Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-03-21
rave could not expect and certainly do not de-

bers in Congress for voting for Democrat to beat
a black Republican, yet they refuse to do the same
thing themselves, out of Congress. They say to
their members, you did right to vote Tor Demo-
crat to defeat an Aboltionist it was noble, self
sacrificing act offering Of patriotism the altar
of country, induced by love of the Constitution
and the Union but for the life Of US can't do the
same thing ourselves. We can't march up to that
point of patriotic sacrifice for the country, although
we do "march to the music Of the Union"
The proposition is plain one, and admits of no
alternative. If it was important to defeat black
Republican Speaker, it is still more important to
defeat black Republican President. If the Oppo-
stion members of Congress did right, then the OPP
position members of this Convention did wrong-a
conclusion from which there is escape. am re-
minded Mr.. President by this resolution of thanks,
that our Opposition Convention adjourned without
finishing up their business. Yes, sir, carefully as
their platform gotten up and lengthy as Is their
series of resolves there in their proceedings
an important omission to which will advert AT
ter adopting the resolution of thanks to their men,
bers of Congress- it certainly became their duty and
hence art OF their bushes to pass also resolution
of thanks to the Hon. John Kerr, Daniel NJ Barrin-
ger James W. Osborne and host Of other good
and true Wings, who from of public Guty vo-
ted for Mr. Buchanan 10 defeat black Republican
for President This, sir, is part of the unfinished
business of the Grand Council which ought certain
ly to be performed and that speedily BY the Subor-
dinate Lodges throughout the State.
Perhaps, Mr.. President the most melancholy
spectacle, in all the proceeding of our opponents is
that exhibited in the persons of two grave and ven
cradle Ex-Senators coming forward to illustrate the
consistency of long lives spent in the advocacy of
specific taxes, and those, too of protective charac-
ter, by speaking for and voting for rigid, unbend
ing and uniform rule of al CaLOrems-a tax upon
all things of one uniform per centage the value.
Of course they were animated by no desire for
office-no not they, the Democrats only the
Office seekers, they were impelled to this step,
doubtless, merely by desire to unburthen the con-
of the conviction Of great political error
and to set right the younger generation of men,
whom, all their life long, they had led wrong,-a
sort of death bed repentance, as it were.
One of these gentlemen, formerly unsuccessful
candidate for the Vice Presidency and now seeking
the honors of martyrdom in the Presidential field,
is himself the father of that principle of discriminate
ing against uxures favor of articles of necessity
that pervades our entire revenue system. This off
spring born of his message OF 1916, in which
he asked the Legislature to augment the revenue,
by taxing pleasure carriages, gold watches" and
"other articles of hurry" Now he comes forward
to destroy this work Of his own creation.
He says now, that the land of the hard working
man. upon which he makes a subsistence for his
family the growing citizens of the State, should be
taxed just high the gold and silver plate that
decorates the abOdes of the luxurious; that the
plough horse that tis the crop Of the who eats
his bread lin the sweat of his face shall he taxed
much as the of the of pleasure that
the pleasure carriage and the road wogan; the bill
lard tatle and the threshing machine; the pack of
gamblers cards and the family bible; the spirits
that make drunk the lnebrlate and the medicine ad
miniSered to the SICK shall be taxed alike under
one equal horizontal and unbending rule Of al raLO-
Sir he stands not only in opposition to his
own former actions, but in opposition to the lessons
taught mankind by all nations in the past history
of the world For this assertion | plant myself
he trnt hS IF all
never was, never will be, and never can be, peo-
pie governed by such system of taxation as these
two distinguished eX-Senators now propose for us
here in North Carolina. This, sir, is the fruit of
most sudden conversion from extreme error in the
opposite direction, not unfrequent result attend
ing oversudden conversions in ones political or
lgious faith. 1t is an awkward attempt at imtat
ing the al ralorem taxation as advocated by the
Democratic party.
The Tariff Act of 1916, will show the striking diff
ference between Democratic and Opposition nd rdlo
rem taxation. That act classi6es all imports tax
ing each class al ralOrem, but discriminating as be-
tween the classes and contains free list upon which
there is tax. For instance brandies, spirits, &C.,
in class No. l, are taxed one hundred per cent.
their value, while plaster paris and other fertilizers,
&C., in class s, taxed but five per cent. on the
value; and tea and coffee &c, in class No. 8, are
not taxed at all. Such is the nature of Democrat
ic nd ralorem tax, adjusted with due regard to the
varied interests of the people But our opponents
in their sudden conversion to the nd rdtOrem prn-
ciple, rush into extremes and would send the tax
gathcrer into every house, with inquisitorial pow
erS, cxacting with relentless hand a tax upon
every species Of property great and small every
thing hat We cat, drink and wear, from the time
come into the world until 60 out of it, from
the cradle to the grave,-making no discrimination
between neceSsares and luxuries-those things that
are essential to the support of life and such as lead
to vice and idleneSS.
S,,rh nd rnIo nlo Of 0D-
ponents, erected by Senatorial wisdom and upon
which they have planted themselves in fancied Sc
curty But they will desert it. Before the
mer's sun stands erect in the heavens every moth
ers of them will scamper from it as rats flee
burning barn.
hibted by this Convention, is yet to be named
Though nine tenths at least, of its members were
Americans, they nominate their first choice for
the Presidency gentleman who always carefully
diSavowed any connection with the Order. His pub
lie communications of year two past invariably
contained transformations little expression, some
what parentheticaly thrown in, if merely to adorn
a sentence" Though not member of the Order.
Modest as this expression appeared at the time, it
big with meaning, and like seed sown upon
good ground was expected some day to hiring forth
fruit" To the Americans it said "you 60 forward
and If you get your fingers burnt in this political
experiment, then, am not a member of the Order;
but, if you succeed am with you, because of the
old Wing bond of sympathy between u.s." And to
the leaders of the American party it said "heads
win, tails you lose" and so indeed, it has come to
pass. Where were these leaders when this nomina
ton was made? And above all, he the most gal
liant and the most eloquent whose clarion voice led
their columns to the charge rallied them in the re-
pulse and when defeat came cheered their dropping
spirits in their disastrous retreat and when exposed
to the cold and pitiless storms of adversity-and
cold and pitiless they were indeed-still manfully
proclaimed to the world, 81 am member of the
Order" All superseded for one who always said
and now, doubtless greatly rejoces, that ne never
was member of the Order. Alas gentlemen what
sad forgetfulness of their own great watchword
"put none but Americans on guard to night y
&C L.: nr,dco