The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1865-12-18
The Tobacco Convention on satur-


this city on Saturday last was composed
of some Of the most substantial farmers
and practical business men Of the Miami
Valley, and was largely attended. H.S.
GtrscKE1, Esq, President of the Tobacco
Growers Association, called the meeting to
order.
JACOB ZIMMER, ESQ., Chairman Of the
committee appointed at previous meeting,
read the report and recommendations OF
the Committee, which were, in substance,
that our representatives in Congress be re-
auested to advocate the repeal Of the pres
ent law, and the adoption of one based on
the ad rdlorem principle The "cat In the
meal tub" on this occasion was the same old
feline that has SO often been discovered
. heretofore--a regular, flill-blooded Yankee
scat" as will appear hereafter.
The remarks of Mr.. GUNCKEL were clear
and to the point, showing most unmista-
kably how the Great West, and particularly
the Miami Valley, had suffered by the ine-
qualities of the present law. He said, In
substance, that tobacco grown here, worth
five OF six cents pound, had to pay rs
much tax as Connecticut seed-leaf, worth
forty cents pound; and the consequence
is that all the tobacco grown in the Miami
Valley and elsewhere in the West is vir-
tually excluded from the markets of the
country"
The Western people will find out before
long how much Yankee ascendency in the
lie Of hn
tobacco business is only 'drop in the
bucket compared with the stupendous
system of infamous class legislation for the
sole and exclusive benefit of New England
manufacturers. But the day is dawning
when this wicked and corrupt system of
making the whole country pay tribute to a
particular section--and very small sec
tion at that-will be fully understood and
appreciated; and Representative from
the West who will not speak, and vote, and
act for the good of his immediate consti-
tuents, win be Indignantly cast aside as UNI
worthy of his trust.
There was one feature in the proceedings
of the convention that we did not like-the
evident timidity with which gentlemen ap-
preached the subject of their grievances.
We like bold, out-spoken words-such as
men speak who know their rights and are
determined to maintain them. But when
such papers as the Dayton Journal glory in
the ascendeney of New England measures
and principles, it was not perhaps, to be
wondered at that such members of the con-
vention as pin their faith to the tail of the
Yankee kite and endorse the heresy advo-
Gated by the Journal, should draw it mildly.
No later than last Saturday-the very day
on which the convention met-the Journal
gave utterance to the sentiments contained
in the following paragraph, thus virtually
admitting tie whole question, and tacitly
sanctioning the degradation and ruin to
which the whole west is subjected by rea-
sou of the ascendency of the partial and
unjust policy to which we have alluded.
Hear what the Journal says
''The Nashville Dispatch indulged a
leader the other day, assuming to show
that "Puritans can't govern" The assum-
tion is cOntroverted by the important fact
that they do govern wherever they settle.
Given population of which one third are
New Englanders, anywhere in this nation,
and the predominating influences of their
principles will soon exhibit ititseli-whether
in trade, politics or religion" .
Just so long as papers advocating the
taxation and subjugation Of the Western
people, for the exclusive benefit of a few
hundred thousand of New England manu-
factures are sustained, so long will these
odious and oppressive inequalities in Con-
gressiOnal legislation prevail. Heretofore
they have been able to cover up, to some
extent, this iniquitous system Of class
legislation but in the matter Of tobacco, ii
could not be done. The meal in the tub
was not sufficient to hide the cat.
The people of the West may reasonably
expect more of this same class of Legislation
during the present session of Congress, for
it is a significant fact that the chairman OF
every important committee is from the
New England States. ,....
Our people should be prepared for it,
What we of the West most need is gene
raj convention, not only of the tobacco
growers, but of the farmers, mechanics
manufacturers, laborers and consumers O
all classes. Let us come together in the
right spirit-feeling that we have com
mon interest to sustain-resOlved TO assert
our manhood, and no longer submit to the
oppression and degradation of New Eng
land interests, either politically, religiously
or peouniarily.
PoLITICs IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIs.-A spe-
cial dispatch TO the st. Louis Republican
dated the sth inst- gives us this gratifying
intelligence;