The national Republican., 1861-11-16
TAXING COTTON,


The near approach of the assembling OF
Congress, and other events, render it proper to
consider what revenues may be derived from
the article of cotton. The expenses of the war
have been enormous, and are still continuing.
The public credit is being strained to its ut
most tension. and all means of relief must be
r,sorted to.
Under the general and well settled rules of
war, all the properly, public and private, IN
the States, which have wag d war against the
naiion. is forfeited TO the Use Of the nation II
the ra'ion proves victorious in the pending
s'ruggl'. But the exercise Of this extreme
right of war, is so little likely to be advocated
or adopted that it may be thrown out of the
account in discussing this question.
What Congress has 80 far done in the prem
ises, is to declare forfeited to the of the ma
tion. all property specially devoted to the use,
OF the rebellion by the voluntary act Of owners
This was done ut the extra session of last sum
m'r. and ii il well known that the property y
particularly intend d to b, reached, was The
co;tnn. rice, and sugar, subscriptions OF which
for the Confederate Government were then be-
l'iE maze ny planI.ls
The principle OF this legislation of the extra
s".sion of Congress- is clearly right, but how
much pecuniary fruit 1t may produce in prac-
tic,. rrm4ins TO Le secu. But il certainly can
not -upers"dc the necessity of more compre-
h.nsiyr measures of tax alton.
An Export duty upon cotton cannot be laid
as all expert duties are prohibited by the Con-
slit hp tyh la tha Iast ,nh
duty may be levied under the Unlimited
rights OF war in such Southern ports as may be
opened from time 10 TIM. Every bale of cot
ton in the rrbellious States being forfeited to
the Government, it is not so much tax, ss II
/. Il mitigation of forfeiture, 10 perm' the ex.
rortatou OF cotton upon the payment to the
Government of some fraction Of its value. But
the war will end at some time, aud perhaps
soon. while the debt which it has caused will
remain saddled upon the country, and to meet
this debt. permanent revenues must be pro
vid-d.
Upon any view we can take Of the subject
either he penal view Of 50 imposing taxes az
best TO r.dch those whose conduct has made
new taxation necessary, or the economic view
., :" Imposing taxes as to throw part of the
hud"n upo4 oreign nations and best to d g
tr.hiis II at hol.e, We are in favor OF imposing
al excise duty upon cotton. There is no con
sutu'iri,al dliculty in The way, and a variet
oi circumstances make it par icularly easy +
collect such duty. Cotton is bulky article
and W. can easily prevent its export or move
menL to the North, or use in Southern factories
without proof Of the prior payment Of the eA
Crr.
Az oXcSe upon art Giles, in the production c
which we have no adv antage over other nations
is a lax uIon the producer. But where such aC
vantrgc exists, as at present it undoubtedl
docs in favor Of our cotton producers an e.
cise, If not too high, would fall almost who'll
upon the consumers, aud heIetore very muc
upon foreigners, as they buy the bulk of OIL
cotton crop But to effect this obi, ct, the ::
else must not be too high.
This object of reaching foreigners may all
bs accomplished, within moderate limits,
an excise upon rice, naval stores, and perhaE
tobacco. |. Is not possible in the case OF suga
which We cannot produce so cheapiy as it
produced in maLy places abroad. An excis
upon that article must be paid by the hon
cou-urncr, but that is no objection to it, a. ia,
alton in every available form is an inevitab
necessity resulting from the gigantic war
which ae are involved
Thus, theu while quite indisposed to wal,
any VI tue extreme rights OF war, We are
favor, in addition, Of permanent system
eyciso duties upon cotton and some other
tue peculiar products of the South not merel
or chiefly, by way OF Furnishing rebellion, bur
wise in it-ef, aud upon the general groun
that such taxes are easily and cheaply collec
able, will fall largely upon foreign nations, W
be fairly distributed upon hume consumptiu
aud Gf not excessively will not cripple t
DrAnrlcs OF national Industry upon which tn
ale levied.
We believe that fifty millions annually M
be derived from such duties, or at any raj
enough " pay the interest upon Que war del
aud to provide u sinking luud for its ultima
redemption. Ii such duties are imposed,
must, to be sure, pay more Tor our cotton al
rice and tobacco, but those who dance mt
pay the piper, and a people who entrusted tn,
affairs 30 long to men avowedly bent on
union and the destruction Of the national G
ist-nce, need not complain OF any imaginat
taxes, as an excessive punishm mt lor the
folly.
Am, al