The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-20

WHY DOES Nor THE SENATE PASS THE iAA
EnL?-The Tax bill in the Senate still draws
its slow length along. Money is the sinews OF
war; and. though we are engaged in one OF the
greatest wars on record. the national iegisia-
ture hesitates to adopt measure which is alb
solutely necessary to sustain the credit OF the
government and to procure the means of carry
ing on the war in the future. Grave Senators
listen to the voice of this interest or that,
urging an exemption for itself But II such
appeal were listened to there would be no
tax laid on at all.
Practically. it amounts to nothing whether
the tax is laid upon two hundred articles or
twenty, except as to the difficulty Of collection
1t must Ultimately fall upon the labor and the
land of the country. There is only this diff
ference between laying it on large number
and upon a small number of articles: If it.be
laid on large number of articles, the whole
tax may cost twenty-five per cent to collect
it; il it is laid on small number of articles in
general use. it may be collected for FIVE per
cent. The diference-twenty per cent-which
is serious matter, comes out of the pockets
or the taxpayer and the general community.
England and France--two countries which
have great experience in taxation-have found
that the best and cheapest mode OF raising
money by taxes is to impose them upon as few
articles as possible. This will appear obvious
upon q little reflection.
Let the Seaate, therefore, instead Of consum-
ing the public time in never-ending and unpro-
fitable discussions about the negro, go to work
at once and pass comprehensive tax bill, con-
tanning few articles Of universal consumption
Thus will the national credit be sustained and
the sinews of war provided for our army and
navy, and the nations Of Europe will learn to
respect us, instead Of being invited to intervene
in our affairs by the silly and suicidal conduct
of both houses of Congress.
SIMPLIFYING HLsToRY.-Some time ago we
published q very singular order from the War
Department, giving all the praise for the reduc-
ton and capture of Fort Pulaski to Major
General Hunter, now commanding the Depart
ment Of the South. The War Department has
issued some very extraordinary bulletins, but
no other SO utterly absurd as this. The bonn
bardment of Fort Pulaski was ordered by Gen.
Sherman, since recalled from South Carolina,
and planned and executed under the superin-
tendence of Brigadier General Gilmore, now in
this city on leave of absence. Every arrange
ment was made before Gen. Hunter arrived at
Hilton Head, and his share in the fight was
simply that of looker-on. Upon what prin-
ciple, then, does the War Department give him
the praise of the whole affair? II Gen. Hunter
deserves any credit at all, It 10 for his silly,
illogical proclamation freeing slaves who
have never heard Of him, and abolitionizing
Georgia, Florida and South Carolina, when he
has not foothold enough in either of these three
States to enforce his martial law or compel
the execution of his orders Or, perhaps, he de-
serves credit for giving old trowsers and 1ri-
b,ne muskets to q few idle contrabands, who
are too lazy to work, too cowardly to fight, too
warm to wear trowsers except on Sundays, and
too stupid to know which end of the Tribune
muskets to present to the enemy. But even
these ideas about the proclamation and arming
the slaves are not original with Hunter. They
belong to poor, crazy Greeley, and, if they are
valuable, he. and not Gen. Hunter, should be
Immediately complimented by another War
Department bulletin. The poor fellow is very
sure that he will never receive any credit for
them from any other quarter.
TIE HEROES AT WILLIAMsBuRG.-We have seen
a letter from Colonel Francis L. vinton. of the
No~~ Volcc<oora In xvh;ch l.. I;a-