The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-09
How the. Special Five Per Gent Tax
Game to be Levied.

S:-P. CHASE, Secretary CT the Treasury,
presented his estimates to the last Con-
gresss, showing deficit upon the revenues
of the present year to meet demands on
the government which must be provided
for, to the amount of $50, 900, 900, and re-
commenced that a tax should be imposed
upon sfwhisky on hand /" and some minor
items, that would insure the collection of
that amount of revenue. Our readers will
recollect the excitement over the legisla-
ton on the whisky bill in Congress, which
was finally defeated. To raise the revenue
to the PROPOSED amount of $4,000, 900,
Congress thereupon imposed an additional
tax of five per cent upon the incomes of
1858, upon which three per cent had been
previously paid, as q regular income tax
under the act Of Congress. The explana-
ton of this extraordinary proceeding on
the part Of Congress is simply this: The
loyal peculators and spectators inside and
outside Of whisky on hand" combined
together and bought up Congress at an
expense of at least $40, OOO, 900, making
by the transaction an enormous amount
of money. This fact is notorieusly known
to all persons familiar with the proceedings
of the last. session Of Congress, the great
body of members of which are the most
corrupt ever convened at the National
capital.
The law for collecting this special tax of
five per cent. was passed in July last
Qs64), imposing an additional tax over
that already paid for the year 1864
retroactive law, taxing people anew upon
what they had already expended, and max.
ing them1aiable to severe penalties for nom
payn1sttnsaa It would have been no less I'M
just and and outrageous to impose a like tax
upon the incomes Of our citizens from the
commencement of the war. This prece-
dent recognized and established authorizes
Congress to impose just what tax they
please upon the incomes of former years,
and TO sell the household furniture or any
other property, however necessary for the
subsistence of family, to satisfy the de-
mands of an usurping and corrupt oligar-
chy. 1t is reported that one man, citi-
zen of the Northern District of Hinneso-
ia, who enjoyed an official position of con-
siderable influence and opportunity at
Washington, made the sum of $4,000 for
acting in the capacity Of a go-between the
whisky men and Congressman, nearly the
amount of the whole assessed income of
his District. The joint resolution for the
collection of this special tax provided that
said tax 'shall be levied assessed and COL
lected on the fret day of October, 1864. !"
1t will be observed that the 1st day of Oc-
tober, 1864, was during the Presidential
canvass. The collection of this tax at that
time might have damaged the prospects of
"Old ABE " and his Republican confreres,
many of whom had made their fortunes by
receiving brides fom whisky spectators
The collection was therefore prudently
postponed until after the Presidential cleo
ton.
The people of this country are at
the mercy Of horde of official peculators
and plunderers, who cover up all their ini-
quities with the mantle of negro philan-
thropy, and must be prepared to submit
to any tax, imposition or outrage which
their personal or political interests may
demand.