Essex Register, Aug. 26, 1830.
President Stiles of Yale College on the public revenue.
Extract from Preſident STILES's Election Sermon.
But I paſs on to another ſubject in which the welfare of a community is deeply concerned, I mean the publick revenues. National character and national faith depend on theſe. Every people, every large community is able to furniſh a revenue adequate to the exigences of government. But this is a moſt difficult ſubject; and what the happieſt method of raiſing it, is uncertain. One thing is certain, that however in moſt kingdoms and empires the people are taxed at the will of the prince, yet in America, the people tax themſelves, and therefore cannot tax themſelves beyond their abilities. But whether the power of taxing be in an abſolute monarchy, a power independent of the people, or in a body elected by the people, one great error has, I apprehend, entered into the ſyſtem of Revenue and Finance in almoſt all nations, viz. reſtricting the collection to money. Two or three millions can more eaſily be raiſed in produce, than one million in money. This collected and depoſited in ſtores and magazines, would, by bills drawn upon theſe ſtores, anſwer all the expenditures of war and peace. In one country it has been tried with ſucceſs for ages; I mean in China, the wiſeſt empire the ſun hath ever ſhined upon. And here, if I recollect aright, not a tenth of the Imperial revenues hath been collected in money. In rice, wheat and millet only are collected 40 millions of ſacks, of one hundred and twenty pounds each, equal to 80 million buſhels; in raw and wrought ſilk one million pounds. The rest is taken in ſalt, wines, cotton, and other fruits of labour and induſtry, at a certain ratio per cent. and depoſited in ſtores over all the empire. The periſhable commodities are immediately ſold, and the Mandarins and army are paid by bills on theſe magazines. In no part of the world are the inhabitants leſs oppreſſed than there.
Massachusetts Gazette, Sept. 29, 1786.
Religiously Inclined.—A gentleman perceiving a fellow leaning against the front of St. Paul's church yesterday, who was unable to stand without some such support, asked him if he was going to join the church. 'No,' replied Bottlenose, 'not edzactly to jine, but I'm only lean—leanin'—that way.'
New Era [1837].