American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-10-13

realized abroad. True, lie would be
certain to supply the home demand,
/ for no nation could send cotton to
the United States and pay 10 cts. u
ID duty and other charges, when the
planters were compelled to send the
product of his fields to distant mar
ketS and sell for 10 cents.
The principle upon which the value
Of duty laid by government upon
imports is clearly diScemed. Ii the
article protected by duty Is consumed
1T home IN q greater quGntity than is
produced, as III the case of wool, the
duty acts as bounty to the home
producer, paid by the government,
to about its full amount. II, on the
contrary, the commodity is produced
in greater gHdRtity than is consumed
at home-aS IN the case of cotton
the duty adds but little, il anything,
to the price realized by the producer.
Thus we see the double Injustice
Of taxing cotton, as well as the clear
mcomstitUtionality Of the measure.
We are paving % per cent. upon
the value Of the article, and derive
no benefit from any duty laid to pro
tect ii. Wool is protected by duty
at 10 to II cents u ID. and pays but
) cents tax. The legislation of con
@rcss, therefore, benefits the wool
grower from e to cents above the
tax imposed. Besides, ) cents y
Ii is only about 121 cents upon the
price Of wool, or half as much as cot
ton, at the old price Of this article
The South complains, then, Of this
taxation because it violates the con
Stitution and the principles laid down
in the declaration OF independence
that it is done without her consent,
and when she is denied rcpreSenta-
ton. See Art. t., see. .. The tax is
not based upon population, as re-
QUired IN Art. /, sec. s. 1t acts as a !
tax upon exports, and violates see.
ton 9, art. Of the constitution which |
declares "no duty shall be laid upon |
articles exported from any state" 1t |
is too high, even if it were legal, be- |
ing fully from three to twenty times |
as much in value as other things pay
in proportion to the profit realized |
from it. The cotton states derive no
benefit from duties and hounties, and |
these, with other advantages confer
red upon the north by protective du-
lies, fishing bountieS, government |
contracts, land appropriations, and |
the great profits made off the people
bv the war. fully commensurate. and
more than COMPENSATE. those neople
for the bnrtheus of taxation. even in
those states least interested in them;
while the south has lost. not only ali
the currency sE. p0sspssed-fo this
contributed to the war---but also
WAS robbed Of her most valuable pro
pprtv. Uuou the pIea of nccpSsitv.
her hompstpads were burnt: her
horses, mules. cattle. and everything
needed in rebuilding their shattered
fortunes. were taken from her. much
of II by tbn +. :. Governments and
ytf. under all these unfayorablr con
ditiony. every class of thp commupi-
ty. without reference to any compile
Nv in the "rebellion," are bur,heped
with the most onprous tayeS-much
more than thrir lust proportion,
whether. whether based upon popu.
iatian. as the constitution EXPRESSLY
requires, and limits congress to
adoDt, or uuOn the value Of the prop
,Ytv taxed, which would be lust if
not forbidden by the supreme law.