Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-11-16
The Tax in Kind.

the Petersburg Express remarks, who do
not lock upon Commissaries and Quar-
termastsrs' visits to their premises rs
most outrageous intrusions. They know
perfectly we'll that the Government is en-
gagged in a gigantic war for their deliver
ance from yankee oppression, and that
consequently it has to rely upon the PEG
pie for the requisite assistance in the way
Of supplies for the support eff the i'm
mense forces which it is compelled to
Keep up. But they seem to have arrived
at the conclusion that it is the business
Of the government to feed the soldiers
out eli granarieS and meat houses Of its
own, without bothering the people with
calls for any portion Of their substance.
This would all be very well if the gov
ment had its own barns and meat houses
always we'll stored enough to meet or
binary and extraordinary demands. But
u~nluckily this is not the case, and there
fore Csnamissaries and Quartermasters
are wholly dependent upen the voluntary
and involuntary contributions of the
peopls-and as the former are not to be
had, the latter must e2, necessit0te rel, be
resortsd to, or the army be disbanded
and the country disgraced and ruined by
a yankee conquest. And yet, how much
murmurins and srumblins and cursing
is there on the part of the producing
classes at the levy of this tax of a tenth
OF the wheat they raise! They consider it
tyranny of the worst type, and d%enounce
it accordingly. Now, let US take a sober,
rational view just here of the mutual OBJ.
legations of ths government and the PEG.
pie IN this matter. 1t is the duty Of the
government to exert all its energy and
authority for the protection of the citizen
against the enemy. 1t is the duty Of the
citizen to Cooperate with and aid the
government in this province of action to
the utmost efhis ability. This is a duty
that deyolves upon every citizen alike,
whatever may be his vocation. Farmers
have been called upon By our Con-
gress for a tenth part of their produce
Merchants and others have been called
upon for an equivalent of the tax in kline
in money, which they are paying with
out complaining. but the farmers, with
many exceptions, It is true, are bitterly
dissatisfied with the tithing of th,
fruits Of their labor, and think it a mon.
strous imposition. They do not spen,
a thought upon the fact, that were it nc
for the army, which has been organize
for their defence, they would be overru
by the Yankees-their property of ever
description be swept from their posses
sion, and themselves reduced to povert
and an ignomini Gus bondage. Which
them could have made any crop at a
last year or this, if it had not been TO
the force the Government has provid e
to repel the invaders? And yet, afte
being thus enabled by the guardian car
of the Government to retain possessis
of their lands, negroes and stock, an
thereby enabled to raise their crops 9
usual, they now consider it a tremer
douS grievance to be taxed q tenth
those crops for the benefit of the pow
without whose protection they could ne
have cultivated a potato hill. 70 tn
Government they are indebted for every
thing they have made. Yea, for a grsa
deal more. They are indebted to it f.
the safety Of their negroes and all tn
means which they have of production
they are indsbtsd to it for tho peaceful
and undisturbsd pursuit of their indus
trial labors-for all the comforts and Ell
ljoyments of home-and, though last M
least, for their being still freemen, unde
institutions of their own choice. Reall
when We compare their indebtedness to tt
Government with the tax laid upon thel
by the latter, we are amazed at tt
unwillinguess to pay it and the discoT
tent among them, which we witnes
The tax sinks into almost utter insight
oepos .loDrcida tba hlaccipp Af -b;ch