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the poor ? And who, if they had ctoti.
nucd in power, would have still increafcd
and extended them to every article of lire|
from the light of heaven admitted through;
oar windows, to the hearth, which ad-|
minirters to our culinary wants ? The men
who have expended millions on armies and
navies, who have given a premium of 8
per cent, for millions of dollars: under
whose administration the public debt has
been augmented at the rate of a million of
dollars a year, during ten years of uncom
mon prosperity, and with a revenue in
their hands of ten millions a year—the
men who have forfeited the public confi
dence and are now insidiously addrefling
your paflions and courting your good o
pinion.
Without however considering the Ex
cise as forming part in a system of mea
sures unfavorable to liberty or creating an
influence unknown to the Conflitution,
calculated to humble the State Govern
ments, and to effed a consolidation of the
General Government, eras vexatious and
opprenive to the citizens, the following
view of its parties and unequal operations,
together with the enormous expense of
collection, will juftify the abolition to
every candid mind.
The whole of thefc duties for the year
IKOO, amounted to 993,661 dollars 82
Cwl ■l3 •
N.. mber of Officer* Expences of colleftion
Dolls. Cts.
Ncw.Hampfhirc 9 3,255 70
Maflachufetts 40 32,209 34
Rhode-1 Hand 8 6,393 6
Connecticut 12 5,733 96
Vermont 4 2,656 30
New. York 33 19,666 45
Jcrfey 14 5,922 76
Pennsylvania 26 40,977 43
Delaware 4 2,870 51
Maryland 38 191304 98
Virginia 133 40,670 76
Ohio 8,422 7
Tenneflec 12 3,511 61
North-Carollna 67 20,583 56
South-Carolina 67 xl* 3 57 89
Georgia 9 3,993 15
Total 467 227,431 58
Os the whole sum of 993,661 dollars
82 cents, the State of Maflachufetts paid
*72,894 88, which exceeds one fifth
part. The State of Virginia paid 144,
168 97, which is rather short of one fe-
Vcmh part. Os course in these taxes Maf
fachufctts paid 28,725 dolls. 91 cts. more
than Virginia.
Os the Dircft Tax of two millions of
dollars, paid in 1798, the proportion of
Maflachufetts was 260,435 31, being
hearest to One eighth of the whole. That
of Virginia amounted to 345,840 60,
being rather more than one iixth part of
the whole.
At the fame rate Virginia ought to
pay, 165,610 9, and Maflachufetts 129,
392. So that apportioning the Internal
Revenue between Maflachufetts and Vir.
ginia according to the ratio of the Dired
Tax, it will be found, under the opera
tion of the Internal Duties, that Mafla
fachufetts paid 43,502 dollars more than
tier proportion, and that Virginia paid
21,441 12 less than her proportion. And
yet the people of Maflachufetts have been
mod impudently told, that their interest
was Jlcrificed to Virginia policy, by the
repeal of these taxes, particularly that of
the carriage tax. As this has been a fub
jed of much federal clamour, the reader
may be gratified by the following official
statement.
,4 statement of ' e duties upon carriages
for convejanft of persons, during the
year ending on the lift December , 1800.
Dolls. Cts .
New-Hampshire, *>9o3 50
* Maflachufetts, 14,096 81
' Rhode-Ifland, 1,046 75
Conncdicut, 4*564 77
Vermont, 180 66
New. York, 7,807 75i
5,233 86
Pennsylvania, 7,335 77
Delaware, 2,565 58
Maryland, 8,683 79
Virginia, . 13*701 47
Ohio, 287 25
Tenneflec, 85 50
Nonh-Carolina, 4*834 3
South-Carolina, 4*329 44
Georgia, 1*214 4®
Total, 77,871 41 j
From which it is evident, that although
the just proportion of Maflachufetts was
only 10, 13527, yetfhe paid 14,096 81 ;
Virginia 13,701 47, New-York no more
than 7,807 and Pennsylvania only
W 7*335 77 '» notwithstanding the proper.
■ tion of each of those states upon the prin
ciple of dired taxation, would exceed
that of Maflachufetts, The next federal
objedion is, that the carriage tax fell up.
