The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-11-09
How they are TAXED In England


Our taxes must be heavy, doubtless for
a long time to come, il measured by our
own past experiences; but as compared
with the burdens which other nations
have boruo, and bear, they will be mod.
crate to say the least. We recall our own
experience in England not navy years
back; aud the recollection allevatcs very
materially any apprehcnsions we might
otherwise have in view of our present pros
poets. Our library was q pleasant room in
OH ample and substantial brick house,
looking out upon a beautiful fruit and flow
er garden in the rear and the said library
had just one window, because the light of
the sun was such an expensive article in
England at that time even rich men wcre
prudent in its cOnsummation. Seven is
the perfect number and tho father of a
household might have seven windows of
moderate and prescribed size, without
paying for the light that came through
them, but for every additional window or
opening with or without the glass, through
which heavens sweet light was admitted
| to sitting room, chamber, office or cellar,
there must he paid to the government OF
'our Sovereign Lady," sum equal to two
dollars and half
This supremely absurd and barbarous
law had the effect greatly to mar tn beau
ty and comfort of English dwellings,, aud
to kill annually a multitude of scrolulous
children. We do not remember the num-
Der OF windows in tho house of which we
have spoken, but the sum total we paid
Tor sunlight must have boen ut least twen-
ty-iive dollars a J ear, aNd that be it re-
mcmbcred for light inferior in quality and
in only moderate qrantity.
We recolloct one day seeing strange
man surveying our premises in curious
way. Presently lac rang at the bell intro
duced himself as II new inspector for thu
district, and said we were liable for ono
window more than we were paving for
We asked him where it was, and hc ront-
ed to an opening into the coal cellar. about
two square feet in size; and thereafter We
paid for it the same as for Il full sized win.
dow in our library. This was the now
inspectors way OF commenting himself To
: those 10 whom ho WAS indebted for his OIL.
CO and possibly to secure promotion. 1t is
gratifying to the humane aud benevolent
feelings to know that this Obviols and
cruel tax was repealed some twelyo vears
ago, and tax substituted for il ikfap or,
toned to rental.
If you use ring, SEAL OF any.oilIaf 4l sieje
having on ityour crest "or otIl0i' i'arindfaft,e.
vice" you will pay a tax of lIftt dNIlars
and a quarter therefor, pne isI. soh arc
an individual OF no moro telen(9i|Illry con
sequences; but if you dri yp fair of hor
ses and have four wheel Si5 tnr carriage
then your crest rises safprisfnsiy, and vor
pay thirteen dollars yearfor that impor
tant indication of resPectability. We ti;nt
our income tax, with tho adeiitian, a serious
impost; but let us see how this matter il
arranged in England. man with sal
y cry or total income exceeding $500 anc
f. not exceeding $3.50. is taxed on the Who'll,
It amount, at the rate of 81 10 per. $lOO
equal to $l8 on an income of 300: on nj
Incomes exceeding $3.50 the tax is at tn,
ratio Of S3 50 per 800 on the entire amour
equal to S36 on a total income of ST 900.
But the taxes paid by Englshmen ar,
small when compared with what tlley pa,
in the shape of customs and excise Brick,
are excised, and niali is exciscd. aad ever,
home produced article that can be, ant
ths consumer pays it in the advanced
f, prices. Every drive which yon take will
horse and carriage from tue livery stable
is excised, and the proprietor pays it on
OF the amount charged TO you. The con
sumer OF tobacco pay nm enormous aggre
gate tax to government, tho better quail
ties being rated much higher.
We remember to have paid dollar and
a half pound for the best black teas, one
third OF the amount being duty; or if we
nsed what was sold for dollar we stil
paid half dollar to government for every
pound consumed. Coffee was half crown
or sixty-two cents pound, and other lux
uries in proportion. All this was in q
time Of pTofund peace, with no derange
ment of the currency, and no usual inna
ton of prices by speculation. Yet we
seldom heard an Englishman complain oI
taxes. A much more common remark was
that his was the best country and the
best government in the world, and wei
WORTH paying for.