, 1862-01-07
Thf TtibuMt.
A SCAMP TAX.

A SCAMP TAX.
The necessity for heavier taxation for
Idcral purposes being now admitted by
Ill parties interested IN tie maintenance Of
the Government the question, Upon what
shall the taxes fall is one Of practical and
immediate Importance. VIC assume that
it is nowhere considered desirable for the
national burdens to be imposed wholly
upon capital, whether invested IN land
stocks, machinery or merchandise; be:
cause. how true soeycr the dogma may be,
that " property should pay for its own pro-
tcction,,' there is in this country, and in
this crisis, a class Of rights affecting per-
sons-pcrsonal freedom, liberty Of speech,
freedom Of the rress, SC, all Of which |
arc challenged and endangered by the
SHAREHOLDERS rebellion against Law and
ordcr-which should bear their share in
the cost Of public defence In other words,
the poor man who las only his personal
rights with which to make his way in the
world, and to leave as an inheritance to
Lis children, has stake in the public vel
fare which is hardly inferior to that claimed
By Tue man Of wealth. 4 change in the
folm Of Government attempted bythc South,
IN accordance with those l1axims which
justify the practice Of buying and selling
human beings, in violation OF their natural
rights, and because of some accident Of
birth or condition-color, the political
s:atus Of the mother, or anything else
would be the most grievous calanlity Of
public character which could possibly over
take those who were not born to, or have
not acquired; riches. In no other country
IN the world would such change be 50
calamitous, because in no other country
have the masses Of the people SO many
rights to be sapped and destroy
ed by the ever aggressive motions
Of despo,ism. Hence it is that cur
people, poor as well as rich, ought cheer
fully to respond to whatever fair and equal
taxation it may be necessary for their
rulers at Washington to impossible rich
to contribute Of their moneys, whether
arising from rent. interest, OF profit, and
the poor from their daily earnings, whether
on the farm or in the worRshop-the sole
object being, not the maintenance Of
splendid Government, an idle and priyi-
legged class, nor luxurious and atheistic
priesthood; but the security Of that mest-
mable biEth-right Of freedom and equality,
which was won for us by the Revolution.
The practice Of nearly all civilized na-
tions points to Stamp Duties for replenish-
ing the ccf1e1s Of the State. Against these
there may be causeless prejudice here,
growing out Of the fact that resistance to
the Stamp Act OF the British Parliament
YRS intimately connected with the history
Of our War Of Independence; and without
the thought that The day might come in
which such a:.measure would bea necessity
furSthe preservation Of the Republic which
that war founded, our historians and public
writers generally have concu1red in making
taxation by stamps odious. But, as q
method Of distributing the burdens Of the
war among all classes, nothing better can
be devised. An act Of Congress levying
By means Of stamps on the paper on which
agreements, policies Of insurance, notes o.
hand, deeds, mortgages and other instru
!. ); 1aents relative to the payment Of debts anG
: the transfer Of property are written
8 moderate tax, in each cast
proporionate to the amount O
money OF property involved, would no
only yield 6 large and constantly increas
ing revenue to the Government, but woult
apportion the sums SO raised in way, thai
while all classes would pay, none woul
be oppressed. OF course no statesman {
our time will be rash enough to recommen
that, as in some Of the countries Of the ol
world-Belgiu1n, Holland, France and Au
tria-the revenue fom-.stamps shall forl
any large fraction Of the public expeDd
ture, the object in OFT case being not I
meet tie current expenses Of the war, b1
to provide for the prompt and certain pa,
ment ftheinterest On such sums asCongre1
may be obliged to borrow, and for the CT
alton Of Il sinking fund by the accumul
lions Of which the debt will eventually |
1,aid of. We do not know what r.
nor cen+ m 4ranf;.rs of 1ana notos
band ,,o1;o;os ~ ;n.,,r.roo n,;1s III
of oTcbanon !ec &c oncht ~
c1,or,ed and co,1e,tcd Nv ct.,nne. h,
when the nr;ncin1e of taxat;on I
,ne.ns of stanoned nancr 10 admit,
toba ,o,;+;c and ine+ on ino,;rp ;n+o Il
usape of other countries and the vorku
Of the system where it has been longest
oneration. will furnish basis unon viii
our law nav be framed. That, when t
plan is discussed and the people learn ii
the most sacacious nolitica1 economists q,
the viscst and most liher,lhtat.s,nep Of
old world unite in the opinion that a stauu
tax is the least oppressive. the most eou
~ distributed and the easiest collected
all The items which make up the revenues
the European governments that the obi
t;on tn the Stamp Act Of the Rcyolut;
was not urrcd AGAINST fla; 1nrt1,oI If r.
inc money Int that the nr;nrin1e s.Ta,
tim v;thont Rcnresentat;on is Tvronn
10 which the colonists adhered. was
cause Of their COMPLAINT. that the nn1
o,-;onnev demands that thn covcrn,,,
1e.,7a ~ .o1;o.-1.a --,.,.o-n