The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-05-28
The Negro Tax.

The senior editor. of the Doylestown
(Pa) Democrat, is now in command of a
regiment, in Gen McClellan's army, and
writes home to his paper, as follows"
'.We have never. dared to hope that the
interests of the country could be benefited
by the Republican party, or that any wise
or beneficial policy could be either con
ceived or executed by the discordant, IA
natical, and heterogeneous elements which
composed that party But we had hoped,
that while nothing could be. expected
from their wisdom, or patriotism, that the
desire of place and of power would re-
strain the leaders from devising schemes,
which, while they would be runous to the
country. would be fatal to themselves.
This expectation has, however. been Ut
terly disappointed, for scheme, mon
strous in its object, terrible in its conse-
quences, odious in its every feature, has
been the fit product of party whose
principles and leaders have done so much
to ruin the Republic .. s..5..A
Negro emancipation, as it is called, is
this precious fruit of Republican power.
This is neither more nor less than an
agreement on the part of the Government
of the United States, to purchase the
negroes of any slave State that is willing
to emancipate its slaves. In other words,
it has been resolved by Congress that the
Government shall be converted into a
slave agency TO purchase negroes at the
market price; and that price is to be
wrung by taxation from the pockets of
the Taxpayers of the North, who eman-
cipated their negroes without demanding
or receiving dollar of ofcompensation from
the United States Government. .a,5
The faith of the Governmsus has been
solemnly pledged to make this purchase
of negroes, by resolution which passed
the Houses Of Congress at the suggestion
of President Lincoln; and it was so
adopted in opposition to the votes and
opinions of a few Democratic members
of Congress who have seats in. either
House. The whole scheme is the peculiar
property Of the Republicans, who have
the sole honor of originating and adopt.
ing it, and who are thus redeeming their
promise Of "two dollars a day and roast
beef" 1t is scheme worthy of the par
ty from whence it came. As if the taxes
to sustain the war. which every patriotic
citizen will cheerfully pay, were not suffi
ciently burdensome; as if ruined trade,
depressed industry, and stagnant COM
merce. were burdens too. little, the people
are to be taxed still further, to raise the
millions that will be necessary to buy the
worthless negroes, in order to CRAFTY a
few fanatical Abolitionists, whom it is the
interest of the Republican ,Administra-
tion to conciliate.u The faith of the coun-
try, and the money of the tnx, payer are
thus recklessly pledged by Republican
President and Congress to this stupen.
dous outrage; and the Republican press.
es are loud in their approval of the
measure. 4- ma, ..tt...
"But the wrong does not end here
Whatis behind sworse. For the expense
of buying the negroes, large as it will be
is only an item in the bill which the bur
dened taxpayer will have to foot in con
sequence of the purchase. The negroes
thus bought by the Government-old and
young, infrm and abie-will spread al
over the North. They will compete with
the white laborer; they will lower ,tht
price of labor for both men and women
and even for mechanics. They will entel
our public schools; they will be impris
oned in our jails; they will swarm ou
aims houses, and we will be taxed to edu
cate and nurture their young, as we'll a
to provide for and bury their old. Th
consequences are in vitable-for ever,
emancipaced negro viii rush to tb,
North--as the Israelites of old went I,
Canaan, expecting to 6nd a land Aowin,
with milk and honey" When once here
, they will be too poor to go back, and W
rfwill have to provide for them The whit
/ citizen will, and must be taxed to supper
: the emaucipated negroes, whom be ha
/ emancipated and paid for; and wbe
t groaning under the burden. let him re
: member that a Republican Presiden
e originated, a Republican Congress adop:
9 ed, and Republican press appliance
E this monstrous scheme of robbery w
/ have no fear that it viii be forgotten.
q will be remembered when the time of Gu
. criminal courts is consumed in tryib
Y negro criminals, and our county expense
a are increased by the cost of maintainin
s those prisoners in the Jail and the pen
: tentiary. 1t will be recollected when th
: expenses of our aims houses are double
by the negro inmates, who will flock /
them. 1t will be thought of when ne
school houses are to be tuilt, in order t
accommodate tie, negro children WIKI
under our school laws, are entitled to th
benefits of our school system; aud whe
|the children of white citizens are recitin
in the same classes and setting on tn
same benches with the children of the rt
: leased slaves. 1t will rot be forgotte
. when the white laborer's wages are d
L m In iShed ono third hv tho no,p mt ;t;c,, ,