, 1861-08-12

aud even recommend it, are il
he habit Of calling Mr. Lincoln "a des-
5ct," who delights in overriding the Con-
and "a tyrant,".. who aspires to
absolute power. Out Of their own mouths
hey are condemned. They, themselves,
and TIER wrong premises and distorted
are the best evidence Of the
utter decentralization which slavery pro-
duces. Ii it be true, as was remarked
above, that the financial resources Of
nation fern its politica. strength, it is none
the less true that the method Of collecting.
its revenue is . sure test Of the liberty of +
people. an allfree countries" says po-
litical economist, "taxes are voluntary
donation from the people to the govern
ment" Most great Of. modern
times have risen" out of the. violation of
that principle: The French Revolution
grew out Of: the enforcement Of arbitrary
feudal laws. The English Revolution grew
outo1 the arbitrary exaetion Of ship money
The American Revolution grew out Of the |
tax on tes and the tax on paper. The
great Austrian Empire is falling in pieces
underline load of arbitrary exacions.
Cotton, sugar and tobacco are the great |
nrod11cts of the South. For all else they
are dependent upon other States. This |
scheme which .'"is under discussion" in !
the. Confederate Congress will have this
result; it twill make their so called govern
ment the purchaser at its osen price Of The |
entire produce Of the industry Of the coun-
try. In other words the scheme is for a |
forced loan Of the most arbitrary descr1p-
ton, and cannot, in our opinion, ta1l to |
awaken in those who viii surely suffer |
from it an aversion to the despotism that
iutlicts the blow, and makes them the COM
pu1sory creditors, to the amount Of their
whele crop, Of . government which may
collapse tomorrow. Should such col
lapse take place, they will have their worth
less assignats to look at or to be used
against them as evidence Of treason.
A popular loan is the best test Of the
strength Of government: The wise
policy out Of which has grown the Eng
lish national debt, was adopted with tre-
mendous success by the French Emperor,
as rebuke to the Teactioaaires. Most Of
us well rememoer the rush Of the common
people to the offices at Paris eager to invest
their earnings in the new national loan.
We remember, too, the profound political
significance and effect Of that voluntary
Offering,
| But popular loan is one thing, and q
| forced loan is another. IF it is fair test
of the strength Of government that its
securities are sought for and held in small
sums by the mass Of the people, it is just
as sure proof of weakness where a gov
eminent is necessitated to lay violent hand!
On the peoples crops in order, under th'
fimsy pretext of purchase and payment, tt
give its bonds market, We can hardl,.
: conceive the full effect Of such 8 law here
but we are sure it would immediatel.
create a revolution. Could we conceiv
Of law forhidding the farmers of th
I Northwest to sell their wheat and corr
r their pork and beef, except to Unite
: States officials, at their own price, witho1
e competition, and that the farmers shouI
e take payment therefor in deprecated trea
1t ury notes we should, knowing what Il
u ourselves would do under such circun
IT stances, be able to despise as We ought tt
d men who could submit to such legislatie
Ee as that.
" No doubt such law will be passed
= the Legislature of the Confederate STATE
= - It is but the reite1ation Of menace utter
- =. by Stephens weeks ago at q public meeti1
- in Georgia, and again more recently pr
90 90 mulgated in a general order Of Beaurega1
4 The hrigands must be sustained, and
~ necessary BY black mail. Already til
- ind themselves IN the last throes Of fina
- cial dissolution. They are in great ne
-, Of money. They must hold out till t
~ :. necessities Of Europe compel her to
'e mand their cotton. The wants Of Engla
o. and France, they reason, will conn
~ them in the fall to come to their aid
- they can but hold out till then. I'll
sss will therefore pass this law. If there W
Ill any doubt before, there will be none th
)" as 10 the true nature Of the despotism SOL
~ Of the Potomac. The descendants Of tht
ao men who resisted the collection Of
''n ship money and of the tax On tes, and I
W. tax on paper, and who made that resi
'o~ ance revolution, will feel more dee
than ever that chattel slavery affects
.ud master as well as the ser, and prepa
ats him also for degrading submission 4
the if such law shall be carried into exc
it'll ton at the South without any resistar
ley The verdict of the civilized world will
leir that such people has not only ceased
I'D. be free, but has ceased to be worthy
as freedom.