, 1862-12-01
THE NATIONAL TAK-LAw

Times never lose an opportunity to indulge
in fling at the Excise Tax levied BY the t
Federal Government for war purposes.
The errors and mistakes in the tax-bil1, and |
the inequality with which the burdens i'm
posed thereby fall upon different branches !
Of Industry and upon different kinds Of |
property, furnish them with material for |
complaint that, as the farmer turns over
his manure heap to expose it to the sun |
and sir, they have already tossed up full
adczan lines. While we have no charity
for the partisan objects Which the couduc-
tors Of all such journals have in view, we
have nc justifcatons for the many absur-
,lities 81 the tax law; and We trust that, as
carly as possible in The coming session Of
Congress, it will be.amcaded by the light Of
commoa sense and the brief experience
that the country has had Of its working.
Probably no man now in Congress ever
hsd sny share, before the present laE, in
framing Q ta1-blll for national purposes;
and in spite Of our census and other statis-
teal tables, u doubt if half 4 dozen mem
bers had any just CT comprehen-
siye idea Of the immense resources Of the
people, upon which the levy was to be
placed. The product Of such ignorance and
mcypcrience vas Of course crop Of blum
ders for u Inch the Legislators are to be for
given only upon the condition that they
make haste to amend and correct what has
been dorc amiss.
Of one thing the country is already as
6ured-that the amount Of money which
will be raised By the operation Of the Law
as it now stands, will far exceed the largest
figure that the friends Of the bill dared to
name. 1t will literally be enormous If the
act is 1igidly enforced Then, as it is no!
tho object Of the legislators to pay the cur
rent expenses Of the war, 8 reduction ol
rates and the enlargement Of the list O
a1ticles exempted, follow IS matter O
course. It is evident, also, that the NUN
ber Of articles upon which tax is laid i
excessive; and that the principle whicl
determined the making Of the list s.
comprehensive is, whatever it ma,
be in theory, false in practice
and tl,at at least a thousand things names
or indicated must be released from impos
Il is evident also that in some CASES th
rate per cent is too high, and that in 9th
CTS It may be considerably increased with
out delr;ment to the public veal Article
Of prime necessity-leather, salt, ircn an
the ikc-particul4rly these in which foz
eign dealers can compete with our own-
should be as nearly free from impost as th
wants Of the Treasury will admit; Whic
upon articles Of luxury gold watches, ca
1iagcs, pianos, whisky, domestic wine, al
bscr, mahogany and rosewood furnltur
domestic cigars, jewelry, &c.-1he lev
might be proftablv increased. These, al
hundred other items OF minor cons
quence should meet with quick attenio,
as We have no doubt they will.
In Il.c meantime we exhort all tax-pa
ers, where the burden bears unequauy or
excessive, to patience. We have no dou
that the trainers Of the law acted falthf,
~ and h,ncstly according to the light tn
had, and that they will listen patiently Al
decide fairly upon all complaints that t
attempt to execute the Law has called fart
OF one thing they, may be assurcd-th
taxation- heavy taxation-of some sort
an inevitable necessity; and that, long
fore the wa- closes, the promptness g
cheertu1ness With which men pay IL
: the cxigcncy Of the national situation I
mauds, will be the guage by which til
loyalty to the government may be measl
cd. We are not sire that they are not
now. But uotil mistakes arc corrected q
tie law is perfected, ne may not ras]
charge hun who complains, with trease
because VIC know not whether his compla
is the result Of opposition to taxation
any form,or to the blunders, some of VIII
We have considered, by which the tax l
is disigulcd