St. Mary's beacon., 1858-02-04

heavy blow af Roman Catholicism by.taxiny
all property We understand the thing per-
lecfly, and IN less than SIX months after the
Passage of such an act, the people viii also un-
derstafd L. - 'ss.sr !.
The last cehsus Is the only authoritative ex-
position and valuation ffat we have; and the
data furnished by il, eOnfound such puerilities
and mistatements &C once. according % it,
tue value Of Romau Caflao!ic church property
IN Maryland il $f,f014582 Of all other denonl-
nations Is g, 7S6, ,352@ @x nearly three times as
much. In the United States, Roman Catholic
property Is valued At 80 306, ,G5S. That Of ell
Other seets is 77 $40 sol or nearly nine aimsm
as much. Thus, IN Maryland, founded and
settled by Catholic Calvert, and In which social
influence and prestige for generations was with
the Roman Catholics, they have now little more
than . third as much pEoperty as their Protest
ant fellow-citizens. II This project of equal
taxation is carried out therefore, Protestantisin
here viii pay three times as much as Roman
Catholicism; and in the United States nearly
nine times as much. With these undeniable
statistics the leaders Of Know Nothingism will
will not dare fulfil their pledges.. They will
evade the issue, i. possible, f not they viii ig
more it. Already We see Indications of back
out in Ms. Alexander's bill 10 exempt churches
gand thirty feet adjacent thereto. At this early
stage do We find in d Know-Nothing print, a
Recommendation to sneak from the pledge Of
equal taxation" and exempt churches and
parsonage houses. And so we expect to see
backing and filling AMI d6dging to avoid the
very issue which they themselves have propo-
Scd. The measure which would he most graf
flying we are sure, would BE- to tax all the R,l-
man Catholic church property in Frederick
county. We suggest that they undertake to
carry such an one through.
But we shall permit no evasion of the plain
issue, nor any falSiication Of solemn pledges
We insist upon Know Nothingism standing up
to the mark. As democrats, We would not choose
to disturb the present state of things. With it
every one was satisfied, and it made not the
least practical difference to any. tax-payer-
Therefore we were. prepared TO say--let well
enough alone. But since new state of things
is to be instituted, we shall insist upon Justice
being done to all concerned. We will not al
low any Iavors to be shown to any one We
have taken our position-"tax all or tax none"
khow-Nothingisms sexeepts the alternative and
insists Vn taxing al" Then, say we, make
your law general. Include every stik, stone,
square foot Of ground, wheEesoeyer situate, on
to whoIpsocyer belOnging. You shall not tax
TO n church you hate, and exempt the Fretlef-
ick Female Seminary, because Il in the proper
~ of individuals you are partial to. Do not
seize schols on the pretext that they are eccle-
siastical property, and allow to escape acade-
mics, on the preteLce that they belong to the
State, when in fact they are enjoyed by pri-
yate persons for private emolument and gain.
FAX all, fairly, squarely, without favor, fear or
partiality. You have your majority. Garry
cut yaIr promise. Redeem your pledges, or
Grever bc convicted of wilful falsification and
deception. Let us see whether you are in IA
vor of equal taxation-whether you dare stand
up to your professions. Tax all property of
every kind no matter to what purpose dedica-
ted. 1t is not equal taxation" to assess GER
tam portions Of property and permit others to
escape 1t is not "equal taxation" 10 endeayor
by law to opprcss one portion of the communi-
ty. 1t Is not equal taxation" to strike at one
church. Equal taxation" means, If it means
any thing, that sll property shall be taxed, and
that every person and thing, individual, body
corporate, or polite, shall contribute to the
support of the government, in proportion to
their worth or estate, real, personal or mixel.
This is equal taxation" It means this or it
means nothing. We shall see if it is carried
out, and every SEMINARY, academy, convent
monastery, orphans house. hospital, religious,
charitable and literary institution, church, par
sonage, graveyard, cemetery. and every kind Of
property be taxed. We shall believe it when
we see it. The last legislature was equally
pledged to 'equal taxation with this, and they
exempted half million i'm Maryland, of which
ninety thousand dollars were in this county.
This one may do more! We shall be surprised
il it does not. t