Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-13
The Confederate War

The Confederate War Tax.
In another part of our paper we print. in
an official form, the Treasury Note and War
Tax Bill. recently passed by the Confederate
Congress. The subject is one of interest to
all, and we need do no more than call atteu
ton to it to secure for it careful perusal
Its provisions are plain. easily understood,
and will give very general satisfaction
throughout the South. 1t will be seen that
| the law authorizes the issue of large amount
of Treasury notes, laying tax upon the
| property of the citizens of the Confederate
States to provide for paying the interest up
on them, well as the principal. Athoug Oh
all necessary provision is made for the col
lection of the tax by the Conf, derate author
| tiles. yet the twenty-fourth section provides
| that if any State shall, or or before the first
day of April next, pay into the Treasury the
| amount in specie. or Confederate notes, the
authority and duty OF the several tax col
lectors in such State shall cease
We are gratifed to that the leading
journals OF some of the Confederate States are
| taking position in favor of having the
State pay the war tax instead of its being col
leeted by the Confederate collectors. There
is no disposition on the part OF any to deny
the power of the Confederate Congress to Law
and COLLECT this tax-that is unquestioned
and uuquestionable-bu the desire ia TO
avoid all unnecessary expense and all danger
of ill feeling aud collisions which might pos
sibly result from the employment of both
State and Confederate collectors. The only
opposition to its payment by the States ia
their corporate capacities, appears to arise
| from misapprehension of the requirements
OF the law. The question involved is one of
policy and convenience, not of right. The
section of the act giving authority to Sta'e
60 pay over the amount assessed against the
citizens, and thus stop all further proceed
ings, is perfectly plain The Confederate
Government risks nothing by it, as nothing
but the act al payment of the amount in
treasury notes, or specie, will have the effect
to stop its collection by the Confederate
authorities. The State cannot assume the
debt, and leave it to be paid in future; there
fore there is no chance for it to become d-lin-
quent. Ii collected or paid by the State,
reduction of ten per centum is made-more
than enough ID REIN burse the authorities for
the expense of collection. The State can
lose nothing, as it can certainly collect it at
less cost than the same can be done by the
Confederate authorities.
One of the defects in the old articles of
Confederation, which were suspended in 1888,
was that the Central Government had DO
power to collect taxes to provide for the gen.
eral defence. 1T State refused TO furnish its
quota, there was no remedy. The Govern
ulclt 0du HO IutdHs Oh Itself.
aud consequently the Articles of Contedera-
ton were no better than rope of sand
The Constitution of the Confederate States.
gives to the General Government the power
to lay and collect taxes to provide for its
own maintenance and the general Defence
Such provision was Necessary, as otherwise
it might happen that an accidental majority
in one or more State Legislatures, not repre-
sentlng the sentiments of the people, might
bav IL in their TO no
tions of the government. 1t does not follow
necessarily, however, that because power is
granted, it should be exercised in all cases.
Ia the present instance the power to collect
the tax is clearly with the Confederate Gov
eminent, but its payment by the States
would be more in accordance with strict
construction of the theory of States Rights
and at the same time be no interference with
the functions of the Confederate Government.
We have seen no reliable statement of the
probable amount to be raised from the taxa
bic property of Alabama, but have heard it
estimated at two millions of dollars but are
inclined to think this estimate too high by at
least halt million. This sum. unless the
blockade of our ports can be raised, or an
advance made on the crops by the Govern
ment, will doubtless prove a severe burden
on many of the property holders ofthe State,
AID when the Legislature meets il may be
deemed advisable to provide for procuring
the money by other means than those of lew
ing direct tax upon the people, while the
present stagnatiou in business exists Ii is
yet six months to the time when payment is
required TO De made, and during that time
we hope to see large amount of treasury
notes placed in circulation, and the crops of
the present year provided with a market.
In that event there will be not the slightest
difficulty III meeting the tax. We presume
the Confederate Government will do all in its
power to relieve the wants of the people, and
this whether the States determine to paw the
tax themselves or allow it to be collected by
Confederate authority.
We have heard the objection made that it
would be bumiliatiug to State pride to be-
come collectors for the Confederate States
but cannot see how the objection can rest
against the course proposed. The Govern
ment makes no demand upon the State
authorities for the payment of a certain
amount of money; on the contrary, in the
exercise of undoubted powers, it provides
for laying tax on the properly OF citizens
of the several States, and then, aware of the
fact that the tax can be collected by the
States with much greater ease than by the
Confederate Government, and anxious to
avoid harrassing the people with an extra
set of collectors, the States are authorized to
pay it themselves In all this we see nothing
humlliating to State pride-ratber the re-
verse. Whatever course is finally adopted,
however. we presume there will BE- no OBJ
lection made to the payment of the tax. 1t
Is for the support of the Government, and no
patriot will hesitate to give it all the support
in his pOwer.-Montgon'ery (Ala) -fdO.