Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-11-04
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casion to animadvert upon the dis
couraging effects which superin-
cumbent taxation is having upon our
impoverished population. and we re-
greet the necessity which compels us
again to revert to this subject.
An official notice from the Provost
Marshal which appears in our col
umns to-day, notifies the inhabitants
of this parish and city, under the
penalty of seizure and sale OF
property, to call at bis office on
or before the 18th inst, and "de-
posit the Tax levied upon them
in accordance with General Orders
No. 49, &c.
The Orders No. 3S referred to,
were issued by General BANKS, dur
ing that officers term of administra-
ton in this State, with view of
levying tax on the inhabitants
within his Department for the pur-
| pose of providing means for the edu-
cation of freedmen's children but,
as we learn, they were not carried
| into effect--the Government having
| provided the necessary funds for the
purpose. II is now proposed, under
these Orders to enforce the collection
Of said tax as a reimbursement to
the Government. r3
In view of the fact that Orders
No. 80 were issued during the pro-
gress of the late war circumstances
might then have rendered it neces-
sary in General BANKS opinion to
issue and enforce such Orders, but
failing in their enforcement, it looks
as though he himself had considered
them impracticable, even as war
like measure, and chose the alterna.
tive of drawing upon the resources of
the Government to meet the expenses
attending his educational schemes.
Now, at this late day, when civil
government has been restored, and
taxes for the support of that govern
ment, in all its varied ramihcations
of State, parish and municipal, have
to be met by our citizens; when,
besides all this, they have to con
tribute from their scanty means and
resources in the shape of direct and
internal revenue taxes, &c, toward
the support Of the General Govern
ment-when all this is taken into
consideration, and our people are al
ready grooming under the weight of
q most terrible taxation-we ask in
all candor, is it reasonable--is 1t fair
that they should now be subjected to
further tax like the one with which
they are threatened under the old
revived Orders of General BANKS :?
1t certainly is not, and we do earn
estly hope that General FULLERTON,
of whom, in common with the press
and people generally of our State we
have seen fit to speak in the highest
terms, on account of the justice, the
ability and the impartiality he has
manifested in the discharge of his
duties as Chief Of the Freedmen's
Bureau in this State, will see the
cruel impolicy and harshness of con-
tinuing his order for the enforcement
of General Orders No 50, and with
draw it at once.
Our white population have their
own children to educate-their own
public and private schools to sup
port, and under their present priva-
tons and taxations, they find it Ysy
difficult to do this. They wish well
to the freedmen and to their schools
and are not unwilling to do all in
their power to see the colored race
of all generations possessed of the
means and facilities for improve
ment, but the superaddition Of taxa
ton for that purpose when their
taxes are already so enormous, is a