An expose of the causes of intemperate drinking, and the means by which it may be obviated / by Thomas Herttell, of the city of New-York ; published by order of the New-York Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvement.

  • Herttell, Thomas, 1771-1849.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An expose of the causes of intemperate drinking, and the means by which it may be obviated / by Thomas Herttell, of the city of New-York ; published by order of the New-York Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvement. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    [ 10 ] mistaken opinion, that to burthen vice and immorality with heavy taxes, tends to discourage them; whereas, by a little reflection, it will be seen, that the moment a revenue is raised from them, government becomes in- terested in their continuance and increase. The policy of government, is but the aggregate of the individual policy of those who administer it. Hence, govern- ments like individuals, are seldom found voluntarily to impair their own resources, or obstruct the channels thro' which they derive their income. On the contra- ry, they are strongly inclined to nurse and cherish their treasury; and the powerful influence of interest acting on human weakness and cupidity, operates to prevent a too scrupulous investigation, should the means not exactly correspond with the strictest rules of morality or sound policy. It is for this reason, it sometimes, and indeed too often happens, that when the subject of tax- ation is found to militate against the cause of morality, or the best interests of the community, every attempt to do it away, is opposed—and every argument urged in favor of reform, is met by the treasury logic, it won''I do—it will injure the revenue.'''' The proprietors of domestic manufactories, have fell the truth of this re- mark; and our mercantile men can quote the failure of their attempts to restrain auction sales, as a case in point. So true is it, that my opinion on the subject under immediate consideration, is not singular, that I have heard the owners of domestic manufacturing es- tablishments express a wish, that government would collect the revenue through the medium of American instead of foreign goods. The duly would amount to no more to the consumer, nor the revenue less to the government. They would then not see us sinking in-