Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-06-14
The Tax Bill.

tue SpcClal OTucr, vi fii""J'
Mr. Anthony, of Rhode Island, moved
to reconsider the vote Of yesterday evening
by which tax of SO per head was put
upon slaves, or, upon each person claiming
the service or labor of a person as a slave.
Mr. Cowan, of Pennsylvania, urged that
taxation must 60 hand in hand with rep.
resentation, and all knew how the slaves
we're represented under the Constitution
That was the fundamental principle ofthc
the American revolution, and to depart
from it now was to assail the Constitution
and disregard the fair bargain of the ia.
theirs of different sections for the benefit of
a united country. Mr.. G, spoke at length
and declared he thought that any man
who wanted to get rid ofthe bargain ought
to say at once he was no Union man. He
urged that the measure would bear on
loyal men unjustly in the slave States, and
as to the SO per head, he did not believe
that was the object. The purpose, he was
sorry to believe, was something else; and
yet the men who would impose this tax
would free the slaves of rebels and thus
destroy this source of taxation. These
opinions he should freely express; should
reproach the Senate, be dictatrorial as
some say-bc dogmatic-that was the word
if need be.
Mr.. Wade, of Ohio, Gn his seat )-all
but .he-matic.
MIR. Cowan, after a pause-when the
honorable Senator has settled little ac>
count with his colleague in the other House,
it may be necessary for me to notice that
kind of remark Until then he will excuse
me.
Mr.. Cowan continued, asserting the
freedom OF debate, and said that when he
said he intended to be dogmatic, he meant
that he intended 10 express his own opinion
firmly.
Mr.. Wade responded warmly, deroun.
cling the lccturing of the Senate and the
reproducing members with doing unconsti
tutional things, He regarded it as pre-
sumption, especially in person from the
backwoods of Pennsylvania. He had
never heard of the gentleman as great
constitution expounder, When they were
to be lecturcd he desired that it should
come from one who had authority for such
a course. He spoke of Mr., e. having op.
posed coDfscation, the tax on cotton, &C.,
terming him the "watch dog of slavery"
which he had right to be. He went on
to advocate the tax as especially proper as
striking the disloyal, as all Shareholders
are, and on property held legally, but in
violation of great higher law,
Mr.. Cowan remarked that he might be a
very humble individual, and might be in,
experienced and uni own; but he as her
as the representative of Pennsylvania rep
resenting three millions of people, and was
not going to apologize for his people, fol
his inexpericnce or his youth. He never
understood that age and long service here
would sanctify folly or give character to
billingsgate. If the Senator who made an
unwarrantable attack upon him can recon.
cile that conduct to his own conscience and
sense of propriety, he was content to leave
it there. He was here from his State to
assist in preserving the Constitution and
restoring the Union, and if he defended the
South in that duty and resisted projects
which he considered wrong, he had nothing
to regret.
After further debate, the vote was taken
on the reconsideration of the vote taxing
slaves which was carred-yeas % mays 8.
The question then recurred on the ado D.
tion Of the amendment proposing to tax
persons claiming the labor or service OF
slaves two dollars each for every person SO
claimed.
Mr.. Howe moved to amend SO as to
except those under 10 years and over 60
years. Adopted.
The amendment for imposing the tax
was then rejected yeas II, nays 2S--a.
follows
YAEs-Mcssrs, Anthony, Chandler
Clark, Fesscnden, Foote, Grimes, Harlan
Howard Howe, King, Morrill,, Simmons
Summer, Truu.bull, Wade, Wilkinson and
Wifmot-l7.
NAYs-Mcssrs, Bayard Browning, Car.
lille, Co,0an, Davis, Dixon, Doolittle, Foster
Hale, Harlan, Kennedy, Lane OF Indiana
Latham, McDougall, Nesmith, Powell
Rice, Salisbury, Stark Ten Eyck, Wiley
Wilson of Massachusetts, and Wright-23
Mr.. Fesseuden then addressed the Sen
ate at length in explanation of the bill and
its principles, its purposes and the needs O
taxation, &c,
a.