Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-09-11
estate rAxEs ON NATIONAL 80.



The New York Tribune Of Friday. in discuss
ing The question Of National securities for tie
support Of local governments. remarks:
The issue. therefore, which the Democratic
party threatens TO make on this question oil tsHa
ton 10 not vith the Republican party nor win
the Administration. but With the United states
Supreme Court, and the hrst Democratic Legs
istsre that attempts to lay . tar on National &c
curitiss will Ind Itself confronted by the judicial
power Ct the United States. And this not on
The loan during the war. but upon the gene
raj principle that a State cannot tar any Gov
eminent securities Unless. therefore. the Demo
cratic party purposes TO begin . warfare on the
Supreme Conrt OF the United States, IL must
stop where IL IL. direct its eorts for reputation
toward Congress The sooner the Democrats try
that the better for their failure will be complete
whenever tbey try IT. and the country vii! cease
70 be threatened With party Of Reputation.
The Democracy do not make the issue stated
sy the Tribune. A few years ago this same pa
per argued that the decision Of the Supreme
Court in the DRED ScorT case WAS subject to a
popular reversal. but COW, in question Of taxa
ton. in which il il claimed as a matter of strict
justice that the wealth invested in National Sc
eufites should be subject TO the same burdens
that are imposed upon capital otherwise invested.
It's suddenly imbued with a most profound re
spec, for the judicial power of the United
States" Its very singular that the Republican
press pertinaciously insist that the Government
bonds shall be exempt from local taxation and
never suggest or favor any remedy to equalize
the burdens Of taxation. Why this sympathy
with the capitalists. the wealthy classesf Why
elo 10, q a of
the lsboring manf The fact is the Republican
party Of to-day s but a reproduction OF the old
Federal party, and the former favor ths same
odious measures that drove the latter out Of
power. The Republicans are in favor OF strong
central Government. holding the States in the
same relation 10 the General Government that
she counties do to the States This they hope
to accomplish through aoneyed influence and
an arisiocracy based upon the public indebtedness
free from State, county and municipal taxation,
wonld be a powerful influence to sustain this
centralized power
Let Us look for a moment at the question OF
taxation. The Tribune quotes spprovingly the
following sentiment Of Chief Justice MARSHALL,
in one Of his opinions upon the right of local
governments to tax United States securities He
says: If the right to impose tax exists. it is a
right which in its nAtsFe Acknowledges no limits. >
The right Of Congress 10 tax national securities
will not be questioned under this opinion, and it
has no restrictions as to the extent. II the Re-
publicans are only fighting the right OF States or
corporations to tax these bonds, and not the
justice OF imposing upon them the same amount
of taxation to which other property is subject,
why do they not propose that Congress shall tax
them an amount equal 20 the local taxes from
which they are exempt. and which other prop
erty has to payl While this tax woald 60 into
the national Golfers. it would. at the same time,
relieve the other property from that much con
tribut;on FOR the support OF the General Govern
ment. and thus eqaalize the burden JAR Cooke
4 Co.. in their hand bills advertising the Seven
Thirties state the State, county aud municipal
taxation TO be about three per cent per annum.
There is nothing in the contract between the bond.
holders and the Government to prevent the
equsliIing of taxation The provisions of the
law is. "An stocks. bonds aud other securities OF
the United States shall be exemp; from taxation
by under State authorities" And the whole
purpose of this provision 10 to prevent the States
from discriminating by taxation against the ma
tonsl bonds to the embarrassment of the Gov
ernmen, aud the injury Of its credit. There is
another way to meet the difficulty. We believe
that the presen. Supreme Court would decide il to
be constitutional for Congress to authorize the To-
cal governments 10 tax the national securities just
the same other property-not discriminating
against them in any way. Would there be any
thing wrong In thus placing the capital
of the country upon a common level
--srbjectipg il TO equal burdens for the
support of the governments which protects all
alike? In the latter case the taxation of United
States securities would be under ational autbO-
rity-not "by or under State authority" thus
fulfilling the letter and spirit Of the law The
States could collect the tax authorized by Con
gress. and this course would be in harmony
with the decisions of the Court, the Constitution
and the laws. doing equal and exsct justice
There is no difficulty in subjectng the National
securities to the same taxation that is if there is
the will to do il. levied upon other property and
the people will provide the remedy rather than
submit to an exemption of one third of the wealth
Of the country from its equal and just contrbu
ton for he support of the Government. favoring
. moneyed arstocracy, TO the injury of the other
interests of the country.
kE The address OF the Bishops of the South
srn Methodist Churches, part of which We pub
lished few days ago. takes strong ground
against reunion with the Methods, Church
North We think this determination is not to be
regretted, either in a religious or political view
The Northern Melhodists forced separation in
ls4<. on the distinct ground of slavery. and now
that there is no longer any legali1ed involuntary
servitude or Proclamations stand the test it is
best ths, that separation should be maintained
both for the peace of these churches and the Ma
ton. The separation in lS44 was a mschev-
a.. as and one of the strong srpnries which