758 
soldier, better fed and better clothed, 
understands economy, and his sav- 
irigs, which he throws into the com- 
mon stock, attach him to his stand- 
ard as well as to his family. 
Every branch of our finances be- 
comes more productive. The col- 
lection of direét contribution is less 
rigorous with regard to the contri- 
butors. In the year six, it was 
reckoned that about fifty millions 
were in the hands of the colleétors 
of taxes, and payments were three 
ot four years in atrear. At this 
moment, the sum in the hands of the 
collectors is not above three millions, 
and thé contributions are paid even 
before they are duc. 
All the rules which have been 
made, and all the plans of adminis- 
tration which have been formed, 
give a produce still increasing. The 
rales applicable to the registering of 
commercial transactions, is pro- 
duétive to a degree, which attests the 
rapid movements of capital, and the 
multiplicity of business which is 
transacted. 
In the midst of so many signs of 
prosperity, the excess of the direct 
contributions is still made a ground 
of complaint. 
The government has Jearnt, from 
every one versed in the principles of 
taxation, that the surcharge consists 
ed chiefly iii the inequality of the 
fhode in which the taxes were im- 
posed. Measures have been taken, 
and are carrying into effe¢t, to as- 
certain the real inequalities which 
exist in the different departments.— 
In the course of the year twelve, 
regular and simultaneous operations 
will have ascertained what is the re- 
Jation which ought to exist betwixt 
the contributions of the different de- 
partments, and what in each depart- 
ment is the just rate of the Jand tax. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
The moment that a certain result has’ 
been fixed, the government will give 
orders for those alterations which 
justice requires. But in the course 
of this year, and without waiting for 
those results, it will propose an ime 
portant diminution in the land tax. 
Innovations are still proposed in 
our financial system; but every 
change is an evil, if it cannot be sa- 
tisfactorily demonstrated that cer- 
tain advantage would result from it. 
The government will seek, from time 
and from discussions, weighed with 
all possible care, the maturity of 
these projects, which inexperience 
often hazards ; which they support 
by those past examples, the memory 
of which has been almost effaced 
from the public mind; and on the 
financial doctrines ofa nation, which, * 
by unnatural and exaggerated efforts, 
has broke through every measure of 
public contribution and expenditure. 
With an increase of revenue, » 
which no one ventured to calculate, 
extraordinary circumstances have led 
to wants which it was impossible te 
foresee. 
It was necessary to re-conquer 
two of our colonies, and to re-esta- 
blish in all the power and the go- 
vernment of the mother country. 
It was necessary, by means sud- 
den and too extended to admit of 
rigid economy, to procure stbsist- 
ence for the capital and several of 
the departments, At least, hows 
ever, the success of the government 
has been equal to its efforts, and, 
after these vast exertions, resources 
remain henceforth to guarantee the 
capital against the return of want, 
and to disconcert the projects of mo- 
nopoly. 
In the methodized statement of 
the minister of finance, will be 
found a general view of the annual 
contrie 
