The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-13
The Coming Draft.

Common sense tells NJ, that governments
nave been ms 'ituted and exist for two dis
sinct objects LIST. The protection of our per-
.ons. 2pdly. The protection of our proper
". But for the &c gis Of state laws, the FIRST
gang of ruffans that had a grudge against Us
night pound Us to q ely or murder us out.
tight. But for the protection Afforded us by
The national armies, We might be tortured or
mutiiated or killed BY the frat gang OF south
sra guerriilss that choose to msrch into ILL
ainois. In this respect all are equally bene.
fted, the poor a we'll as the rich for of
course his own life and that of his wife and
children are as dear to the poor as they are
to the rich IL is superfuous to show how
the national and state laws protect properly
for We all Of us understand that well enouyh.
Seeing, then, that two things are protected
by governments, VIE. persons and property,
il il right and just to make the entire burden
of supporting tho government isli up.n one
of these two things Ought not both to con
tribute an equitable share towards the main.
tAinancs of those institutions that equally
protec, both And if congress and our state
legislature say that both shall DO contribute.
have we a right indirectly to nuliify the right
eous action taken by the authorities, and TO
cause either property alone, or persons alone,
TO bear the whole weight IF uph"ldIng CUR
institutions -
Our state ievies a tax upon~propsrty Tor
state purp ,ses. That is rgut and just
But ORR s,ate also says, that even ihere who
have property at ali shall contribute
something towards the support OF our Insti-
tutions by working on the roads, serving on
juries and SO firm. Would it be legal or
rlgh', or jdsr f,f caLnty or u township Or n
city to levy a special tax upon property in
addition Ia our present heavy burden 80 that
tue p,or man might not be compelled TO work
OH Tie Rad 7 or TO enact that nobody but
rich men should be liable to serve on juries
think not. s-a-asza
Congress, again, levies tax upon properly
for nat ouai pa rposes. That also 10 NJ q .
just. Bat Congress also says that. Ia Times
( of war, even those who have no properly a,
{ ali snail contribute something towards the
support OF the Union by serving in the army
/ il they are drafted. the question then re
ours here-and it is not merely an abstrAc,
question, but = question with which We had
{ to deal practically last year. asd with which
we shall again have to deal practically within
the next month Have our legislatures, Oh
our county courts. or our township authori
ties, or our city authorities. the right Ia, in
effect. nnllify the laws passed by congress
and to shift the burden off the shoulders,
where congress- in its wisdom mas placed IT,
on to other shoulders Ia other words, con
/ gress having enacted that persons shall pay
a certain tax have these authorities the NOR
al. legal or constitutional right TO enact tina;
persons shall not pay il, but that property
i shall pas il? IL appears to me that. If they
Can thus completely change the natnse of {
law passed Nv congress. they Can also re-
peal that Law for the power 10 change with
out Limitation includes the power to repeal :
They might just = we'll arrogate 70 them
selves the pswer 70 enact that duty which
congress- had imposed upon whisky should
be levied. nat npon whiskey, but upon bread
or that the licenes- money which Congress- de-
mands Of peddlers, should not be demanded y
peddiers but OF clergy men.
Buf If counties. or sownships, or cities ole
bounty for volunteers. when draft 10 i'm
pending. that bonuty has gat Is be paid
svoner or later, by the propelt, be county
or the township. or the city. BY taking th'
action. therefore, they, in efec shift the fa'
from persons on 10 properly, WATCH. ~ il hal
s been Already shown. they have no right 70 de-
am we'll aware that this thing has bes,
done, time and again. in almost every county
Of every state. But that dose NO: prove th'
thing ~ be lawful stli less dos 1t prove !
to be morally just and equitable. Becsnr'
the Country Justice VT the p acc had triet
eeveral suste. in his own little Court. tor d..
famatinn of character, and bad levied ant
collsetsd in each case damsges et the dsfend
u ara Skfs 4esEH F9Tess Ea3r~