The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-06-05
TlE TRI-WEEKLY NEWS.
Cotton Tax,
WAsuiSaToS, Do, May "a, 1866.
1o'hc Editors Of the National InteN.

GENTLEMEN: With my thanks fol
the interest you have at all times mani
Tested on the question of taxation ano
representation, respectfully ask room ir
your columns for these brief quotations
selected from numbers Of similar import.
A reliable and intelligent officer OF
'Hc of our leading railroads in the South
Io'enjoys unnsual facilities for gaining
lnIormation from its very source, says
The proposed FIVE cents per pound
x,on cotton gives great dissatisfaction
and encouragement to its producers
Every man L have seen who is raising
cotton says lie goes ip from this time out
for raising everything but cotton. 1t
will more seriously affect the Northwest
than the South. H"' u ''...'
On the the same subject the internal
revenue tax assessor at Memphis says:
IA tax OF five cents per pound on cot
ron will break many a good man whom
i know. and who,investcd his money in
good faith that the Government would
protect his interest-m men from the North
as well as the South.oJ lr.u.
The same writer, Oil the subject Of
geueTal taxation, says: .,.....r...
The amounts rendered on income for
the year 1865 are coming n, and arc far
better than [ had supposed they would
be. There is one thing that can be said
of the people Of your district, and that
is, they pay as promptly and cause
the officers less trouble than any other
district in the country !; the only mis-
fortune is, they ray any tax the officers
say they ought to pay, without cxamih-
ing the law and having an opinion Of
their own. They are decidedly careless
people. We are having several WHO
arc giving incomes above $4,000, net,
which is good. The increased tax on
licenses, too. Is going to run up large.
Our collections here, for the fiscal year
ending 30th June, will be in the neigh.
iborhood df two andsa.iiatt' millions OF
dollars, and you ought to use the argu.
ment that people who pay in to the
general treasury that amount ought not
to be denied'a voice in adjusting the
rate Of tax. Ifyou will take the trou.
ble to consult the records of tic Office
of the Internal Revenue Bureau at
Washington, you will find that the re.
venue district of Memphis has caused
them less trouble in the line of claims
for drawbacks and refunding than any
district OF equal Importance in the
Union.
will not deny that to me, at least,
the statement is source Of commenda
BILE pride.
My constituents, as well as other
communities III the Southern States, in.
stead of moping about and complaining
OF their losses, or Grazing their brain to
devise plans to swinlle the Government
out of its dues, are at work to repair
their ruined fortunes.
TO my numerous letters advising them
that thesure way to support the policy
of the President, and thus establish
their loyalty, is to make, big crop,
they have invariably responded favor
ably. %
Unjust and impolitic as would be tho
imposition, without their consent, of
this oppressive tax Of five cents per pound
on their cotton, If. tbs exacted they will
pay It like men who felt able to work
out their own salyatiorb but hereafter
will devote their energies to corn, oats,
wheat, pork, cattle, mules, &C., which
they now buy at, high prices from the
Northern States. the culture and pro.
dnction of which, in, their mild climate,
and from their rich soil, is but child's