The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-12-15

ale States OR porons of States temporarily held
v the and as little justice would tness When tba,
Inc is attributable to not foreseen Dy % hofs
"a tbe constitution, and beyond our control n genera
nt Of our constitutional charter IS Inat
MEM If the country is to be taxed in order to raise
vcnuc for the common defence, ana tue sPeclai mooe
provided for levyng this tax Is onr nrnsrv Sntv
seen the General intent expressed by the terms Of the
;,n,men which we have sworn to OBEY ana we cannot
~ ourselves for the failure to fulfill th!s obgahon on
xcuse b we are unable to perform it in the precise
mode pointed out. Whenever it shall De possible 70 ex
cue duty in all its parts we r az The Ca.
Irrti that nerod shall arrive, we must execute
60 much of as OUT condition renders PacnEat heh
ever the withdrawal OF the enemy of direct tsxe
nover to make a and airport Vi
INV other mode of lcvying them will De contrary TO the
viii of the Iaw-giver and incompatible WIN our
A. b that will until that period the alternative lett Is
10 op th .rsmoun precept, and to.execute it accord
inc to the only other mle provided when is TO make
the fax uniform throughout the Confederate states.
The considerations Just presented are greatly enforced
nv the reflection that any attempt to apportion taxes
amongst States, of which are wholly or partially in
Die occupaon of hostile forces, would subVert the whole
rrntio ofthc trainers of the constitution and be produc
rr of the Most revolving injustice instead OF that just
correlation between taxation and representation which 1t
was purpose to With large portions OF some
of the States occupied by the hat justice would
there be in imposing the remainder the whole amount
Of the taxation of the State i'll proportion to its
scnaton2 What else wond this be- in effect than to in
the buthcn of those who arc the heaviest sufferers
by the and to make our own inability toprotect them
r.
ton ground for adding their losses by attempted
adherence the letter, i'll violation OF of that in
sr9mn No such purpose could lave been enerta .e
constitution. 1t may add weight to these considerations
if we reflect that although the constitution provided that
il should 90 into operation With representation mpo
raly distributed among the States, it rxpr, ssly ordas
after providing for within three Yeas, that this
temporary distribution of TO endure
Until such enumeration shall be made Would any
aluc that because the census cannot be made within the
fixed period, the government must, at the expiration Of
that PERIOD perish tor the want OF representative body!
III any aspect in which the subject can be viewed,
Jed to tS conclusion already announced and which is
drIetood TO be in accordance with taken in
both Houses at your last session shall therefore, until
80 able pursue the precise mode required by the
constitution deem my duty to approve any law levying
the taxation which You bound to impose for the de-
OF the country. i'll other practicable mode hlch
shall distribute the burthcn unolm and impartialy
d., whole prup' lty OF the people.
In your former legislation you have ought to avoid the
increase III the volume of notes in crcuition by offering
ndceIn' ns to voluntary funding. The measures adopt
cd for at purpose have been but partially successful, and
the evI! lan reached such magnitude to permit
other remedy than the compulsory reduction Of the
cy the amount required by the business of the country
This reduction should be accompanied by pledge that
under stress of circumstances will that be
cccded No possible mode OF using the credit OF the
eminent can be disastrous which dsturbs the
basis OF all exchanges renders impossible all calculations
OF future values, augmens in constantly increasing pro-
PORTIONS, the price of all commodities, and deprccates
all fixed wages, salaries and incomes to render them
!naruatc to bare subsistence. III to these be added the
still more fatal influence the morals and character of
tho people, to which have already adverted, PET
suadcd YOU will concur in the conclusion that int XII
Bic adherence to limitation of the currency at fixed
is an Indispensable element of any system of finance
to be adopted.
Tn. holders of the currency outstanding only
be protrcc, in the recovery of their just claims by subst
tutng for their notes oth security If the currency
not greatly aud promptly reduced, the present scale of
inflated prices will not only continue to exist but by the
very fact OF the large amounts thus made requisite III the
conduct OF the those prices will reach still
rXravagant, and the whole system will fall under its
he of
sble and destroying its whole value in the hands of the
holder IT, on the contrary funded debt, with interest
secured by adequate taxaof, be substituted for the
OutStandng currency. its entire amount will be made
aN dc to the holder. and the government will be in
contingency, to plosece the war to successful issue
is, therefore demanded well by the interest of the
creditor of the country at large, that the evidences of
the public debt new outstanding in the Shape et treasury
notes. Ire converted into bonds bearing sde quae interest,
with provision for taxation sufficient to ensure puncual
paynn ut and final redemption Of the whole debt
The report of the Secretary of the Treasury presents the
outlines Ola system which, in con junction with existing
legislation, is intended to the several objects of a
reduction of the circulation within fixed reasonable limits;
OF providing tor the future wants OF the government; OF
furnishing security for the punca payment of interest
and final extinc on of the principal of the public debit and
OF placing the whole bus of e country basis
near specie standard possible during the continue
ance OF the war earnestly recommend it to con-
slderaon aud that n6deay be permitted to Intervene be-
fore action this vital subject. trust that it will
be- suffered gross your attention until you shall nav,
disposed of the best adapted attain the inn
pornt results which country anticipates from your
legislation.
1t may be added that in considering this subject the
people ought steadily to keep in view that the
contracting debt is but their agtn that its debt is their
debt AS the currency is held exclusively by ourselves,
obvious that, if each person held treasury notes in
proportion the value of his whole each would
i'll fact himself the amount of the notes held by him,
and possible distribute the among the
people ia this proportion. tax levied the
rncy alone to amount sufficient to reduce it to proper
limits. would afford the best of all remedies. Under such
circumstances the notes remaining in t+snands of each
holder after the of his tax, would be worth quite
rs much the whole previously held for it. would
purchase at least equal amount of commodities. This
result be perfectly attained by any device of legis-
laion but it can be approxmatcd by taxation. tax on
all values has for its effect not only to impose due share
of the buhen the holder but force those who
have but few of the notes, to part with share of
their those who hold the nJs in in
order to obtain the osatisyng the demands ofth
tax gathcrr. This is the only mode by which it is practi
cable to make all contribute equally possible in the
burthcn which all bound share and it for this
son that taxation adequate to the public exgcncies under
Present circumstances BE- the basis fund
ing system otler remedy fol restoring stability to
finances.
THE ARMY.
To The report of the Secretary of War YOU are re-
terred for details relative the condition of the
and the measures of legislation required for maintain
ing ITS ehcency, recruiting its numbers and furnsh-
Ag the supplies necessary for its support.
Though we have lost many of the best of sodicfs
and most patriotic of our citizens, (he sad but
avoidable result of the battles and tolls cam
p&ign that which will render the year 1858 ever
memorable in annalS) The army is believed be-
III all respects in better condition than any previous
Tf IL, y