Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-11-21
HOW TO %ExrINGUIsH E%xr0RrI0N n TIE PRE-
SENT WAR, AND Irs EFFBJfs. PAST, PIKE
arNP Ann FufURE.

HOW TO E~XfINGUI5H EXt0RflON ~ TIE rhL-
SEMI WAR, AND Irs KFFBJfs. PAST, RE-
SENT AND FUTURE.
To the Editor of the Whig:
II the following atement we're embodied ~ resoiu'
tons, and Of to the public for their support Oh
them, there i no doubt that nins-:eaths OF the Young
population Of the Oonfsdsncy vesld net only admit
them TO 10 entirely and VT quesionAbly true, but would
be wiling TO vote 70: them:
First. That ~e1tortion 10 Of all tines vreng; but that
in this war it IL not only wrong, bat vicious, and ds
serving q severe punishment under legal era'tmens-
giving, As it dos, aid ssl comfort 10 Che enemy" BY
puttinE food and nimsnt out Of The reach OF our so'-
dier., and thvartinS the FL ,rts Of stbsrs who are labor
ing earnss " to establish our IsDIrRsprscE-thereby
frightening the duration Of the war, and increasing the
amount of treasure and Of blood, which that inde-
psndence will have c>st Us
Second. That, therefore, 1t would b just and right,
constitutional and s~1pedieni, to pas such laws % would
put an end to such ~sxsortion and e~ounteraet It's e'
fectL
Now, Mr.. Editor, these things being true and admit
ted q facts, all that is wanted TO crush this dreadful
enemy to our existence - . nation and as an un-fan-
kse.ridien people, 10 4 statute, simple Ia Its structure,
yet capable of reaching ~e1tortion in oil Il It's forms and
phases, and easy and certain Of execution, and q Con-
Eres firm and earnest enough in Cur ssuss 70 pas it,
Such . statute can b sAsily framed. D you'd consist in
requiring every tai payer to reads, nnSsr cath "a, he
dos In references to othsr tAxsl e. Adnissien Il tho
amount Of prof Q b, has rsaiii'd sinos the commence
men. Of the var alone-ny two thousand dollars In his
business, Of whatever KIND Too, including those on CAPT
tai necessarily put 81 haHIrd in business, nor the pro-
oeeds Of his individual labor % Q mechanic, artizin or
llborer; nor his sknl and libor ., . professional man),
and say twelve per cent. on his capital employed; and
in requiring him, 10 addition to the amount Of his other
taxes, TO pay the surplus, however large, to the tax col
lector for the Treasury Of the Confederate STATS.
It Is certainly too plain to admit Of argument, that he
Who makes in pro6.s Of trade one thousand dollars per
year, and ten or twelve per cent. upon his capital,
(shich is more than he would max, in times Of peace
It ALI 3 as much as he can %resl'z,, without violating his
duty to his country in this great struggle; and should
not be allowed to disgrace imself and to il jure her, by
real z ng more. 1t is tqlAlly plain, that such additional
profits, bsing eIacted upon the principle Of "your
money or your life, are rishtfany the property Of the
country, aud cost her, in their Effects, rs much in trea-
sure--yea, %more-thAn such profits amount to, besides
| blood enough for the worst classes Of ex!orliouers to
asa. in. Il is again undeniable, that the man who lie
making very large pro6s by means of the war who Is
living comfortably, and wears q smiling lace by reason
of his success, though he may be n trus to the Oonfed
eraey as no can be to any thing, cannot deplore the
continuation Of the var, vhis he is eoa6ieni Of our
6nal success.
1t may be said that II such law was made, many
would leave with their profits and 20 to the Yankees to
avoid the tax. Let them 60. Nothing would be lost by l.,
for We should bs benefited as much by the lDjary which
their operations would iraist upon the enemy as their
taxes would be worth. L,t them 90.
II such . Law as this, of which l have presented an out.
lire merely, would not be ISL and e~Ipedicnt, then all
the abuse and scorn which have been, and CONTINUES to
Just and vindietiVe, besides being noasensicL in the eI-
treme.
The only remaining question ID, would Congress pAs
such = law I tbi-k they would, with such 'dihca-
TONS and provisions az would prevent it from operating
oppres,ively, or U rjus ly in aav case. That Some mem
beers would oppose it, l have no doubt A portion Of
these would do so, bsoIu's (s they might concsive) it
would indirectly be ~violatiVe of vested rishts; as II such
profits, rq tired BY giving 'ail and eomf1t to he enc
NV w VI A ~ ~ S-I
the same, a. would think, that jacob vas jusif able
in his GCq Iisiioa Of tie birth right Of Est Tor q mess
Of pottage. Another portion might oppose Il from sym
pathy With friends to whom the war has been, 10 far, a
bleSsiut; bu. have bat little doubt, that al Of these (f
there should be a7y At ALL would constitute but = small
minority.
Let thi, Ia. plrs. AMI justice will be done. oaC-:hird
OF the treasury notes ros 10 circulation would be can
eelled, aud that currency, vIsiy improved in character
aud value, aud the barsiooted, ihinly clad and blanket
less soldiers, a fes Of whom htely passed through your
snow .covercd streets, will be provided for, and although
they may have male neither one, nor two thousand,
yea, not even one dollar since the war began, 10 any
.ay, oil " hank the. ! 70" whether you be Of Hebrew
or Geu.lls orig II, aud bless snd coutinns TO fight for
that country which, when the vas shall have ended will
With overwhelming joy uclcoms them back and hold
them forever
"Enblned in the innsrmost shrine Of her heart"
koaIa.