Page:Inquiry into the Principles and Policy of the Government of the United States.djvu/305

Rh The ingenuity of beguiling a nation, by bribing it with a part of its own. strengthens this observation. Suppose a thousand stockjobbers, with the munificence and patriotism of stockjobbers, should say, "Society, create ten millions of stock; you may keep one fifth of it, as payment for four fifths which you shall give us." The property of stock being to tax, the proposition simply is, "Society, if you will permit us to tax you at eight hundred thousand dollars a year, (computing bank dividends at ten per centum,) you may tax yourselves at two hundred thousand." As bank stock holders retain their stock, they do not lend it to a nation as a compensation for taxing it by means of that stock. These two hundred thousand dollars, are ingeniously used to dazzle the multitude, so as to conceal from them, that they pay eight hundred thousand to individuals, for the privilege of taking two hundred thousand from themselves, and bestowing it on the government. To be gulled by false prophecy or pretended miracle, is known to be within the capacity of human ignorance; but a national inability to count is a real miracle. Corporate rights to tax the nation in a great sum, for the sake of that nation's exercising the right of taxing itself in a small one, are like bribes to a government for permission to plunder the people, as practised under the Turkish policy.

The fact "that bank stock is a tax gatherer," is only controverted by the assertion, that its dividends arise from the voluntary acts of individuals. "Voluntary and individuals." Precisely the terms invariably resorted to, whenever the object is to varnish over tyranny, pecuniary or personal. Innocent men are imprisoned for life by tyranny, and a nation is fleeced by monopoly and indirect taxation; ought the indignation of justice to be quelled by being told, that these calamities only fall on individuals?

Most taxes, by which nations have been enslaved, are voluntary. By forbearing to drink liquors of any kind, or to make a deed, will, bond or bill of exchange, several taxes in England may be avoided, strictly then, their pay-