Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-01-16
The Subject Of Direct Taxation

1 ul1u CO ALAAS 10&&
ideas advanced by Gen. Quitmar1
III Congress, is attracting much at
tention in the South, and none does
it interest more than the Sugar
Of Louisiana. The New
Orleans Crescent in an article upon
the subject says:
We shall read the debates, if the
subject Of direct taxation ever gets
formally before the House, with
more than ordinary interest, and
shall publish copious quotations
from them in the columns Of the
Crescent. The question is one of
Infinite moment to the South, and
as it will be unquestionably han
died with great ability, it will fur
nish a large amount Of popular en-
lightenment.
With the exception Of the single
article Of sugar, the revenue laws
Of the United States do not protect
a single Southern production, while
those very laws are so insiduously
framed az to make the productive
labor Of the South, contribute i'm
mensely towards building up and
aggrandising the North. We make
nothing by their labor, while they
make annual millions by OURS
And, as it is almost as certain as
that the seasons will fulfill their ap-
pointed rounds, that the duty on
sugar will be repealed as soon as
three Or four more Freesoil States
are admitted into the Union, which
admissions will assuredly occur in
two years, it is apparent the sugar
planters will suffer but a temporary
loss should Gen. Quitman's project
succeed, and an universal abolition
Of duties on all imports of whatever
kind and description take place.
We are utterly opposed to the
abolition Of the sugar duty. We
believe it does not more than afford
an adequate protection to the labor,
capital aud skill employed in the
culture; but as it is clear it will be
taken oft in a few years by the
vastly preponderating power Of the
North in our national councils, for
the most selfish of selfish purposes,
we think Gen. Quitman's move
ment the best that could be made
for the South under the inauspi-.
ciot1s circumstances that flown so
u~npromisingly upon our abused,
prosecuted and threatened to be
plundered section. Let all the du-
ties be abrogated..= Let the princi-
pie of free. trade reign rupreme
from Portland, Maine, to Calves
ton, Texas Let "everv tub stand
its own BOTTOM" and take the
chonces Of weatl1ering or founder
in any commercial gale that
may enste. Then all will have a
chance. Then there will be no
irregularity inequitable dis
examinations to benefit one section
at the expense of another section,
as is now the case. '.".
But, will the North consent to
such a just arrangement-srch All
honest appointment Of the expenses
OF the common government? We
not. We believe Gen. Quit
mans proposition will be defeated
the will compelled still to
bear an undue proportion of the
Of government-and that,
a very brief period, in avery
few years, the sugar duties will be
repealed, and all other duties rel
So far as the Federal
Government is concerned, the South
las little or nothing to hope for in
Nicaragua, or in the reve-
Tue laws of the confederacy.
The South has nothing to expect
rom the North, bat persecution in
very conceivable shape. In fact,
sometimes doubt that we are a
portion Of this great confederacy.
by those. we placed the
Utmost confidence in, we can dol
nothing but grin andibear it.
Whatever may have been the
motive inducing Messrs. Taylor,
5andidge: and Davidson in the last
1