chords of sympathy, between the representative and the constituent.
There is no part of the administration of Government that requires extensive information, and a thorough knowledge of the principles of political economy, so much as the business of taxation. The man who understands those principles best, will be least likely to resort to oppressive expedients, or to sacrifice any particular class of citizens to the procurement of revenue. It might be demonstrated that the most productive system of finance will always be the least burdensome. There can be no doubt that in order to a judicious exercise of the power of taxation, it is necessary that the person in whose hands it is should be acquainted with the general genius, habits, and modes of thinking of the People at large, and with the resources of the country. And this is all that can be reasonably meant by a knowledge of the interests and feelings of the People. In any other sense the proposition has either no meaning, or an absurd one. And in that sense, let every considerate citizen judge for himself, where the requisite qualification is most likely to be found.
[From the New York Packet, Tuesday, January 8, 1788.]
THE FŒDERALIST. No. XXXIV.
To the People of the State of New York:
WE have seen that the result of the observations, to which the foregoing number has been principally devoted, is, that from the natural operation of the different interests and views of the various classes of the