Befi * .ft#
on articles of luxury, and for that rea
son ought not to have been repealed. But
is this true ? No, it may be seen that
11,024 dollars, out of the 14,096 8i
paid in Maffacufetts, were levied on 3969
chaises, and 49 chairs, at three dollars
each. The reader knows that these are
generaflj articles of convenience and com
fort, mtar than of luxury; and they
were funift to an equal tax, without a
ny diferfflhation between the beil and
the mod luxurious and the
mod ordi^Hpfc
HavingTMg|fopriated the sum of seven
million three mmdred thousand dollars an.
nually to the payment of the intered and
gradual extinguifhment of the principal
of the national debt, the present admini.
dration have made the following retrench
ments in the public cxpcnces, viz.
[Here follows a datement which has
already appeared, making the retrench
ments amount to 1,021,553 dollars.J
It followed that some ■ of the public
burthens might be difpenfcd with. The
external revenue derived from Irapofts and
tonnage, collected in comparatively few
places, and of few persons, at an expencc
of less than five per cent, and by a set of
officers whom it was necessary to retain in
service: and the internal revenues, de
rived from another set of laws, collected
by a different set of officers, at an ex
pence of fifteen per cent, were before
them for feleCtion ; and which ought to
have been preferred r The duties on fait,
on bohea tea, on brown sugar and coffee
were comprehended in the impod; were
laid by the fird congress, and from time
to lime been incrcafed by subsequent laws
—have been collected at a small expence,
and with a certainty not applicable to the
internal duties. A reduction of so much
of the impod would reduce the whole ex
pence of that fydem but very little, and
nor difeharge a single officer. The internal
duties on “ domcdic diddled spirits and
dills, (that is, of American manufac
ture, not imported refined fiugars, nuhich
are fuhjeft to an intpoji duty) on carri
ages, retailers licences, and damps upon
vellum, parchment and paper,” were une
qual in their application to individuals
and dates, vexatious in their operation,
fomc of them extremely obnoxious, some
direCtly counteracting the policy of do.
medic manufactures, others evaded by col
lusion or fraud, mod of them to be col
lected in alraod every town and village in
the United States, requiring the vigilance
of more than four hundred officers, and
an annual cxpence of two hundred and
twenty.feven thousand, four hundred and
thirty-one dollars in their collection;
diminilhing the refpeCt for oaths, offering
drong temptations to bribery and perju.
ry, and thus corrupting the morals, both
of officers and people.
Is it possible that a wife and prudent
legislature (hould helitate between them ?
Is it not obvious, that the whole, if any
part, of these internal taxes ought to be
repealed, because a partial repeal would
retain all the collecting officers, and con
sequently increase the expence of collecti
on compared with the amount collected ?
Is it not evident, that the proposal to re
peal the duties on fait, on brown sugar,
&c. was either an attempt to defeat the
repeal ot the internal taxes, or a grasp at
that popularity which the majority affeCt
to despise ? Sit down, fellow-citizens, by
yourselves, banilh, if possible, all didinc
tions of parties, take the datements fur
nifhed by official documents, make your
intered the criterion, and form your own
calculations, comparisons and conclusions.
Is there in Massachusetts an individu
al, even if he approved of the fydem of
patronage, of loaning and taxation, a.
dopted by the lad adminidration, would
consent to the continuance of a burthen so
unequal, and so oppressive to the citizens
ot this date ? Who can deny the merit
of the present congress, in contracting
the wants of government, and lightening
the burthens of the people ? Or, who, in
fine, can withhold his admiration at the
magnanimity of the chief magidrate, in
commanding a measure which mud dimi.
nidi his own influence and power, while it
dismisses from public service, and returns
to private dations, four hundred aCtive,
difoppointed spirits, to increase the pro
portion of his political enemies, and add
to the number and zeal of his calumnia
tors ? Between the calumnies of such a
faCtion, and their own true intered, the
people now have leisure to decide. In
forming the ultimate decision, there is
less need of fubtility and refinement than
of candour, common sense and arithme
rical computation. If there is any cer
tainty in principles, or any dependence
on reason and experience, the, difeharge of
useless officers, especially of thofc concern
ed in the pecuniary operations of govern
ment is effcntialty favorable to freedom
and repubHcanifin. If two and two make
four, if a part is less than the whole, the
retrenchment of unnecefiary public ex
pences, the correspondent reduction of
public taxes, and the consequent fimplifi
cation of our public concerns, are so ma
ny points gained in favor of the people.
