New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-04-27
CONGRESS AT WORE.

At last, Congress seems 10 be aware OF the
momentous issues which hang upon every pass
ing hour, and is doing just what, if done two or
three months ago, would have been worth q re-
enforcement Of One Hundred Thousand Men to
ouvarmies about to close in deadly grapple with
the hosts of Treason. We sre 10 have a
stringent Tax-bill and greatly augmented Tar
| if-measures which, if passed in due season,
would have kept Millions Of Specie al home
which have gone and are going abroad to pay tor
costly fabrics and gewgaws that we might bet
ter have done without and kept down the
prices Of the necessaries of life by largely r.
ducing the premium on Gold. Our present
Financial cmbGrassmcnts flow directly from
the culpable dawdling OF the two Houses IN iu'l
view Of the crisis upon US. Now, fresh dram
Cor Twenty Millions is to be made upon the
Treasury to pay and subsist the State Militia
about to be called out for shree months sery-
ice; vet it is rumored that the Tax
bill cannot be perfected in season TO take
effect on this years annual taxes; and Whisky
on hand must not be taxed, for thai would be q
breach of faith; and 30 everybody is TO be let
OIL and the stringency of taxation mitigatcd 50
far as pOssible though every one knows that
One Hundred Millions paid into the Treasury
forthwith from the proceeds of taxation would
save the country at least double the amount in
contracting It's circulating medium and appre-
eating its public securities. Why not postpone
This years levy of Income Tax, &c, from May
to June 1st, if that be necessary to secure the
immediate realization of the increased ta1esi
We regret, but are not surprised at, the prev
alence of demagoguism in the House. We
have already dsgracefrl exemptions and acts of
layor,ism on our statute-book, beginning with
the Franking Privilege and running down
through the free transmission by mail OF news
papers within the County where published to
the remission Of tax on Advertisements pub.
Gshed in journals having less than 1900 oircu-
lation, &C., &c We heartily despise all such
paltry tricks in legislation; and Che House yes
terday perpetrated another Of them in incrcas-
ing, By a vote Of two TO one, the Income Tax
of rich men TO u and 10 per cent. The calcu.
lation evidently is that the great majority viii
be tckled by this sort Of legislation to their
seeming advantage; but we have faith that the
popular intelligence and sense of justice will
render this a losing game. Mr.. Thaddeus Ste
vens has faults, but popularity Hunting is not
among them; and be lashed this poor device as
il richly deserved. Still, in House elected
Tor rather nominated) as ours now is, such u
measure was sure to prevail. We wish Daniel
Webster were in the Senate for just one hour to
give it his blessing.
We tell gentlemen in Congress that what is
needed IS not SO much increased rates OF taxa
ton (though we do not object to thcsc) as the
rigid assessment and collection of the imposts
oIreodg required by law. The present Income
Tax would produce One Hundred Millions. per
annum if all were assessed under il who should
be ard as they should be; but not one in four
OF those who ought TO be are to-day enrolled to
pay this tax. Now we do not object to an in
crease OF this tax if it be assessed at uniform
rate, and every one who il liable is obliged to
pay it; hut we do object to ooubllng the bur
dens Of those who already pay and letting those
who now shirA continue TO 90 free. And this,
we fear, is the goal to which Congress is drift
ing. But double or treble the tax of those who
iGi 30 return their income, or who return less
: ego the true amount, and We care not bow