Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-21
THE FIVE PER CENT COTTON TAX
Resolutions of the Citizens Of MiSsiss
sippi
Fron the Oxford Falcon. l4th.l

| From the Oxford Falcon. 14th.l
At large and respectable meeting Of the
| citizens ofthe northern district of Mississippi,
drawn together at Oxford, on the occasion of
| the organization of the United States district
| court, in which most of the counties of the
! district were represented, the following pro-
ceedings were had:
On motion of Hon. J. /. Alcorn, c. d.
Fontain Esq, Of Pontotoc was called to the
chair, and Paul Barringer appointed secre-
! tary.
The object of the meeting having been ex-
! planned by the chairman TO be the propriety
and necessity of memorializing Congress to
abstain from levying the tax of five cents per
pound on cotton, Mr. Alcorn offered the fol-
lowing resolutions, which being ably and
deliberately discussed by himself, Mr.. Dowd,
of Aberdeen, Mr.. Featherston, of Holly
! Springs, and others, were unanimously
| adopted:
WHEREAS, The bill now pending in Con-
! gress to levy tax Olive cents pound upon
cotton, is in the opinion of this meeting, as
! il must be in the opinion of all unprecedented
men, pregnant with evils incalculahle, i'll
timed, uncalled for, partial, unjust, rigorous
| beyond measure impovishing to the poor,
| oppressive to the oppressed, discouraging to
| industry, distracting TO commerce, bounty
to the cotton-growers abroad at the expense
of the cotton growers at home, a bounty to
the prosperous to be paid by the destitute,
an agOnizing experiment upon the nerves of
an exhausted people, an irritant, keen in its
elf, sharpened by the prostitution of the can
onized principals OF our government as trans
mitted to us by our fathers, and sealed with
their blood; therefore,
ResolUed, LIST. That committee beappoint-
ed with instructions to prepare at the
earliest possible moment, a remonstrance
against the enactment of the proposed law,
embracing the proofs of the foregoing sum-
mary, as deducted from facts and reason.
I'd. That said committee be requested to
direct their special attention to the effects of
said tax upon the growing crop, and to the
inquiry whether at probable prices, under
the proposed enactment, il will be likely to
pay the expenses of production.
Sd. That the said committee bring to the
notice of Congress the relation now subsist-
ing between the whites and the freedmen in
the culture of the Southern staples generally,
and of cotton in particular, and that the
proposed tax must have upon the latter
class of producers whose all is staked upon
the chance of remunerative prices for their
cotton.
4th. That the committee exhibit to Con-
gress the impOlicy, not to say the rank in
justice, of levying n tax of five cents pound
on cotton of every description, with no dis
elimination as to the quality or value of the
article; and that they expose the policy
which it is to be hoped could have induced
the popular branch of Congress to sanction
such a monstrosity in legislation as the bill
in question, namely: that in all cases, and
under all circumstances, the consumers pay
the tax. These, with such other facts and
suggestions as the committee may deem pro-
motive of the object of the meeting, they
will forward to Congress with the least pos
sible delay.
5th. That the people of the South in view
Of the danger that said bill may become
law, be urged to look well to the production
of food for the ensuing year, or we will be
deprived of all means of purchasing; that
they are urged to pillow up the unpromising
cotton and to plant corn sufficient for the
wants of the people
The chairman appointed the following
gentlemen to constitute said committee:
Hon. j. /. Alcorn, of Coahoma; w. S.
Featherston and J. NJ. Scruggs, of Marshal;
Z. B. Baringer, of Pamela; n. c. Snider and
Robert Goliday, of Yalabusha; w. H. Kill
patrick, TishOmingo; 5. J. Gholson and w.
+. DOwd, of Monroe; w. l.. Duff, Of Cal
houn j. NJ. Howry, II. A. Barr and T. B.
Pegues, of Lafayette county.