On The Other Hand, When I Perceive Such Signs Of
Poverty, Misery And Dirt, Among The Commonalty Of France, Their
Unfenced fields dug up in despair, without the intervention of
meadow or fallow ground, without cattle to furnish manure,
without
Horses to execute the plans of agriculture; their farm-houses
mean, their furniture wretched, their apparel beggarly;
themselves and their beasts the images of famine; I cannot help
thinking they groan under oppression, either from their
landlords, or their government; probably from both.
The principal impositions of the French government are these:
first, the taille, payed by all the commons, except those that
are privileged: secondly, the capitation, from which no persons
(not even the nobles) are excepted: thirdly, the tenths and
twentieths, called Dixiemes and Vingtiemes, which every body
pays. This tax was originally levied as an occasional aid in
times of war, and other emergencies; but by degrees is become a
standing revenue even in time of peace. All the money arising
from these impositions goes directly to the king's treasury; and
must undoubtedly amount to a very great sum. Besides these, he
has the revenue of the farms, consisting of the droits d'aydes,
or excise on wine, brandy, &c. of the custom-house duties; of the
gabelle, comprehending that most oppressive obligation on
individuals to take a certain quantity of salt at the price which
the farmers shall please to fix; of the exclusive privilege to
sell tobacco; of the droits de controlle, insinuation, centieme
denier, franchiefs, aubeine, echange et contre-echange arising
from the acts of voluntary jurisdiction, as well as certain law-suits.
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