Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol I).djvu/336

 320 would be neceary to ue the people to it by little and little." And afterwards, when the nation had been accutomed to it for a eries of years, the ucceeding champions of liberty boldly and openly declared "the impot of excie to be the mot eay and indifferent levy that could be laid upon the people :" and accordingly continued it during the whole uurpation. Upon king Charles's return, it having then been long etablihed and it's produce well known, ome part of it was given to the crown, in 12 Car. II, by way of purchae (as was before oberved) for the feodal tenures and other oppreive parts of the hereditary revenue. But, from it's firt original to the preent time, it's very name has been odious to the people of England. It has nevertheles been impoed on abundance of other commodities in the reigns of king William III, and every ucceeding prince, to upport the enormous expenes occaioned by our wars on the continent. Thus brandies and other pirits are now excied at the ditillery; printed ilks and linens, at the printers; tarch and hair powder, at the maker's; gold and ilver wire, at the wiredrawer's; all plate whatoever, firt in the hands of the vendor, who pays yearly for a licence to ell it, and afterwards in the hands of the occupier, who alo pays an annual duty for having it in his cutody; and coaches and other wheel carriages, for which the occupier is excied; though not with the ame circumtances of arbitrary trictnes with regard to plate and coaches, as in the other intances. To thee we may add coffee and tea, chocolate, and cocoa pate, for which the duty is paid by the retailer; all artificial wines, commonly called weets; paper and pateboard, firt: when made, and again if tained or printed; malt as before-mentioned; vinegars; and the manufacture of glas; for all which the duty is paid by the manufacturer; hops, for which the peron that gathers them is anwerable; candles and oap, which are paid for at the maker's; malt liquors brewed for ale, which are excied at the brewery; cyder and perry, at the vendor's; and leather and kins, at the tanner's. A lit, which no friend to his country would wih to ee farther encreaed. Rh