Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-31
gJCIMoND. FRIDAY. MARCH, 81.
,.,..,, TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY"

-,or,,s 49, -esnonsibillty Of the Tax Bal 1t argues,
tina, ,hev had a majority Of 10 IN the Legislature,
"upon ,teni alone must resi- ''e "g. u ~.
l,y,be odiua. appreciation OF every measure OF the
s.;sla,nre" The Herald cannot strip few OF the
Wigs Of the House Of the honor OF supporting the
faith of the Slae-but, if every Wing IN the House
| had been dead shot against the BILL we would claim
thu whole responsibility of the measure. M's'cPre-
septation shall no, intmidate The attempt to Gre
ale pauic shall not alright us from our proprety-
| TIE Win clamor passes by us as the IDLE wnd,
which we regard not. The whole Wing press may
swell into grand chorus against the Tax b'ii, ana
acainst the alleged consumption OF time, and against
every measure of the Legislature the Richmond
Wbig may try 10 humbug the People-the Norfolk
Journals, NAV seek TO herald forth the clamors OF The
Whirs-the candidate for Congress- in Campbell, may
comnIain of the loss time, and of The Democrats iaen
inp upcn the pubic treasury whist HI, too, participated
of the spos and pockeed has proportion otthe mileage
and the pay. The whole Wing orchestra, IRON the
little ageoet The swelling viooncello, may burst out
into one grand denuncation of the last Legislature
and their revenue billWe, for one, can disregard
their clamor and despse their party slang There is
more real patriotism the declaration Of the "Gooch'
land Oveseer that he would "rather pay to the last
cent, than see his mother State disgraced and who
states 'lha every ought TO pay his tax IN proper
lion to what he is worth than there il in all the
pours and passions OF the Wing press For one
We all the responsibility; give all the credit ofsup
porting the honor Of the State Proud always have
of the name OF Nrgnian prouder this day
than ever have been Proud OF being called
Democrat, prouder Of the epithet, since II
has become interviewer with the faith and credit OF the
STATE, Virginia now hold up her head with the
proudes OF her sisters. Her representatives, may now
say, ave repudiate Reputation. Wear in debt, and
We have determined to pay it We Jound The faith OF
the State pledged and resolved TO redeem it, Upon our
shoulders falls part Of the rebuke which MIR. Ever
cit received from the English creditors of the repu
dating States. When they say, that every true
American, every honest and right hearted man mnst
desire TO so foul stain wiped from the escutheon oil
his counlry'-When they speak Of 'the fact, that in
the money markets OF Europe, American credit Ia
lower than that of any other Government, ought to
| stimulate every true born Yankee-every one IN
whom the pdtrT is not extinct, TO restore Tie
national character 10 the same elevated position IN
which It stood before reputation became fashionable;
they cannot say, that we did ii. They cannot re
proach us, with violating the ordinary obligations of
good faith They cannot say oil us, that we have de
med TO of their suffering creditors oil cent oil
their lawful dues. We cannot reproach ourselves with
deirauding of them, "he larger portion OF whom
Qhey saw are persons the middle ranks OF life
officers half pay-superannuated clerks-retired
lradesmen living small means--a.ed splnsters WI
dows and orphans-many of whom have invested their
all 10 the purchase o! your securles-at hIgh prices
and now depend for their subsis!cnce-some even Tor
their daily bread on the good faith OF your people
We have done our duty to tn State and to them We
have saved the honor oil the Commonweath-and we
shall fad that honesty the beS. policy; for already
have raised stocks more than ~ per cent IN the
market and trust, that IT distant day, stocks
Will rise 10 par, or perhaps beyond IT. The law
NAV be defective 10 some of its details. The ma
chincry may turn out on trial, to be somewhat dIit
cult in its execution unequal IN It's Details but future
Legislatures, with the light of experience beaming
upon their path, Will correc, its imperiectons. But
IN the mean time, plead the integrity of mo-
ves, and the justice of the principles have adopted.
