Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-06
gsuteIIiqrurcr
Frum The New York Times.
The ooPpsFheaa Voto an oonEress on
ths Tax BIIl.

Ehero ts nothing like = test vote to d I
real positions. 1t is the easiest thing in
the Worldfor politician to hide his real
ground under false colors, until the rub OF
q test vote comes; then you are sure to
"spOte him. aa
Some of the ant. ntl.Admiuistrsllou party,
like Wood, Long and Harris, have uus.
qaivoeally declared themselves against the
war. and boldly encountered all the odium
incident to that open opposition. But the
larger portion have ptoiessea that they
were 10 favor OF the war, aud that they
eombattsd the ADMINISTRATION only be
cause Il did not better uphold the war
They have resented every inphiAtion that
they were seeking to break doNpsIhe Ad.
minigtration in. 0Tder-at0 break down Ihe
war, aud yet have worked systematically
against tho Administration, side by side
with those Whn proclaim their supreme
object to be peace stany price On 20 one
poiut have these loyal souls been more ex-
ercised than upon the IIilurs ofthe Ad.
/ minisiTatiOu 10 secure thE credit of the
country, Without which the war could
never he prosecuted to q successful iS.
sue. For the last year they bAVe cease
lessly rupg the changes over The impend.
ing bankruptcy OF tue goverumeuI-6Auk-
ruptcy which was sure to result from the
immense disprOyOrtion between the rsven.
ues of the government and its war e1pen.
| diIures Tue tins At last came when they
were called upon to do something to re-
duCe this disproportio0. There was no
possible way OF etfecIing this but by in.
creAsiug the revenues. Even the copper.
heads themselves don't venture to pretend
! RbaR &c 0ha fn IN hR EranaA a.
scale, either in men or material, should be
reduced. A tsx-bill, adapted to yield q
very large increase of revenue to the trea-
sury, was reported to the House. Il was
based upon the principle of sparing the
neeessaries OF life as much as possible, aud
taxing the Iuxnries. Il would have been
| impossible to frame a bill, better deserv-
i6g of the support Of those who care
for the interests of the body of
the people. No amendment was Offer
ed. or could be offered, to the bill, br
the Anti Administration party in the
House, materially changing its principle
or its scope. The most that this party
attempted to do was to make petty war
upon some Of its little detailS; and >4lhess
the supporters of the Administration, when
any good reason was shown, cheertuily
modified. And yet, wnen the vote came
q mere handful of the parry susIsined il.
OF the ffty two members who voted for
Cox As Speaker. ostensible war meu, but
seven voted for the tax bill, Vizi BtldFin
Of NichigRl CRHe0e,s Elgltah kIn16k6.
tirnt, .HblmGnss Robi6r u Hteels OF New
.JGFEEy, aud elFissasIjt- ~aA 5nf Etha twelve
Who voted Tor D4Wsoh, Ouly two, DaiIeys
aud Miller. OF the eutire sixty four who;
oppose the Administration, aud yet pro-
Tess to be for the war, only nine, all told,
sustained the measure, without which an
effective continuance of the war is imPossi-
Bile.
These votes completely expose the hol.
loWness Of the war professions of the Cox
and Brooks section of the Democracy"
They are votes which could not possibly
be given by men who were at heart for
the war. To withhold meauS for the
prosecution of the war, is to oppose It. II
done with false professions of friendship
for the war on the lips, the original crime
takes on form of meanness that forces
every honorable mauto despise as we'll as
hate. Wesay uuhesitaIiagly that the bold,
square, uuAinching opposition OF Fernando
Wood and Alexander Long TO this war,
their unqualified declaration that it is
| wrong 10 principle aud fruitless in purpose,
10 a thousand times more respectable Than
the stimulated friendship for the war of
this other set Of Copperhsads. under which
every Artiice is practised to clog aud de
| feat the war. 1t is as much more respect
ble than a sicaltby assassin.
This crew would vince for very shame,
| If they we're nos TOO shameless TO vince for
anything. necessarily have they attacked
the administration for attempting to sup.
port the war by paper aud not by taxes :
The administration AT last applies for taxes,
and in the TOuudest measure too. But
these gentry neither help the friends Of the
Government to pass the measure, nor do
they undertake 70 frame a substitute meas.
ure Of their own. They either vote against
the bill or dodge it. But do these men
take the people to be fools7 Do they iA-
ugiu6lhat it iS not understood what this
avoidance Of prqIidtug these supplies
means7 Is your PlOWman who starves your
horses in favor Of your croP7 Is your en-
ginesr who bars ont all your fuel In favor
of your Toyagt7 Just as much so "a the
the men who withhold all revenues for the
war are in favor OF the war.
II is all a contemplate mocksry, aud the
people know it. These votes agaiust tho
revenue bills mean nothing hut hostility TO
the war; and they will have to be met on
that GROUND only when the new elections
come. OF course, the motives of these
men are ineligible enough. They known
that the vast majority of the people are
devoted TO the war, and that they could
have no chance Of power unless they pro.
fessed = similar devotion. Their study Is
to make this devotion plausible, aud YET
give it some form that shall not advantage
the administration. Il Is not very dill
cult task, so long As they are not called
upon for anything more than words. be.
cause Words'cAn very easily be moulded to
any shape, and are quite rs available foI
deception as for truth. So far as their
rhetorical accomplishments go, a great
many Of these copperhead politicians have
been apt scholars Of the French diploma.
Iist who taught that "Words are given tC
conceal thoughts" Bat votes are moi