The Portland daily press., 1862-10-16
A Work Bordering on Treason.

ton of single scruple may be sufficient to
overtax the strained ibres, and to part the
strongest cable. So, too, when the public
mind Is infainedt to the highest pitch of excite
ment, a single word, like a friction match in a
magazine, may create an explosion, or kndle
confagration of the most desolating charac-
ter. 1t cannot be denied that, in some re-
spects, our American people are approaching
crisis in which the slightest causes, almost,
may decide elimination on the side o. gem
eral rebellion.
On no question are the masses Of the people
more sensitive than on that of taxation.-
Threepence on pound of tea did much to
precpitate the American Revolution. The
American people are naturally, and very prop
erly, opposed to heavy taxes; and the readi-
ness with which they are submitting to the
burdens that the Government has been forced
20 Impose upon them in the terrible ordeal
through which we are passing, affords not on
ly one of the most gratifying evidences of the
general patriotism of our people, but ii indi-
Gates the depth and strength of their convic-
ton that the present war has been forced up
on the loyal people of the country by wicked
and heartless men, and that it must be fought
through to successful issue, no matter at
what expense of treasure or of blood.
But who can estimate the increased difficult
ties that would gather before the Government,
IL widespread feeling should obtain that the
enormous expenses of the army and navy, and
the burdensome taxes, are only to carry out
some scheme of doubtful expediency, to test
some experimental theory of social good"
and not to put down murderous rebellion,
and to save the Government of our fathers
the only hope of posterity-from total over
throwl
We have been led to the foregoing reAec-
tions by reading an article in the Portland
Advertiser of Monday, entitled "The Negro
Everywhere" 1t is an editorial leader, from
the pen of Hon. f. o. J. Smith, and we do not
doubt, when considered in all its bearings,
that the loyal. candid reader will agree with
US, that more mischievous article has not
yet appeared even in that mischievous and
apostate press.
The object of the writer seems to have been
70 excite prejudice against the system OF taxa
ton adopted by the government, by AN appeal
TO the very common and often cruel prejudice
against the negro race. He starts with the
proposition that the negro had been burden
upon the -peeuniarily, that this bur
den, until the present war, was borne BY the
South, but that hereafter the burden Is TO be
"icit by the white man throughout the States
alike, whether the Union be restored or not"
He then says:
Every thinking man win not fall 10 see. In
fhe hceaxe tar which he will be required hence
Firth TO pay annually, the woody head OF the
negro present, with just right 10 laugh, too,
over his own Innocence in being there, for lit
lie did he do to occasion IL All, all has been
the work Of the white man.
Here We have the distinct announcement
that the tax imposed upon the industry and
energy and brains OF the nation. is simply
negro tax tax for the protection OF NEGRO
wool, and that annually the white laborers
have got TO submit to this repeated burden,not
Tor the cause OF patriotism, not to support a
country struggling TO maintain its authority in
the midst Of gigantic conspiracy TO over
throw II, not TO uphold the honor of a common
nag. and TO defend the most sacred boon ever
possessed by man in his civil relationship
night 70 govern himself. and to sustain the in
situations OF freedom-but simply TO try an En-
pertinent upon the negro, or, TO use the Ian
guage Of the same writer In another article. all
TOR difference Of opinion, or of political and
humanitarian views, among the American peo-
pie, respecting the nature and rights of the ne
s-nc g.
ny Of social goodw
Not satisfied 10 make general statement of
50 Infamous and monstrous proposition, the
editor of the Advertiser carries his appeal to
prejudice into the minutest details, and emu
inerates all the trades and callings arranged in
alphabetical order, and assures the representa-
tives OF each one that they are individually and
severally, specially doomed to wear the
licensed brochures of the negro presence, will
Ing or unwilling" TO show how anxious he
Is to touch the prejudices of the people at the
most sensitive point, we quote a sentence:
The farmers throughout the land will also
nave the negro pesence in each of the varie-
ties OF the new taxes which they will annually
pay TO the visiting tax gatherer; and the in
creased price which their wives and daughters
Will pay Tor every yard of cotton cloth, WOOL
en-, mixed, and silk, used in the domestic cir
Gle, will also represent the same important
parsonage. In the very lint that binds up the
bleeding Union soldiers wounds, already has
the presence of the negro become manifest in
the increased value of the material.
The importing merchant and the banker,
and every commercial and mercantile transac-
ton Of every nature-the land owner, VINO
sells rod of land, or buys dollar of invest
ed capital in the shape of Stocks bonds. or
notes; every dead mans estate, administered
upon by will, or otherwise; nay, every bust
ness relation, or transaction of man with man.
in every community OF the present and future
United States, will see and feel the negro pre-
sence; for he has become the doomed shadow
OF the white man, so peculiar IN It's nature
that the darkness Of night will support it, as
well as the rays of sunshine, or daylight
And the doom OF the white man in that shdd-
QUO, is also read with like distinctness He
cannot shake it OFF he cannot escape it: he
cannot even bid it get behind me, Satanw
Further along he says:
To be little more Illustrative of this uni
versal negro presence, which has been created
under our Republic, we may remark, on the
authority of the ner tar tatr, that the negro
will be represented in the stamp that is to be
paid for and affixed to any Agreement, DC.
Here follows a long list of legal papers, under
the law requiring stamp affixed.
We do not feel called upon TO reply to the
various propositions put forth in this singular
article,-the spirit of which runs all through il,
that the negro is a burden, that he has never