The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-09-02
TAX COLLECTOR.

dire what it cannot cure.
TAX COLLECTOR.
| If public rumor is right, the UHton news
piper of this city does very large and diver
SIZED business. Of course, its first bus'aess
il to give "aid and comfort" to the Democrat
| ID party-to furnish it with arguments and log
ito wage war with the oppositien-snd to
give its readers the daily news. But it does
much more than this it reflects the sentiments
Of the Administration upon all political matters
This is often unfortunate for its consistency, foI
b-day the Union may be called on to condemn
tie Lscompton Constitution-to morrow, to de-
end it. People will very naturally get shy Of
fs reasonings, when it is applied to both sides
df question within month.
The Union, in addition to being the mouth
piece of the President, also acts as general
Watchdog of the President-not always OF the
party, but invariably of the President. If Mr.
Buchanan has prejudice against Mr.. Douglas
or any other Anti-Lscompton politician, the
Union proceeds at once to bark at the said gen
tleman's heels, and follows him wherever he
|goes.
1t might be supposed that the business We
have alluded to would fully occupy the time o
any journal, but the Uaion has recently added
q new business to the others. 1t was already
Public Printer, Cabinet Advocate, Genera
Watch. Dog-and now it has become Part,
Tax. Collector If our readers are inclined Il
doubt the latter statement, we ask them to pc
ruse at their leisure the subjoined singular edi
torial, which we copy from the Union:
eve see it reported, we do not care upor
What authority, that q tax is levied upon the
persons employed in the Government service
and the payment thereof exacted We are quit,
ignorant of the authority upon which this pay
meut is demanded or the purposes to which j
ia applied when received. We trust, however
that whatever may be thus collected may b
wisely and economically applied to advance TIL
interests of the Democratic party in its grea
struggle with the opposition. 1t is said that
from onequarter to onehalf of one per cent
on the salaries of officials is thus exacted. Now
without knowing anything of the alleged tax
and with no belief in its existence, as q gener
al thing, we have just this to say on the sub
iect. If there is a person in the public servic
who does not voluntarily contribute the amount
at least, of two dollars and half year OF
each thousand dollars of his salary to supper
the cause of the Democracy, he should be dis
missed at once, and his place filled by one VIII
s patriotic and liberal enough to double th
contribution. We believe the cause to justif
it's support, and these who refuse to aid in tina
patriotic work should be the last to complain
&c 49,, o,o daor;yad of tho o1ao;ol fov oro n
those in power. We would recommend no sys
tenn of espionage, no mean efforts to hunt on
the miserable scavepgers who devote four o
FIVE hours of Incidence at their desks and III
balance of their time to assaults upon the De
| mocracy; but that forbearance which keep
| them in Office O moment after their PREACHER
| is known is sadlyamisplaced. 1t is a notoricu
| fact that more than half the patronage of thi
| Government is bestowed upon such unworth
and enthusiastically men. We hold it to be Gel
tain that a traitor in politics only needs an OF
| portupity to betray his trust and sacrifice th
| interests and character of the Government
Political immortality and personal morality ar
| impossible elements in the sane individual"
If, after such warning as this, any clerk 6
the Department, or any of6ce-holder in the cour
try, refuses to contribute largely to the success
of the Sham Democracy in the forthcomin
elections, let him be dismissed. Money
wanted by the Administration for party pu
poses. 1t is better than arguments. 1t will g
votes where arguments are of no avail.
We think the Union acquits itself handsome
IL in its new vocation. How ingenious th
/ - ~, l:---:---
from cfice is conveyed? We conclude ths
the Union would succeed at anything-for it
an universal genius