The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-10-03
Tax PAXERs BEAD. e nD,,
GOVERNMENT EXPENSES AND,
.'o'', indi FINANCES ,.a'y'is %. 4 |

An 80 1mR0rtantna Paper
paiioy oIssrP PREPARED pY1saoJ issl Cd
HON. JOHN h. JAMES.
tUJRsisl, ONO, Sept. 70, 1856.
join G. Thompson, Esq, Chairman Of
The Democratic State Central Commit
tee of Ohio: i si' II ..,a2l
6IR-At the close Of the letter which
I addressed you on the I7th Septem-
Der, said that / would address you again,
and say something Of Government expen-
ses and finances. III
In 1850 the people Of the United States
had sound currency and q prosperous
commerce. The mere currency Of bank
notes left in the peoples hands as the re-
sulting balance Of trade, was $3.50, ,O00,-
900 and this was everywhere equal to
coin at tho place Of issue.
The imports Of commerce amounted to
100000, including the supplies
brought hither to be, exported again.
The exports Of our products at the same
time amounted to 1868, 900, 900, and this
difference between the imports and the
exports, which seemed to be balance
against us, was the measure Of our profits
in buying and selling between our own
country and other countries. This $780,
900 900 Of imports was for the whole body
of our people in all the States. More
than two thirds of all our exports were
produced by the Southern States the ar
ticles thus sent abroad were the exclusive
products of Southern labor, under the di.
rection of American skill and capital -
But at the same time these products
we're made in behalf Of all other skill and
capital, and by their aid. The West had
furnished food, and animals, and machines
THE North had furnished foreign i'm.
ports and their own manufactures and
when the Southern products had reached
the port Of shipment, they represented SO
much Of our united capital, ard skill, aud
labor. We were then o united people,
not only by political consent, but by the
laws of trade and Of political economy. :
In contrast with this, two-thirds Of the
same States which made the above result,
now have paper circulation Of $500, ,000,.
900, which is not redeemed anywhere mol
intended to be redeemed, until the vol
ume of it shall be greatly reduced in
amount, and the residue made more valu-
able. This reduction in amount is to be
achieved by collecting from the people an
amount Of taxes equal to the proposed
reduction, and then paying an equal
amount>of debt and destroying SO many
Of the public promisory notes, which now
pass as money. The expense Of the re-
duction is to be paid by the people Of one
year for the benefit Of the people Of nexl
year who hold the remaining money.
| Our imports from abroad are measured
in gold-our exports are measured in pa
per money-the paper dollar being wortt
ordinarily about two. thirds Of gold dol
lar, and with this disparity in values it il
not easy to tell tho present balance Of ou
trade with other countries.
| In 1860 the people Of the United State
were at peace among themselves, SO ia
as it was measured by the absence o
arms, but they we're drawing to close o
that long series of disturbances, whicl
were not by any means on one side only
and which finally ended in war. w
then had 8O,0oO,O0O of people, and th'
expenditures Of the Government in tha
year were S63, 600, 900, including the in
terest Of the public debt.
i In 1861 the people found themselves
in the midst Of war (as it is conveuien
to call it) between the States. The Sec
retary Of State told us, in his foreign cor
respondence, that this war would be o
short duration and that the seats Of mem
bers then absent from Congress by seces
sion would soon be filed again.
The Secretary of the Treasury ais
told us, that according to the sound prin
ciple Of finance, good part Of our larg
expenditure should bo paid by taxes, bu
as the war would be Of short duration, tn
whole charge could be betrayed with b.,
roFed money, and the taxation deferre
J , to another day.
These taxes have not been forgotten !
! the interval, and during the last fscI
year they have amounted to $4,000
900. But as SI50,000 900 Of this SUI
was collected in gold, that sl50,0C0,00
must be increased by one half to meet th
ordinary premium on g,ld, and we hav
, IN effect total Of s625 100000 collccte
from 30,000,000 Of people, If we coun
. the whole Union, or only 10000, 900
|, we count the people Of the States whic
! chiefly paid the tax. In tho first case
makes an average Of S21, and in the lal
: ter Of s3l, to each inhabitant Of ever
age, condition and color alike. ,2,al e .
No matter where these taxes seem I
; be collected, whether in the great citie
at which centers our foreign commefc,
! or In the manufacturing districts whic
! make the articles needed by our people
they are all assessed as charges upon th
articles consumed, and the whole amour
: Of them, with profit on the outlay, Is pal
: BY the whole body Of the people, in wha
ever district they may live, -.
Tho people Of Ohio pay one.tenth /
these taxes /; for their ability to cousum'
, and thoir disposition TO consume, Oh
} products Of commerce and Of labor wi
denote them as proper average Of th