Fellow-citizens of Maflachufetts, the
measure under consideration is particular
ly interelling to us. If the repeal of that
unequal fyttem of internal taxes is not ma
terially beneficial to our inteieft, calcu
lation is a cheat and arithmetic a har.
BOSTON, Odober 11.
The United States frigate BoJion t Da
niel M‘Neil, efq. commander, anchor
ed yesterday off Fort Independence, in 30
days from Gibraltar. Dispatches from
Government having been delivered to
Capt, M‘Neil immediately on his arri
val, the ftigate will proceed without de
lay, to Walking ton. We learn from
Capt. M‘Neil, that a partial peace has
been effected, by Commodore Morris with
the Moors -and that Mr. Simpson, had
returned to Tangiers; that the Emperor
of Morocco had claimed and manned the
Tripolitan veflfel, which has been so long
dismantled at Gibraltar, and fitted her for
sea ; in confequncc of which, Commodore
Morris had ordered the Adams, Captain
Campbell, to cruize off Algeziras, to
watch her motions ; and stationed an ofii
cer on shore to make signals ; that Com.
Morris had failed from Gibraltar with
Mr. Cathcart on board, for Algiers.—
Capt. M‘Neil, after having been relieved
oft'Tripoli, by the Confteilation, Capt.
Murray, proceeded to Naples, where he
convoyed a number of American and
Swedish veflfels down the Mediterranean.
Capt. M*Neil had a flight engagement,
near Tripoli, with three gunboats, one
of which he funk...the other two made
off; in this engagement the Boston fuffer
ed no loss. The Danes had paid a tri
bute in money and military (lores to the
Regency of Tripoli. The crew of
the Bolton has been very healthy through
their whole cruize, and now are.
PHILADELPHIA, Odober 16.
Important to Merchants.
We have been favored by a refpeCtahle
commercial gentleman of this city, with
the following interelting letter from an of
ficial character at the Spanish court ;
(copy.)
Madrid , Augufl 15, 1802.
Sia-~Onthe 11th inst. the plenipo
tentiaries of the United States and Spain
signed a convention for the appointment
ot commiflioners who are to form a board
and fit at Madrid, for the indemnificati
on of those who have sustained loflcs, da
mages or injuries in consequence of the
excesses of individuals of either nation,
during the late war, contrary to the ex
isting treaty, or the law of nations.—
The convention to have no force or effeCt
until it be ratified by the contracting par
ties. I am fir, &c.
Eighty paflengers have arrived at Balti
more in the (hip Der CElbaum, (rom Bre
men.
WASHINGTON CITY, Odober 15.
DELAWARE ELECTION.
The following is a correct (latement
of the majorities of votes given in the
different counties of Delaware for a mem
ber to reprefeut them in congress;
Maj. for Rodney in N. Cattle co, 957
Do. for Bayard in Kent, 219
Do. for do, in Suifex, 723
Majority for Rodney, 1 £
The election for a member of the houle
of representatives in the next congrels is
decided, and Caesar A. Rodney, the
republican candidate, is elected, by a ma
jority of 15, over James A. Bayard,
the federal candidate.
The pre-eminent (lation taken by Mr.
Bayard as an opponent of the adminiltra
tion, and his violent denunciations ofe
very measure of moment, accompanied
with undignified inveCtive, seems to have
forcibly attracted the attention of hiscon
ftituents. The friends of republican li
berty and the government, early resolved
to support Mr. Rodney, a citizen of re
fpeCtable talents and unimpeached fame:
while the opponents of the adminittrati
on determined to exert their full strength
in defence of their champion.
The contcft has been a warm one, and
has decided the political character of De
laware. Mr. Bayard declared the peo
pie were on his fide, and opposed tp the
measures of the government. The people
have (hewn themselves to have been mis
represented, by having, in a conjiituttonal
twej f displaced Mr. Bayard.
