[ 3«6 ] 



Thofe who alTert that this kingdom is 

 ruined by taxes, feem not to underftand the 

 nature o£ taxes. Suppofe eight millions 

 paid by fixty millions of income ; are we to 

 fuppofe that the body of the people are 

 poorer by eight millions ? Are we even to 

 fuppofe that the pofifeflbrs of the fixty mil- 

 lions of income are poorer by the whole a- 

 mount ? Certainly not. Thefe eight mil- 

 lions create an income for King; foldiers ; 

 failors ; {hip-builders ; tax-gatherers ; ftock- 

 holders, &c. This body, in a political view, 

 carry the fame appearance as the pofifeflbrs 

 of the fixty millions from whom their in- 

 come is taken. It only divides that fum a- 

 mong a greater number of people ; the whole 

 remains income as before, only it is pofiefled 

 by A y B, and C, inftead of A and B; 

 and C, with his new created income, 

 confumes as great a proportion of taxed 

 commodities as A and B; and confe- 

 qu~ntly immediately bears his mare of 

 all future taxes. But this {hews the great 

 confequence of fpending the amount of 

 taxes at home. All that are paid to foreign- 

 ers, fuch as fubfidies and intereft of debts, 

 &c. bear no {hare in future levies. 



While taxes are principally laid on con- 

 fumption, as they are in Britain, and con- 

 iequently not burthenfome to indultry, it is 

 impoiiible to conjecture to what amount they 



may 



