1793 George Washington - Obviate a future accumulation of burthens

In 1793 public revenues through excise taxes and tariffs were sufficient to cover the current budget.  America still had debt, but for the first time, America had a budget surplus.   Some of this was due to cost cutting, but much of the credit goes Alexander Hamilton whose plan to issue federal bonds to consolidate loans was in his own words, "a national blessing".  By consolidating the $77 million debt and issuing bonds, the federal government was able to make it's interest payments and build credit. The bonds not only helped America to build a positive reputation in the world, but they quickly grew in value.  This was definitely good news, but President Washington gave a warning specifically to the House of Representatives.   America was able to cover it's past obligations, but the current revenue projections were not enough to cover everything that congress was proposing.  Thus, gentlemen of the house of representatives would have to consider raising taxes.  Yes, George Washington was proposing to raise taxes, but he asked that any additional taxes take into consideration the convenience of "our citizens".  Nevertheless, Washington was confident that Americans would understand the need and be willing to increase their contributions so that the U.S. government could avoid taking on more debt.  In his own words, "who can not but be sensible of the true wisdom of encountering a small present addition to their contributions to obviate a future accumulation of burthens." 

But there was one tax that Washington could not resist recommending a repeal for.   He asked that the congressmen consider a repeal of the tax on the transportation of public prints or newspapers.  It was through the public print, that the people leaned about the governmental proceedings and it was through the newspapers that the "affections of the people" could be "guided by an enlightened policy".   Call it transparency, or call it propaganda.   Regardless, Washington wanted the press to not only be free of regulations, but also free from taxation.   I apologize for not providing any details about the taxes on "transportation of public prints",  but the only references I could find were Washington's own words in 1793.

Here are the actual words that George Washington wrote in his state of the Union Address.  He addressed them specifically to the Gentlemen of the House of Representatives. 

"The productiveness of the public revenues hitherto has continued to equal the anticipations which were formed of it, but it is not expected to prove commensurate with all the objects which have been suggested. Some auxiliary provisions will therefore, it is presumed, be requisite, and it is hoped that these may be made consistently with a due regard to the convenience of our citizens, who can not but be sensible of the true wisdom of encountering a small present addition to their contributions to obviate a future accumulation of burthens.

But here I can not forbear to recommend a repeal of the tax on the transportation of public prints. There is no resource so firm for the Government of the United States as the affections of the people, guided by an enlightened policy; and to this primary good nothing can conduce more than a faithful representation of public proceedings, diffused without restraint throughout the United States."

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http://www.parkerliveonline.com/2013/10/11/national-debt-historically-speaking/
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In 1794, President Washington once again approached congress with a request to continue without delay to pay off the debt.   Washington wrote that nothing can better promote the permanent welfare of the nation than paying down the national debt.     For it is the "progressive accumulation of debt which must ultimately endanger all governments."

The time which has elapsed since the commencement of our fiscal measures has developed our pecuniary resources so as to open the way for a definite plan for the redemption of the public debt. It is believed that the result is such as to encourage Congress to consummate this work without delay. Nothing can more promote the permanent welfare of the nation and nothing would be more grateful to our constituents. Indeed, whatsoever is unfinished of our system of public credit can not be benefited by procrastination; and as far as may be practicable we ought to place that credit on grounds which can not be disturbed, and to prevent that progressive accumulation of debt which must ultimately endanger all governments.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29436