Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

A warning voice to the People, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE TO PROFIT THEREBY.

The present administration, with all their madness and folly, are not so mad & foolish, after having involved the country in a war with one of the most powerful nations of Europe, as to think to carry it on without money. They well knew that their ruinous system of restrictive measures had exhausted the treasury. To procure the means for executing their plan, all the odious and oppressive acts of monarchs and arbitrary governments, must be resorted to; such as Loans, Taxes, Paper Money, Excise Duties, and Stamp Acts. Previous to the election of members of Congress, we earnestly beseech our fellow citizens, without distinction of party, to read and consider the following list of bills for laying the Taxes which are to support Mr. Madison and his war, viz.

A bill to lay and collect a direct tax within the U. states, (land tax)
A bill for the assessment and collection of direct taxes and internal duties.
A bill imposing additional duties on the tonnage of ships and vessels.
A bill to retain 25 per centum on the drawback allowed by law.
A bill laying a duty on imported salt.
A bill to establish the (new office of commissioner of the revenue.)
A bill to lay duties on licenses to retailers of wines, spirituous liquors and foreign merchandize.
A bill to lay duties on carriages for the conveyance of persons.
A bill to lay duties on licences to distillers of spirituous liquors.
A bill laying duties on sales at auction of foreign merchandize, and of ships or vessels.
A bill laying duties on sugar, refined within the U. States.
A bill laying duties on bank notes and on notes of hand, and on foreign bills of exchange, of a certain description -[Stamp Tax ]
A bill making further provision for the collection of internal duties.

The history of free or despotic governments does not afford an instance where rulers have imposed such heavy burdens upon the people to support such a war as we are now engaged in. It was first intended that all these taxes should go into operation on the declaration of war. We believe it was only the fear of the consequences that would be produced by the imposition of such taxes that they were postponed till next November. For the advocates of war and Madison refused ever to have the tax bills printed, lest the people should take the alarm and withdraw their votes from the framers of them. Much less would they let the people feel the weight of these enormous TAXES till after the members of Congress and Electors of President are chosen. Complaints are daily made by Mechanics, Farmers, Lumbermen, Labourers, Merchants, Shopkeepers &c. of the badness of the times, scarcity of money, want of business and employment, and not without reason neither, for an almost total stop is put to all kinds of business; in the seaports particularly But if you, fellow citizens, find the times different now, what will be your situation after a four years' war. Your present situation is prosperous compared with what it will then be. If you re-elect the men who have declared this war, it will be saying you approve of the war and that you wish for its continuance, with all its burdens and privations. Recollect this all important fact, if peace was now to take place, this country might carry on a free profitable trade with all parts of the world You would then have, instead of war and privateering, peace and free trade; instead of the Militia being drafted and marched to Canada to fight those who wish to be at peace with us, they would be engaged in the cultivation of their farms and in the business of their workshops; instead of vice, idleness and poverty, the sure consequence of a state of war, virtue, industry and prosperity would everywhere prevail, and the United States, instead of being a land of mourning and misery, would be filled with rejoicing and overflowing with prosperity. To effect this, it is only necessary to lay aside party prejudices and party names and unite in the election of the FRIENDS and ADVOCATES of PEACE. The people in the approaching election, have their bane and antidote set before them: on the one hand, WAR & RUIN, on the other, PEACE and PROSPERITY. Elect the advocates of war, the country will certain as fate, suffer the former; elect the Friends of Peace, and it is equally certain that it will enjoy the latter.