Republicans will rejoice in this event,
not because their caufc has any thing to
fear from the talents of Mr, Bayard-
On the contrary, it is believed that his
extreme violence is prejudicial to his own
fide, and beneficial to that which h e I
poses. But they will rejoice i n t hi»l
vent, as adding a new atteftauon to I
vigor and purity of public opi„ io , * ■
which, after all, our national charafie I
and general happiness must depend. r ' B
It may not be unimportant to noti Cf B
that when Mr. Bayard was defied ,* B
congress in October 1798, he carried his B
election by a majority of 1020, over B
Alexander the republican candidate. ** B
In Ofiober 1800, the next period of B
elefiion, that majority funk to 364. B
And in Ofiober 1802, he is found i D a ■
minority. The moral, we trull, u |]j I
be a ufeful one. It will teach public men fl
the policy, however regardless they m>ly I
be of the duty of moderation. Thus I
we may hope, in a (hort period, a redo, I
ration of a dignified, manly, and hono. I
rable spirit of difeuffion, in the room of I
the difgraceful detrafiion, with which it I
has been attempted to inflame and divide I
the nation. I
Ofiober 18. I
Further Triumphs. I
PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION. I
This is a proud period to the genuine 1
republicans of this country. The support 1
which sustains their cause, every day gains I
a frefh acceflion of strength ; and in pro. 1
portion to the vigilance, interest, and in. I
formation of the people, is the meafurc I
of that support. The wife measures of I
an honest administration are maintained I
by an independent yeomanry, tooenlight. I
cncd not to difeern their true interells, I
and difeerning to pursue them. Before I
the voice of such a people, how impotent I
are all the slanders of faction ! I
Pennsylvania, the wealthiest date in the 3
union, and the mod honorably charafier- I
ifed for afiive industry, and prudent en- I
terprife, Hands erefi, a political coloflus, I
in the cause of republican liberty, and I
presents a barrier againfl every hostile I
force.
The political charafier of Pennsylvania
is the more important and imprefiive, as
it has, with little, if any variation, been
firm and confident.
She was among the earlicft whig dates
in our revolutionary contcd.
She fudained that contest with equal
vigor with any date in the union.
She was, on the formation of the fede
ral conditution, among the fird to ra
tify and carry it into full and immediate
edefi.
She supported with zeal the adminidra
tors of that government, so long as they
supported the principles of liberty, and
pursued a course calculated to secure the
prosperity of the country.
She abandoned the adminidrators of
that government the moment Ihe was con
vinced that they had abandoned the prin
ciples of liberty, and were regardless of
the means of promoting the common wel
fare.
Still whlggifh, federal and republican,
in the true sense of those terms, she re
sumes with joy the patriotic duty of Tup
porting with commanding energy, an
adminidration whiggifh, federal and re
publican.
Lad year the republican majority in
the city of Philadelphia, was 125. This
year it is 426. Does this look like los
ing ground ?
The city and county of Philadelphia,
and Delaware, fend three reprefen fa fives
to congress. Joseph Clay, Jacob Rich
ards, and Michael Leih, all republican,
are undoubtedly defied by great majo
rities.
The republican tickets for Governor,
for members of aflembly, for the city and
county, and for the councils of the city,
have all succeeded.
OFFICIAL .
(copy.)
Tangier!,nth Aug, 1802.
I-have much fatisfafiion in acquainting
you, that peace is again edablilhed be
tween this Empire and the United States
of America, of conleqaence our vessels
have no longer any danger to apprehend
from the Emperor's cruizers. This in
telligence you will be pleased to communi
cate to all citizens of the United States or
others it may concern near you.
I am, with refpefi,
Sir, vour mod obedient servant.
(Signed) ' JAMES SIMPSON.
Joseph Yznardy, Esq. Cadiz,
Letters from France by the ftiip Benja
min Franklin, la'ely arrived from Havre
de-Grace, mention that the drafts iflued by
Mr. Pichon lad spring, to the amount of
150,000 dollars, have been duly paid ;
and those fame letter* express a confidence
that the subsequent ones will likewise
meet with a punctual payment.
It is further said that the French go
vernment have provided a large fund in
the United States to be appropriated to
their exprncts, until fall confidence if-