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82: Desarns of the Genera AssEneLy
2 iv “think i it muft be clear to the apprehenfion of every perfon that: the prin-*'
Bee ciple ought ‘either to be extended or annihilated :.and I reft fully confident, :
- Gentlemen will make 2 proper decifion, whether | to extend: or deftroy,:—-but
how that may be, I'don’t know. —Yet I could not from principles of general
See. equity: and the diftrefs of ‘Penafylvania i in her revenue, reftife to: vore for the;
: prefent claufe s if thé voice of the Houfe’ denies this, I-can’t think of fupport- :
. ag any part of the bill...
‘Mr. Findley withed to have on all eccafions proper and gezeral regulations
: / “both fer city'and county 5 3 the pre efent was acknowledged to benefit the former,’
: but’ declared injuricus to the latter 5 = ‘paffirg this claufe he thought was only
oo oy / ineant by its advocates to make the “principles go better down in the city :. for;
: ro : ao if he underftood it right, no revenue was expected from it. As far as his’ know-
' Iedge extended no revenue could arife from taking in,the counties + nor indeed
ob the regulation of vendues in the country at all neceflary; becaule there are” -
ho, a nere. Now making laws for the government of what does not exilt, mult be.
a _ trifling and beneath “the judement of legiflators. . The queftion before us is 5
tion of vendues? but! vbarely “whether we: “will extend the, law to! sa “fe more, .
; ; where none does exift? Certainly j it is not worth the attention of the Houle to
Y . employ themfelves in making fuch laws,’ ;
: Mr. G. Clymer-—-1 am of: opinion with the gentleman from the ‘county, of
Philadelphia, that extending this law will be buc‘of litle benefit to the ftate,
and will own that the regulation of vendues is an ‘advantage’ to the city : bug
it does not follow, that the-city ought to be taxed in an extraordinary manner,
for a convenience’ which would be none to the counties. The benelit of a re-;
- gulation’i in this particalar, i is, that svere vendues too numerous, it might give
+ greater opportunity for puttiog, off ftolen goods, and avoiding detection + as,
this became more eafy, it would be an encouragement to the-licentious and
-wicked among us.—Hence refults a propriety in providing, by regulations of
this kind, fecurity for.the happinefs and convenience of the people.—It ts for
thefe reafens, that we have our ftreets- paved, lighted, and-watchel; but we
. are not obliged. to pay a tax to government. for this indulgence—if we: contri-
bute enough to provide the convenience, it is all that is afked.—The fame ob-
° fervations may be made on: the regulation, of vendues-—and I afk, Sir, does it.
“} mot feem unreafonable, to tax us for regulations t that are for our advantage ?, ?
—If the ‘bill, mutt pafs, it thould pafs as it ftands.. I den’ ¢ know. whether it
3s cr isnot an improvement upon the ‘old, but’ that may be left to experience. ,
Either pafs it, Sir, or rejea it altogether, with the a laws, swith: which’
the bufinefs is already ¢ encumbered,
1. Fitzfimmons did not know what he was to underftand from the gentle,
‘ynan of Wettmoreland (Mr. ‘Findliy)>- He’ admits it.is raifing a revenue. un~"
"equally, and’ yet does not ‘come forward to eafe the people of: this unequal .
burthen ; it is his duty, as “a member of this Houfe, to give fupport to equal.
Jaws—and it cannot but be. confidered - unjult. and. unequal for the people of.
Philadelphia to be liable: to a tax on the fale of ‘real eitates,, when' the other °
parts of the flate are encumbered with none.—It is ‘unfair and unjuft in gen-
i
ca ar A i ae HES ne
einer a. Rakes Sumer tte
Tp et eR oa ee a
'
fufe to do the fame; it is - impoffible a principle fo" dithoneft thould be ‘advo, :
seated or fupported j in the legiflature of Pennfylvania. Ifit is—the people have.
aright to come forward, ‘and fay, if the principle upon which we are taxedis.,
not extended; or cilcomtinged, we will” not! fatter ivat the time the duty.
. me . waa.
at " . «
£3
Fot whether we are'to Tupprets the: révenue. that does arife from the regala-. “<:
tlemen to make them’ contribute to the’ exigencies of the ftate, when they re=. *: