PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

... ~gricultilrC', alz,i C01Iln}Cree. 467
flood, each pc.:-;:-es~ing hardy the means of ~ubsi,tenc(',
or of that nlode of . ub~i~.tence \vhich cu~tom hath
estaolished among't them; let a tenth family be quartered
upon the~c~ to be suyportt:d by a tax reUsed
from the nine; or rarhtJr, l~t 011e of the nine have
his il1colne augillented by a similar deduction from
the inconles of the rest: in either of these case~, it is
c\'ident that [he \\-"hole di~trict would be broken up.
~"or as the entire income of eai:h is ~upposEd to be
barely sufficient flir the establishment which it maint41ins,
a deductiun of any part destroys thac estab)i~ho
mente Now it is 110 all~ ,\fer to this objection, it i~
no apology fer tIle grievance, te, say, that nothing is
taklltll out of the neighb0urhood; that the stock is
not diminished: the mi~chief is done by deranging
the distriburifJn. ~1()r, again is the luxury of one
fatlliJy, or even the maintenance of all additional
faolily, a recompt'nsc to thl' COuiltry for tt.e ruin of
Iline others. N(}r, la~tly, \\ill it alter the effect,
though it nlay conceal the cau~c, tlla!" the contribution,
instead of being levied directl y upon each dafs
wages., i~ miXed up in the price of some article of
COl1staJlt u~e and consulnp~io!l, a~ in a tax upon candles,
Dlalr, leather, or fllel. '-fhis exafl1ple illustrates
tIle tel1dellcy of taxes to ob~truct ~ub~istence; and
th~ minutest degree ()f· this obstruction ",ill be felt in
the formatit,D of" falllilies. Pj'he exanlple, indeed~
forms an extrctne case: tIle evil is nlagnified, ill or·
der to rEl}der its opt'rari()fl di~tinct and v!:;ible. It\
real life, families may not bt brol(cn up, or forced
iron1 their habitatioll, 'houses be qllit ret), or COtlntri(:l~
suddenly deserted, in. con~equellce of any new jmpo~
sition whatever; but marriages will become gradually
less frequent.
It ~eems necessary, however, to distinguish betwe~n
the operation of a Ile\V tax, and the effect of taxes
which. have been long established. In the course of
circulation the money may flow back to the hand:;;
fronl which it is taken. The proportion between
the !'upply and the expense of subsistence, which had
been disturbed by the tax, may at length recover it.