpool to Lon
ia, IN Canton or Barbados, to the Mediterranean or
70 the Baltic sea, and commerce and agriculture and
manufactures conjoined-nature and art assisting
each other-God and man marching onward together
must accomplish the acme of earthly prosperity
and power And there is reason to believe that even
this golden dream will be realized at no very distant
dsv. The leading lines Of these internal improve.
ments:havs already been prosecuted to no inconsde.
rsbls extent; but their completion is obliged to be
delayed for the want o. money.
The Stale has undertaken stupendous work,
somewhat beyond her present means. But We have
an unfaltering faith in the intelligence patriotism and
pride of our citizens and therefore assured that
they will be patient under the taxation The State ha'
been and still compelled to lay upon them for the