We would rather lose places, than consciences
We would rather incur the clamor of the factions par
tzan, the resentment of the mercenary slang.
whanger; would rather run the risk of encounter
ing the rowns of the people, and trust to their sober
second thoughts for ultimate justification
would rather be doomed 10 retirement and be driven
from the nnbe canncs. Than nnnsrnt to disgrac" the
OF the miserable Wing parzan-welcome the tempo-
rary murnurs Of disconent rather than leave blot
upon the escutcheon ofVnginia. The responsibility of
upholdng the faith Of the State caS upon us-and We
have met II like honest men and good citizens We
could not return to the bosom Of our constituents and
leave behind exhausted Treasury, bleeding
credit, and dlsgraced Common wealth.
Such is the language, which every Republican Re-
preventative, who is conscious Of having faithfully and
iearessy discharged his duty, will promptly and boldly
hold forth And Tor one, say, upon the houseops that
had rather party defeated this Spring Mt the
Posand the sceptre transferred to the actous Modes
and the greedy Persans than 10 blush for the honor of
the State. Now, we stand erect in the face OF the
world. If they had not passed an effective tax BILL
they would have sneaked back 10 their Constituents
with he upon their lips, and The stigma OF disgrace
upon their ioreheads.
Taere is much manly and heightened feeling in he
following article, Of Saturday last, from the Boston
Morning Post-it strikes chord, 50 exactly in unison
with our own sentments-the Democrats of Massa-
chusetts are struggling tremendously with those OF
the "Od Dominion" that we beg leave TO lay it be.
fore readers, and recommend il 10 their earnest
consideration. We can publish such articles
without reproach. We can do more. We can hold
up the example of Virginia, as worthy of the imita
ton Of her States upon whom indeed her energy
and integrity cannot be lost The moral force Of Pir
gin;a must be preScrred-and that depends, as much
upon the purity of her political principles, the integr-
" Of her faith the loftness Of her Observation-Disclosures
upon the reputation of her name and the talents Of
her
From tie Boston Morning Pos,.)
"a STATE TAX, to be assessed upon the whole pro-
perty in the Common wealth, is the soundest tax in
principle. Is il expedient 10 impose it tax OF
some kind, i, is acknowledged must be levied for the
finances embarrassed, and the credit OF the State is
al stake The honor of the Common wealth, says the
Governor, in his last message, must be maintained
with untarnshed lus,rc. The public faith must, in
all events, be preserved nvioaie. The crisis is mpo
iant. Why not meet it manfuly Why hesitate at
the proposition year ago, the Democrats, TO
urged it in the Legislature with all their strength
urgent the call for IT Hten il not more
so than il is noe. Why not, then, adopt this po-
Icy The reason, we verify believe, does the PEG
pie great justice II is said 10 be adverse to their
wishes, and hence, it is moi cxpcdtent Taxation,
il is une, IS never acceptable. Bat who will not
admit bat il is far preferable 10 dishonor to
Inequality The only question The people would ask,
when the pitance called for that would be required
Of each town in of So, 000 would be- was State
tax necessary Here is the point. If the Legislature
can establish this necessity, then the difficulty vanshes
then the measure will stand justified Now, who that
has thought at all Of the condition Of the State finances,
does know, and, if candid will admit that the
Democrats here have firm ground to stand upon and
legislator might we'll fee! proud 10 occupy and de-
frnd his vote. He could expose TO the full view OF bis
constituents the embarrassed condition of our finances
debt piled upon debt-revenues dminishlng-in,ercst
increasing-State stock below par, md prov-
ded for the future he could review the past reckless
uavagance and borrowing policy Of the party which has
long controlled the destnles the State he could take
this policy which here has gone further than heavy
Indebtedness and run il on, its legitimate length
seen in other States where it has led 10 rnin; he could
dwell upon the shame and dishonof which such
coarse would bring upon Massachusetts,; he could
speak upon the duty now devoivlng upon The Demo
crazy 10 change this policy, aud cite with honest
pride The noble example Of The New York Democrats
Int, la 10