Za THE BEE. OR Jan. 19, 



The whole of the funding f-jjtem, as it is called, 

 or the eftablifhment of a public debt, of which only the 

 Hiterefl is paid, and the capital remains for ever dor- 

 mant, — whether it origirrated from a profligate borow- 

 ing of money by a luxurious and cxpcnfive nnticn, to 

 ferve improper purpofes, or from the artful policy <5f 

 miniflers, to fuve their popularity, and carry cm their 

 meafures, without the odium of impofing new and hea- 

 vy taxes, — is to be cenfured, as a narrow and delufive 

 plan. It is diminfhing a prefent evil to entail it on fu- 

 ture generations, and meanly flirinking from a burden 

 Providence laid upon us, in order to (hift it on the 

 Shoulders of our pofterity. Every age ought to pay for 

 its own wars, and then ftatefmen will be careful on 

 "what grounds they involve a people in war ; every age 

 ought to figh't it- ovi'n battles, to pay its own debts, to 

 meet its own difficulties. We loo!: up with gratitude 

 to our heroic anccfiors, who at any time encountered 

 great dangers and diHiculties, in defence of their liber- 

 ties and tlieir country ; but how fhal! we admire them, 

 if we find ourfelve . faddled with heavy burdens, to pay 

 for their exertions ? Inftead of generous warriorr,, this 

 idea reduces them to the level of hired mercenaries ! 



The r.uiuhr of taxes Ihould be as fmall as pof- 

 Tible,. in order to dimlnifn the number of the tax gather- 

 ers : For they are a ciafs of men of no direfl ufe in a 

 ilate. Like the people in manufaclories, employed to 

 keep clean the wheels of machines, it woidd be bet- 

 ter that one could prevent dirt from getting at the 

 ■wheels, and then thefe men's labour might be directed 

 in fome better channel. 



Laftly, Every tax, however judicious, is, from 

 particular circumftances, oppreffive to certain perfons. 

 No 'egiflature can attend to half the exceptions that 

 fnould be made. To reconcile general taxation^ then, 

 with jufcice, it would leem that there ought to be efta- 

 bllfhed a hoard of exemption, to which all perfons claim- 

 ing to be exempted, in part, or in ioto, from the influ* 



