Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-03

oonhded IN our good faith, and our honor
pledged to give them shelter and protection
BY the reports already published it appears thu
they not only produce much that Is subjected |
national taxation, but their wants keep pace ait
their wages, and they are large customers of th
cheap fabrics, upon which We impose internal DIT
ties. Bya report On this subject---and will onl
cite single instance it appears that thirty.tbre
freedmen, leasing land on the Mississippi durio
the past year, without any capital save their hands
and Of course under many disadvantages raise
three hundred and seventy.seven bales Of cottor
one hundred and one Of which were sold for uT
ward Of twenty-four thousand dollars, and il tn
remainder should bring sn equal price, as It
supposed it will, it shows an average Of learI
three thousand dollars per man. think We ma
dismiss, with such facts before Us, all apprehen
sons Of croakings about being taxed for the sup
port of this class Of people. Reckoning -four hun
dred pounds to lhe bale, the duty OF two cent
per pound collected by the Government of hes
thirty-threa freedmen would amount 10 S2,Sl6, o
nearly one hundred dollars for each man. !
every man among us could contribute as much
we should have no need 10 borrow Or issue lega
tender.
One other thing is also hinted by those who Dc
DOT hesitate to impair The credit Of the Govern
men, BY magnfying its obligations, and oy BELT
ting its n cans, and that is that large amount o
unpaid debts out standing against the government
10 some extent this is true, and always must bt
so but II is not trre that il is greater now than
usual aud II is also true that there is to-day 10
the hands OF the disbuTsiug agents. paid out OIL
the Treasury but not yet accounted tor, S30,O00.
900 to meet these very debts. There is no cause
for any stabs at ihe credit Of the country in tbis
direction.
The general purpose Of the bill before US is to
argely increase the amount Of revenue, and while
doing this, to remove any doubt az TO the proper
Interpretation Of any parts Of the act where any
doubt has arisen, and to add suca provision as
will prevent any fraudulent evasions Of the law,
and enable the Government to collect all the do.
ties and taxes imposed, thereby protecting the
honest and true men Gl the county. who are
ready and willing TO hear their full share Of the
public burdens. II has been considered an object
Of some importance, also, to have all matters
concerning internal revenue embodied in one act
in order that it might be placed in the hands Of
those who are TO administer it as a whole, where
It may be easily read and understood without the
hnderances incident to careful comparison
various amendatofy acts. 1t will also be Of much
10 ali those who are made liable 10
pay duties aud taxes TO hnd all that concerns
them in one act. All the main features Of the
aw OF 1862 are preserved, although there are
many slight amendments and, as the Committee
81 Ways and Means believe, proyemenls cal.
Q Ilated 10 facilitate its execution. The system
has worked smoothly and well. No equal amount
Of tax was ever collected SO cheapy 10 EGG
and 1t costs nearly twice az much as it does here
10 collect a similar tax
The duties have been largely increased By in.
,reasing the rates Of duty and by adding new OBJ.
eets OF taxation. Among those increased will be
ound manufactures, upon which it is proposed 10
evy duty OF five per cent. IN lieu OF three 1t
S believed there will be general assent TO thi.
proposition. Ii is q tax which distributes itself
widely, and, while the manufacturer obtains war
prices for his products, II works no evil TO him.
ltb the tariff adjusted upon fJreign production,
10 as to leave no greater competition from abroad
han such as existed prior to the tax, the manu-
acturer suffers no hardship except that which
rises from the diminished consumption in conse
Idence Of higher prices, and that must be charged
o tue necessities Of the country. The amount OF
eyenue which will be derived from this source,
lnder all heads, vii probably exceed t. entire
evenue now derived IRON imposts
1t is also proposed 10 enlarge the scope and
ates Of stamp duties.
Upon incomes the duty has been raised from
hree 10 ive Ter cent, and with no differential
stes, whatever the amonnt; aud the rate upon
ne income derived from United States securities
raised from one aud half to two and half per
ent. This part OF the act has been in part re-
VlIten, and the mode and manner OF estimating
he duty has been more definitely stated, as well
s the deductions which ere ~ be allowed. oil
nen were ready to come up to the golden rule
cd this we're the sole tax, il would be the most
lst ever devised by the wit OF msn Il ha, been
hought expedient therefore, that every man should
g required to render an account OF his income
nder the sanctions Of an oath. In such times
5 these 1t is to be hoped all may feel the grip Of
onor not to give return 10 which they would
OF be willing to give an oath.
There are few articles that have bsen singled
Ut for unequal and heavy tsxalion. The fact that
ingand raises large revenue iIom spirits to.
acco, and a few other articles, is often cited as an
xsmpe We might probably copy To some ex
,nt this is true but there are 90 many differences
relative position that we cannot afford 10 follow
ne example, except at a reasonable distance be-
ind Great Britain is small in territory AID sur
'unded by water, and with few ports OF entry
his enables her to shield herself from all SNUG
ling. For generations their people have been ac.
istomed TO these heavy taxes, aud they know no
her rule, aud are content. ln the case Of ,obac- /
}, none is permitted to be cultivated there, 80 that
lie duty is sure TO be seized at the custom house
heir excise officers have narrow fields OF duty, /
I'd are exceedingly numerous and yigilant
Our territory, on the contrary, is one Of great
1tent, with bays aud rivers without number
ong the sea coast, and for many thousand miles /
, land with only an imaginary boundary line
lgress aud egress is almost unrestricted. The |
tilcully Of preventing illicit trade with us is many
Id greater than with Great Britain. Make III, |
mplatlon sufficient and there are plenty Of royers |
no will, by sea and IA d, seek to put money in |
elr purse by the gainful trade Of the smuggcr. |
lr Canadian frontier presents wide field for |
oh operations, and il will, even with what we
oppose to do, require reinforcement Of the rev.
ue officers all along the line. Tobacco is raised
every State. By our reciprocity treat, we are
'lged TO receive all the tobacco Of the growth of
9 British American colonies free Of duty. 10 the
st that has not been much, but the present high
ice may bring it forth within the year 1t will
seen, therefore, that our path in this direction
hedged about with difficulties. II the require
ents OF the Canadian treasury should 10 luce
cir present Government, as it is not un likely, to
vance the duties on spirituous liquors there to
{ same point, or nearly that, which we fix upon
re, one article as liable to debauch the smugger
the man who uses il, would be of equal value
both sides of the line, and presen, no tempta-
ms to illicit traffic. The Committee Of Ways
d Means have, therefore, upon view Of the
hlsct in all its relations, proposed duty on the
binary spirits Of the country, not Of five per cent
pal -. u