, 1862-01-28

econumy-cuttiue open the goose tilat lays
The ccltscn eggs. Whether the tax be ono
quarter. onc-ciGll;|' or n:c.tcnth Of !: cent pt7
sheet, it is equally obnoxious and unjust. The
newspaper publishers Of the country do not
ask Il, lc exempted from taxation, but they
demand that Tire tax shall be laid on TUG dollar
Of property or income, just As it Is laid on
houses, merchandise, bonds, money, or other
sourccs Of reyenHe. This does not touch the
question of tax OIL intelligence, which has
been so long agitated in England, and finally
cast aside as unworthy Of the age
Nell, Mr. Colfnx, Thinking that the proposed
scheme Of the Ways and Means Cos;.tnittce
might find faror in the House, consented to
lcld and prevent tic lcyyinE at tic other auI
more oppressive tax Whether lis plan w:l5
4 wise one OF not-whether It might not have
bees, easier TO Eill the other Tux By exposing
its o'sn deior!nit: than by pnttin$ the less oP-
nressive one i: It's pIacc-may admit Of aESt:-
nent. think it would have been both easier
and more proper; get Mr., ColEsS should not BE-
charged II ith desire to oppTcsS the publish
crs Of newspapers, or to limit the spread Of
Intelligence, wher his intention IVES exactly
the opposite.
I have taken scnle pains to inquir: about
the contract for engr1,uing Treasury notes,
about which there has been SO much ::alk in
Congress and the country. The f:ets arc thesc
1hrec or four agents OF iaterent b;tak
here to get the contract, aud after wait
iug around Secretary Cnasc's room scy-
crai days, obtained IN audience OrlIsby
Wis NOT there ut tA: time the others
obtained ti'eir interview, but it WAS his own
various propositions and specimens OF work
presented, Secretary Chase told tho gentlemen
iLat he Was not competent 10 decide between
them, that he had not tue requisite technical
skill to enable him TO reach Il safe conclusion,
and therefore he should ref.r the whole mat
ter 10 Assistant Treasurer Cisco, OF New York,
directing him. if not fully qualified to decide,
TO bring to Lis aid those Who were qua}ltittl.
He then bundled up ali tue papers and sent
them to Mr. Cisco, and told tl.c cnEravers 10
the D.atter had been tlas disposed OF, along
came OrElsby to the Treasury Department "a
SET whit 1;t BEEN done with his bid and At vas
told to follow his competitors to New IorE,
| happened after tic matter left the Treasury
building here, do not know There may
have lseu very corrupt prstctlecs there Hlay
| have been very high prices agreed upon and
k1ow there WIS very bid work done IN the
/ printing Of the notes, Or q portion Of them.
| the Secretary and Assistant Secretary are sas
| gCiItlcss in the premises rs il is possible for
| them to be. Il they erred it w:s in not sun-
| monlrg experts from New York and Philadci-
phia 70 their aid, and siving it their personal
| attCIti0u. Tie Treasury Department contains
! pleEty Of lnen who ean detect ho.rs coin 1T
forty rods hy sight; taste, toue!. or smell, get
| it contains not one person who has profession
! Al knowledge uf bank note engraving or pript
Ing, their cost and quality Therefore the sug
gesticn to refer the matter to the proper oil
cials in New York was Il very natural one.
SIT must not he inferred. however that the re-
lrciaEce Of tic Gotefnlncn; TO employ fvrce so
| lung has dcnlora1izcd the Adnlini=i 1a.iun or
6t1D.1a.ize the American people. THY are cspa-
BE Of high. resola:e aud vigorous deftse Of the
Union. anil they will maintain that defence with
only the more frmness and fidelity ottunss they are
animated dy 1, aoste s'it t,tt0 The to;'rssiy "
q Tient7y GAH trtA 9Jitttr;.u1 oha, '1cn: nntiied
TIA; is benefits will result cqasay i! ts!o=c who
G1Gs .iiSuliti 10 IL. UIHtoH i ;iii - Fit