The Portland daily press., 1863-07-20
Monday Morning. July 20. 1868.
II. w. Becchcr on Taxes.

Although the sermon from which we make
the following extract is copyrighted in the In
dependent we must pilfer from it the follow
ing noble remarks on tax-paying, for the BEN
eft of those few sneaks SO justly held accused
by this Boanarges of the pulpit. We rejoice
to state that in this Tax District, embracing
the counties of Cumberland and York, there
has been but one rich man who publicly gr,lm-
bled at his national taxes, though we fear
there are some private croakers. Says Mr..
Beecher:
We have come into times In which we are
obliged to bear burdens. Have you forgotten
the sermons preached to you in 1850? Do
you recollect how much, because | preached
those sermons, your name suffered? Do you
remember how this Plymouth church was
stigmatized as an agitating church? Do you
call TO mind how the names of those men that
were doing business in New York, who relus-
ed TO fall in with the plans of the avaricious
and unprincipled, went into the Black List?
DO you know that il was the whole public SEN
timent Of the North that the prosperity of the
nation depended upon our keeping quiet and
preserving peace? l told you over and over
again that the prosperity of the nation depen-
ded upon Its moral conditions, that God was
turning great wheel, that though it might
be long in revolving, he would avenge him
sell, aud that il you would have peace founded
on iniquity, you would have TO pay for it. In
spite oil all that could say, for the sake of
gaining customers for your goods at the South,
you would have tranquility, and you are
reaping the consequences. God is collecting
the taxes now. And want you to understand
that II twenty-five or thirty years ago men
had stood square, L will not say to Gods Word.
but TO the Declaration-uf Independence. and
taken. will not say its moral principles, but
its political principles, and said, I'VE will not
barter them away, nor allow them to be taken
from u.s. you would have avoided all the ter
rible mischefsth that have come upon you. You
have sold your brthright; and do notestimate
how much you have made by your bargain till
you have got through with it-lor you are not
done paying yet. And now when taxation
has begun, and you have paid your tax on your
silver, on your horses and carriages, on your
various equipagc, and got along pretty easily,
and your income tax still remains unpaid. the
devil will whisper in your ears that this is
burden greyious to be borne and where there
viii be one imp TO tempt you TO be truthful
and honest, there will be a million to tempt
you 10 lie; to forswear your circumstances:
TO perjure yourself; to resort to every ipge-
nulty, every evasion, every unlawful method.
to get rid OF doing your part in the work OF
maintaining the integrity of the institutions of
helping themselves when they are cheating
the community in which they live Why. a
man that should knock plank out of the bow
OF ship TO make fire in his cabin at the
stern, that he might keep warm, would not be
greater fool than the man who cheats the
community in which he lives, in order to help
himself The great law of retribution. though
IL is invisible, will come around in due time.
and will find you out And every man who
undertakes TO abate the public veal in favor of
MS own personal good, will, in common with
others, suffer for his yiilainy. There is, there
lore, but one true course, aud that is to regard
the state as to you what your own prosperity
is, saying, Il accept il and glory in IT,"
Pay the taxes cheerfully. | am not sorry
Tor my part Of them. l would work on nv
hands aud knees rathRr than not have the op-
portunity OF doing my share in the great work
lhat Is before us. have heard men saw that
was responsible for the state of things that
exists IN the community. l thank them for
the compliment-though do not deserve any
such compliment. You might as well saw that
was responsible for the eclipses of the sun
ana moon, and for the flowers OF spring. 1t
is God. and not ], that has brought about this
state of things. But il had i would have
been glad TO the lnhment OF nv death. And
would work night and day before / would
lose the lnestimable privilege of carving nv
portion OF the burden of fulfilling the grand
Idea OF free republic. La this pitiful war in
It's terrible disasters, and in the weights that
II VIII bring, am glad TO be permitted TO
. oear SO much as It belongs 10 me to bear of
the tax that il imposes. would not shrink
from duty in this regard, and do not gou. BE
honest men. Love the work. Love Gods
sica, ueveioped nation, and accept the trouble
INA. nas oeiallen it, as you would pill for the
benefit OF your own family.
nnat iather, having son sick, would try to