Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1856-05-21

lllTiulctl IJUCtUIs Wtt' - 49,
fire. The quarrel originated on po-
litical grounds.
4 Our Taxes and the Tax Bill.
There is no subject whatever upon
wliichs in a general way reasonable
men are so much disposed to be un.
reasonable as upon the subject OF tax
alton. There is not man Of ordina.
ry sense in any community who will
not say, that taxation is inst as indis-
pensable for the proper regulation 81
every community, as the administra-
ton of justice itself. Indeed, taxa.
ton is the great foundation stone
upon which every public interest y
anyState rests for its support. With
out taxation the whole structure o.
our government wonld fall3to pieces,
anarchy would prevail, and brute
force would be substituted for law
and order. Z.
No man therefore, who ID friend
to the well being Of society can OBJ
iect ito the principle which Us essen.
tial to maintain It. If the laws fol
the protection Of the peace and prop
erty| Of the country are to he enforced,
we. must raise money to do it; and
taxation is the only proper and legi-
timate mode by which il canbe done.
1t is not then against the principle Of
taxation that any good citizen can
object - but whenever a clalnor is
raised against taxation, it is for an
abuse Of the power rather than -the
exercise of it.
/ The tax bill Of the last Legislature
has excited a good deal OF attention,
and an effort is inakingin some quar-
tiers Just now to raise 4 cla,ncr abou,
it. The. first question and the most
important one in considering this
subject is this: WAS tile increase Of
our taxes necessary for the payment
Of our Just debts!" That's tile ques.
ton. If it was necessary, then, who
or where is the man who will assert
before an honest community, Or to an
honest man, that these debts ough!
not to be paida No such man can be
found and any one who attempts I'd
raisela clamor againsta necessary tax,
one which is essential to- the main.
tenance Of State credit and State
honor, has by no means more patro.
tism than another, but has merely a
greater contempt for the intelligence
Of THE people he talks to. We owed
large and heavy debts which, were
obliged to be paid-one Of two thing:
only was left US: either TO raise the
taxesEand pay the debts, or to repudi.
ate TIL debts ana disgrace the State
of Virginia forever Which will an
honest and intelligent people say is
rightEpolieve No man can doubt fol
a moment what will besthe answer 81
the people, it will be unanimously tc
pay1the debts and save the honor Of
the State.
But if the course of Legislation
which led to the necessity of raising
the taxes, is reprehensible, let DIS sec
whether or not the last Legislature
had any hand in it tho last Legisla-
ture was in no wise responsible forthe
Indebtedness of the State. A large
majority of the members had never
before had seats within the Capitol
II was their predecessors then and moi
the last Legislature who caused the
necessity for raising the taxes. The
last Legislature made no appropria
ton which required the increase d
taxation even to the amount Of fifty
Thousand dollars to pay--it made
next to no appropriation at oil there
is not p man in Washington county
who has any respect for himsslf Or fol
the person he talks to who will deny
this statement. Ifthen former Leg.
islatures had done what the constitu
ton required of them, which was Il
levy taxes to meet demands, wher
they made appropriations, then the
last Legislature would not have been
under any obligation whatever toraise
the taxes.
But 1.-THE last Legislature had in
creased the whole public debt, and
been wholly responsible for: raising
the taxes, then, indeed, would they
have been entitled 10 the thanks rat6
er than censured ofthe country. WI
cannot expect our country to keel
pace id advancement and prosperity
with, others, if we expend nothing
while they lavish millions on work.