Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/308

 284 SKETCHES OF THE

could not be exercised, without just complaint, over a countiy so extensive, and so diversified in its produc- tions and the pursuits of its people: that it was impos- sible to select any subject of general taxation which would not operate unequally on the different sections of the union, produce discontent and heart burnings among the people, and most probably terminate in open resistance to the laws: that the representatives in con- gress were too few to carry with them a knowledge of the wants and capacities of the people in the different parts of a large state: and that the representation could not be made full enough to attain that object, without becoming oppressively expensive to the country: that hence taxation ought to be left to the states themselves, whose representation was full, who best knew the habits and circumstances of their constituents, and on what subjects a tax could be most conveniently laid: Mr. Henry said that he was willing to grant this power con- ditionally; that is, upon the failure of the states to com- ply with requisitions from congi^ess: but that the abso- lute and unconditional grant of it in the first instance, filled his mind with the most awful anticipations. It was resolved, he saw clearly, that we must be a great and splendid people: and that in order to be so, immense revenues must be raised from the people: the people were to be bowed down under the load of their taxes, direct and indirect: and a swarm of federal tax gatherers were to cover this land, to blight every blade of grass, and every leaf of vegetation, and consume its produc- tions for the enrichment of themselves and their mas- ters: it was not contended, he supposed, but that the state legislatures also, might impose taxes for their own internal purposes; thus the people were to be doubly oppressed, and between the state sheriffs and the federal

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