The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-12-23
From the LA Crosse (wis. Dsmocrat.l
widows and Orphans.

y o4AAN va ~
Certain interested parties are uphold
ing the exemption of United States bonds
from taxation, on the ground that the
bonds are held by widows and orphans Of
the war, and for another reason, that
Congress has exempted them, the bonds,
from taxationl
A venal Congress did exempt those
bonds from taxation, as it had the power
TO do, but not in justice the right. The
same Congress had the power to exempt
a~llproperty, no matter by whomsoeyer held
from taxation
It had the power to ignore the question
of stamps, and the next Congress will have
the same right to abolish stamp duties
to abolish taxation, or to add to the taxes
now being heapcd upon US, as the late
Congress had the power to do what it did.
Congress has a right to make laws-to
make .compromises-to repeal or alter the
same within such limit as the Constitution
%Confers. Therefore it is q question of
will, not of power, whether a future Con-
gress shall remedy this aristocratic evil
aud properly tax the billions of capital
now exempt, or continue to Cypress the
people, to make rich men richer aud poor
men poorer in regular Republican style.
Again.
Widows aud orphans of soldiers hold
these bonds! This is the most monstrous
and absurd argument we have yet heard !
We are quite conversant with the peo-
pie of the West in all its extent, aud can
not believe the assertion.
Bonds hold the widows and orphans of
soldiers-thc widows aud orphans do not
hold bonds.
Go where you will. Follow up or down
the riyer-walk or ride over the broad
prairies-wander through the northcrn
forests-climb up rickety stairs in pesti-
%lential tenements houses-look into the
little cabins of foreigners-go into the
farm cottages of the West-search through
the poor houses of our country--look in
upon the dwellings of the poor all over
the land? There you will find widows
and orphans by the thousands. You will
find them clad in rags of the coarsest
garb. You will find widows in want, and
struggling with poverty, in bonds of la
Dor. You will find women whose hus-
bands lie dead on Southern battle fields,
toiling to clothe, feed and educate their
children, and teaching them at the same
time that Republicanism and Abolition
ism made them orphans and a "God and
morality" party CD in power not only
robbed them of parents but ground them
into the earth under the iron heel of tax
alton
Blistered be the tongue which utters so
so cowardly and wicked a SANDER on the
children Of poverty-made poor blythe
fanaticism of our people, the incompetent
cy of our statesmen and the hellishness of
those who have charge of the so-called
christian Churches of America
The bonds in question are held
By favorites of power.
BY rich men.
BY English capitalists.
By dishonest contractors.
By corrupt army officers.
Ry knavish officials.
By " friends" of loyal Senators and
Congressman.
By the ~cowardly sycophants }~ho, to
gain bonds, endorsed misrule, corruption
and persecution.
By the crowd of Office holders who for
the last few years have stolen themselves
rich, and the treasury poor.
BY the rich spectators who now can
live in idleness, exempt from taxation,
aud laugh at the sweat rolling from the
poor mans brow.
These bonds are held by men who have
never periled their lives for their country,
and who now say don't break q law"
A pretty set of widows and orphans!
A precious party of deserving ones
Would it not be well to coniscate a few
million bales of cotton-to hold a few
more Sanitary Fair swindles for these
needy widows and orphans Of war, who
are holding Government bonds?
People 0 America-you owe . debt Of
gratitude to the soldiers-to the widows
and orphans. And that debt cannot be
paid by making laws which compel these
same widows and orphans and the poor
people Of the country to devote their life
and their earnings to the support of a sci
of misers, thieves, swindlcrs, scoundrels
Official hangers-on aud money getters.
Let us have u. s. bonds taxed as vel
as other property is taked, or let us repu.
; date the entire 1stfonal debt. Then We
can all have bOdds to hold