The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-20
THE n JEW ERA. SEPTEMBER 20. 1866.

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the war? How is il: The North has
conquered, the North is wealthy! How
is it that you are succeeding as Wei as
you did Of Old: How is it that the rich
are growing richer while the poor are
growing poorer? Let Us sec how this
is. will tell you. We in the North
are very much in the condition of Il
smart young man who has come into
possession of a nice property, and kept
on spending a little more than the in
come of it, and borrowing until he finds
it remarkably hard to pay even the in
terest ON all he has borrowed Now DO
you see why you cannot live ats We'll as
you did before? Every thing you eat,
every thing you drink, every thing you
put on you is taxed over and over again.
Why is it taxed? In order 10 pay the
interest on the enormous debt that we
have contracted to raise funds to carry
on the war. The principal is all gone
is invested in shot and shell, anu bayo-
nets, in destroying cities, railways, and
laying waste the valuable lands Of the
South, but your Workingmen have to
pay the interest of this debt. For come
What will. it must be paid DO not sup
pose that it is the wealthy merchant that
pays the taxes; do not suppose that it
is the men that are investing heavy
sums of money and getting great profits
that pay the taxes. No, taxes are always
paid by the masses--tfe great working
people, who are the great consuming
class OF the land. Let me ask you,
working men of the North, East and
West, do you desire to pay all the taxes
necessary to pay all the interest on the
four thousand millions OF debt which
now hangs over the United States? If
you do, crush down the South. If you
want to pay all, stop the South from
being able to work, and by its labor
helping to pay any. Ii you want to
pay all, prevent capital from circulating
in the South. If you want to pay all,
keep hanging over the South that sullen
cloud OF Insecurity that always prevents
a man from setting his shoulder vigor
ously to any work. If you want to pay
all the taxes and meet the whole burden
of the interest of the National debt,
working men of the North, East and
West, follow the guidance of Mr.. Ste
vens and Mr.. Sumner; slam the door OF
Congress in the face OF Southern repre-
sentatives. and tell them to tell their
people when they go back that they
have no hope of any real union with the
North, the East and the West. But if,
on the other hand, you have Il glimlner
of common sense, and know you have,
because the people can always see right
ly if the issue is fairly presented to them;
they may be set wrong by some wild
orators by some wild ideas they may
be deluded, but their sober second
thought, whom they have time 10 make
it, it is always right. If you Wish to
get the South to pay part OF the taxes,
and take part eli the burden o!i. your
shoulders, say to the South: Fellow It'll
zens, flor you see we won't allow you to
separate from u.s. we have for four
years been quarreling with oneano:her;
we have been for four years destroying
your cities, smashing up your railways,
burning your fences, destroying Your
your defeat-all that is over noW-come,
stand up, take your spade in your hand,
go to work, we will stand by you and
see that you shall have fair play to re-
pair the ruin Of war, and to earn for
yourselves prosperous and honest
future; we will see that you have all
your rights under the Constitution if
you will faithfully perform your duties;
you shall have your representatives in
Congress, so that your wants may be
known and respected. DO not fear the
North it will hire no army to keep
you down and take your property from
you when you have earned it. Go to
work fearlessly, confidently, secure in
the justice and magnanimity OF the
Northern people, and assured that while
they have fought you face to face like
men, and beaten you, they have not for
gotten that you are their brothers. speak
ing the same language. sprung from The
same races, adoring the same God, and
having really the same purposes and the
same hopes. Now, these are the two
parties you have to choose between.
These are the two issues before you
disunion or Union. Disuion iy keep
ing Southern representatives out OF
Congress. Union by welcoming them
in. Dsunion by violating the consti-
tuition and the laws. Union by standing
by the constitution and the aws.
Which will you take my fellow citizens?
Which side did the people ever take but
the constitution, the laws, and the re-
public: Fellow citizens, tell you that
eXpediency, common sense, magma
nimity, mercy and Christianity demand
that you shall do this. And will tell
you more: the very safety OF the re-
public requires it.