Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-02-05
GRoWER,s INCOME TAX.

Ny neighbor Growler, an excitable man b
the way, was particularly excited over hi
Income Tax" or, as he called it. his Wa
Tax He had never liked the war-though
it unnecessary and wicked, the work Of poiti
clans. This fighting of brother against broth
er was terrible thing in his eyes. If yol
asked him who began the war ?-who strucI
at the nations life ?-if selfdefence were not
duty ?-he would reply with vague general
ties, made up of partisan tricky sentences
which he had learned without comprehendne
their just significance.
Growler came in upon me the other day
fourishing a piece Of blue writing paper
quite moved from his equanimity.
" There it is lust so much robbery
Stand and deliver, is the word. Pistols and
bayonets Your money or your life ~
took the riece of paper from his hand
PHmADELPHIA, Sept, 1868.
g Richard Growler, Esq, Dr..
To John NJ Riley
=" Collector of Internal Revenue for the
Fourth District of Pennsylvania. Office, 427
Chesnut street.
I" For Tax on --, for the year 1862 as
per return made to the Assessor of the Dis
trict -. .S43.2I.
" Received payment,
"JoHN n. RILEY, Col.
You're all right" 1 said smiling.
"Id like to know what you mean by all
right y Growler was quite offended at my
way of treating this serious matter-serious
in his eyes, mean. F." I've been robbed of
forty-thres dollars and twenty-one cents" he
continued d" Do you say that is all right p
A miniou of the Government has put his
hand into my pocket and taken just so much
Of my property Is that all right?"
| /" The same may be set forth in very differ
/ ent language replied. "Let US state the
case
Very well-state it !" said Growler, dump
ing himself into chair and looking as i'll
humored as possible.
Instead of being robbed" said I, "you
have been protected in your property and per.
son, and guaranteed all the privileges of citi-
zenship, for the paltry sum of forty-three dol
lars and twenty-one cents as your share of the
cost of protection"
"Oh, that's only your way Of putting the
case, Z" retorted Growler, dropping a little from
bis high position of indignation.
" Let me be more particular in my way of
putting the case. Your income is from the
rent of property ?"
YES"
What would it have cost you to defend
that property from the army of General Lee
recently driven from our State by national
soldiers ?''
& Cost me" Growler looked at me in
kind of maze, as though he thought me half
in jest.
Exactly What would it have cost you
Lee if unopposed, would certainly have reach
ed this city, and held it ; and if your propers
ty bad beer of any use to him, or any of hi
officers or soldiers, it would have been appro-
priated without SO much as saying-By your
leave, sir? Would lorty-one dollars and
twenty-one cents have covered the damage p
Perhaps not. Possibly you might have lost
one-half to two-thirds of all you are worth"
Grower was tride bewildered at this way
of putting the case. He looked puzzled.
" You have a store on South wharves? ?"
said 1.
"Yes."
What has kept the Alabama or the Flo
rida from running up the Delaware and burn
Jog the whole city front Do you have forts |
and ships of war for the protection of your
property? If not, who provides them p
They are provided and you are safe. What |
is your share of the expense for whole year
Just forty-three dollars and twenty-ene cents
1t sounds like JEST"
GroWler did not answer. So | kept on.
Bat for our immense armies in the field, |
and navy on the water, this rebellion would !
have succeeded. What then? Have you
ever pondered the future Of this country in /
such an event? Have you thought Of your
own position? of the loss or gain to yourself? |
How long do you think we should be at peace
with England and France, if the nation were
dismembered, and hostile Confederation es-
tahlished on our Southern border { Would |
our war taxeSbe less than now ? Would life |
and property be more secure? Have not you |
an interest in our great army and navy, as
well as I and every member in the Union ?
Does not your safety as well as mine lie 10
their existence? Are they not, at this very
time, the conservators of everything we hold
dear as men and citizens? Who equips and
pays this army? Who builds and furnishes
these things? Where does the enormous sum
of fmo1ey required come from 1t is the ma
tieu's work-the people aggregated into pow
er and munifcence, and so irresistible in |
might-unconquerable. Have you not heart |
swelrgs of pride in this magnificent exhib- /
tion of will and strength? No part in the
nations glory No eager hand helping to
stretch forth?
GroWler was silent still
There was no power in you Or me to
check the wave of destruction that was launch !
ed by prantricidal hands against u.s. If unre-
sisted by the nation, as au aggregate power, /
it would have swept in desoation over the !
whole land Traitors in our midst, and trait /
ors moving in arms against u.s. would have
united to destroy our beautiful fabric of civ
liberty. The government which dealt with all
good citizens so kindly and gently, that not
one in thousand felt its touch beyond the
weight of feather, would have been subvert-
ed and who eau tell under what iron rule we
might have fallen for q time, or how many
years of bloody strife would have elapsed be-
fore that civil liberty which insures the great
est good TO the greatest number would have
been again established? ? But the wave Of
destruction was met-nay, hurled back upon
the enemies who sought our ruin. We yet
dwell in safety. Your property is secure
You still gather your annual income, protect
ed in all rights and privileges by the national
arm And what does The nation assess to you
as your share in the cost OF this security
Half of your property No-not d farthing
Of that property Only small percentage Of
your income from Tint property? Just forty
three dollars and twenty-one cents! Pardon
me for saying ii, friend Grower, but am
more than half ashamed Of you"