Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1865-02-21
Amkmon0 Gnquiret.
MONDAY MORNING, FEB. 20. 1865.

o~ ~>~-~~-~
MONDAY MORNING, FEB. 20. 1865.
"L,t us have taxation rather than repudia-
ti,n," ssys the aSsntinsl" Yes, lot us have
sny.hing slse than dishonor; bankruptcy
r,.hsr than disgrace; let us have truth rather
,ssa "A ,hood reslisies rather than shsmi.
VAN ths Cor federa:e government buys up
i, po.ss al fif1-ive dollars for ono dollar, or
q. t;so AID half cents in the dollar, We think
,h,t d nearer appearance TO rspudiation is
mdo than would be the case if the psople
,,lunssrily agreed to surrender their sham
4 lsrs st tie ratio ef 6ve Of the old for ono Of
IN, new. Now is n0t that Sham dollsr for
e c1 INs government pays cnay t~o t'::'ll,:s
half osnu? Is thtra any truth On the faos tf
notes that are thus bought up? Is there any
reality in tLs p:t ini.es to psy which the gov
e:ans,t itself can tuy up at ouch die
ooani!
We Lhall isnCuIce no ;chtme for public
r,list rs "wh.lssa!e robbery" We u.peot
n, ia ,tives Of no man, but treat evsry one
who may df,r with us ss equally honest as
Ourselves. The eiiuation Ct the country is
70 serious, and the oslamitiss that throsten
our cause too great 10 waste TINA in windy
dsnuncia,iou. We do nos believe that taxation
en- 10 increased without ths most sericus
,,;st quencss to our cause, and, WNh that
oviri1n, wtetLor correct 6r not, We cannot give
our ruprort to such inortase # tie public
burdens So prp,s,d BY tho Committee Ct
Ya,s ard Mesnf. Last year the people tf
Virsioia were net required to pay any State
taxes. but tks funds ,hsn in the State tr.asu-
~ hayo now been e1hauttsd, and this yesr
mems will have to 10 devised for supporting
tho State eovsrnn ent. Ta1s,i, Ii lsst year Was
,olerabls because Iaid in g.sas nsASa's in
four DO, can't. bonds, ia which the old Issue
VAS iuadabls- But this year those four Per
c,nts pay no ta1ss. Last year gold was only
ono half what it is this ysar, and the prices
of living about en- fourth what they premise
70 b, this year. The reduction Of tho cur
,ea:Y witnessed exactly wba: wc predicted,
the Increase Of prisss, With dimir y ed cu,.
,sncy. Wbile ws should rrsier to 500 The
public debt reduced TO proper AXures and the
immense tums cf sham dollars which mystify
every one brought down to real dollars, VIC
sre prepared to submit ,uiselves to sny fy''
tenn cf taxation.
Ike bill reported on the II h instant by the
special committee Of ons frcm each State on
tho subiect Cf taxstion in the House If Rep
res.nla.ivts appears to pr, csed on the follow
ing principles
Wsnu fight. We must pay our debts
Hhsn We cau aud Ga. e. 81 far as
our means ara inadequate to enable us 10 fight
for indsper denos aud pay our dsbss at NE
Samc time, w arc obliged to prefer tho future
expenses Of tho war to tho present satisfaction
Of cur debts. u that extent, the llsn Of the
committee is to appropriate slt our aVsilable
mssrs to tie future expenses of tho war and
then 10 provide for cur existing dsbta as fal
~ ca, 1onsiaing means will allow.
Tho mesns noS rsmsiniag under cur con-
trol are chi,h7 tho agricultural productions oi
this srslt agricultural county; the annual
Drops t. b. produced and the accumulated
proIrcs, oon sis.ilg naiLly # cotton aud TO-
b.oco. Thsse msaEs ara to b applied fra,
70 tho prosecution OF the war, and then, Is ia'
a,practioable, - the l.quidsucn of our present
d,b.. Our other RESOURCES are to b employ
ed in the tams wa7. but the principal rehsnc.
IS in the c,opp, OF on and tobacco.
IL i, proposed t, take one.df:h of tho ssti-
cultural prodros from year to year, a. ws
now tax, tsnsh, and to apply ohe-half to
f.e1 tho army (ss W. now do) and tho balaEo'
70 pay the army and other var sxp'n'ts here
atssr aomuDg. Tais latter half is to DO sold
t, the producers at four-6fshs Of it's market
yaiu,, By allowing them to commute it in
money as tL.t rate. To relieve them and en-
c,urss, pr. ducsion, it is proposed that ell
agricultural predictions hereafter impressed
shall bs paid tor st MARKET psisSs. Taey are
also to b ave credit f,r the value Of tho whole
tan against the property taI On the entire
plapsstaen and all the SLAVES on it.
TIE cotton and tobacco are to bs borrowed
o, IN, . cassed TO % large en- extent as the gov
srnmens n.y desire and ths owners may
sg,ss. Ii necessary, quantity not exceed
lag or e.haN of Tho cotton OK tobacco belong
my to any owner may bs impressed.
Taxes arc TO be levied - high ssis is thought
to country can vol bssr, payable In treasury
notes and othor svidsncss Of dsbt against the
sAvsrnmsut-fvs Per cent On property valued
=, Of 1860 and tho income taxes dubbed, with
s,,ne particular changes in the law.
l, issuppcs,d that, to considerable s,nount
s,ess t.1,s will 80 10 liquidation Of our pre-
sent debt and tho Secretary Of the Treasury
,.a,tLo,izsd TO use tie tobacco in Withdraw
ing tho treasury notes from circulation. liz
ma, u.e portions Of the Gotten for tho same
purpose il hs tbilks proper. So nuoh Is tt
the existing debt.
In order 10 spplJ tho other rs.oarSss-th'
orots and cotttn--inm:distely, exclusively,
soc, omicslly and adssntsssous'y to the pay
m.nt Of the army and other expenses Ct the
Wa, h.rssfssr,,is is proposed to Issue, ct once,
biIs drawn sgainet the half Of thsts1 ia kind
and oil The cotton Of the government. Thtss
bills (,allsd revenue bils) are 10 bs In su.tsbls
form for Gil lculAticn. The half Of the tax in
kind il to 30 ccnmu,sd in these bills alone 1t
a retu:.ien Of ons.ffsh from tsapprsised val
u. ind the bills are 10 be rdesmtd BY the
government on demand in cotton st fifty cents
u raurd. Not moro than $2CO. 600 CT
Them as 10 le in circulation st ary time.
VIA ,L.ss bills The simJ ID to be Paid a
bounty equal to tw, moa,hs p lin addition
TO tho r.y in treasury ntt.r) for sll who are
not ilsgal.y absent at tanJ tinsin April or May
next. The b.. lance of tie bills will bs paid for
the roy # the army snd otnsf expenses scoru-