Among the many singular objections which have been made to the new
property tax, I find Mr. C. Buller stating in the House, that his
greatest dislike to the project lay in the exceedingly small amount of
the impost. “My wound is great because it is so small,” might have
been the text of the honourable and learned gentleman's oration. After
setting forth most eloquently the varied distresses of the country--its
accumulating debt and heavy taxation--he turns the whole weight of his
honest indignation against the new imposition, because, forsooth, it
is so “little burdensome, and will inflict so slight an additional load
upon the tax-payer.” There is an attempt at argument, however, on the
subject, which is somewhat amusing; for he continues not only to lament
the smallness of the new tax, but the “slight necessity that exists”
even for that. Had we some great national loss to make up, the
deficiency of which rendered a call on the united people necessary,
then, quoth he, how happily we should stand forward in support of the
Constitution. In fact, he deplores, in the most moving terms, that ill
off as the country is, yet it is not one-half so bad as it might be, or
as he should like to see it. Ah! had we only some disastrous Continental
war, devastating our commerce--ruining our Colonies, and eating into
the very heart of our national resources--how gladly I should pay this
Income Tax; but to remedy a curable evil--to restore, by prompt and
energetic measures, the growing disease of the State--is a poor,
pettifogging practice, that has neither heroism nor fame to recommend
it. I remember hearing that at one of those excellent institutions, so
appropriately denominated Magdalen Asylums, a poor, but innocent girl,
presented herself for admission, pleading her lonely and deserted
condition, as a plea for her reception. The patroness, an amiable and
excellent person--but somewhat of the complexion of the honourable and
learned Member for Liskeard--asked at once, whether she had resolved
on a total reformation of her mode of life. The other replied that her
habits had been always chaste and virtuous, and that her character had
been invariably above reproach. “Ah, in that case,” rejoined the lady,
“we can't admit you; this institution is expressly for the reception
of penitents. If you could only qualify for a week or so, there is no
objection to your admission.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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