The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-01-11
TAXATION and Representation.

Taxation and dRepresentatiOn.
The Secretary Of the Treasury uses
the following language in his report
ssI am satisfied that no State can be
governed under Republican form Of
government when three-fourths of the
people, embracing the largest tax-pay-
ers, are disfranchised and denied a
voice in making or executing the laws
Of the State''u ge 5an e
The Baltimore Gazette, in comment.
ing upon the applicability Of this sem
tcnce to the present condition Of affairs
says 7iaf 8 ~ e3in 'A2il.
Why this is rank hercsy. fit does
| not smack Of treason or disloye!ty, OF
Southern sympathy, or coppcrheadisms
or anti-radicalism, or something equally
improper and reprehensible, then we
confess wo do not know the meaning Of
language. II actually strikes sharp,
back handed blow at that very patriotic
and extremely convenient test oath,
by whose stringent application the Re
publicans had quietly arranged 10 per-
pettate their rule indefinitely by cx-
cluding all obnoxious voters from
their seats in Congress. 1t is, Of course,
a fallacy to suppose that taxation and
representation ought to 60 together.
Such 4 pernici6us doctrine was, indeed,
quite popular even in Massachusetts,,
when the colouics we're banding them
selves together to resist the encroach-
ments Of the mother country. But
"titnes chahge and we change with
them aad what was right in those
days, wheu politicians we're also patriots,
aud the better class Of them achieved,
likewise, some reputation for sound
staicsmAnship, is altogether wrong now,
IL We accept as true the teachings OF
the Republicans that loyalty is the test
Of the right to vote, and that they alone
are the judges Of what constitutes 10y
atty. II was clever device OF that
body Of men which called itself the
Legislature of Maryland to 60 to work
and frame all the necessary machinery
for disftanchising, as far as that we're
possible, every voter whose political
views were opposed TO those Of the
miscrahly rnoaere minority that held
sway in be- State under the protection
Of Federal bayouets. 1t was really
something akin 70 a stroke of genius to
add 70 the tost oath an inquisitorial
! Investigation into the thoughts, feelings
aud opinions Of the citizen presenting
himself at the ballhl-box, but it was
the csowning triumph Of the whole
scheme when registrars we're appointed,
with full powcr- to accept or reject aus
applicant who desired tto record his
naipa "a legal voter, aud even TO take
| testimony on the subject Of that voter Z
qualifications ia the absence Of the lat
/ ter aud without Offering him an oppor-
/ tuniiy 70 defend himself from charges
originating in personal yindiciivencss
or partisan mnlignity
That the scheme has worked beauti.
| fdly thus Car DO one win deny Three,
/ fonrths Of the people Of Baltimore, aud
! two-,hir,ls ~ the people Of the coun.
/ ties. embracing the largest payers p
are, az this day, "disfranchised aud de-
Dicd a voice in making or executing the
laws Of the State" Secretary McCul.
loeh lays down the proposition that
wherever this condition Of things ex,
lists, there is not that Republican form
Of government which the Constitution
! guarantees to each aud al the States oi
| the Union We Hre quite as satisfied
Is the Secretary himself is that be Is
| perfectly right in saying so, Weknoy
too, that the rule of miserable minor
ity viii not be patiently submitted e
mach longer In the whole Of the Stat,
the number Of voters belonging to th,
/ Republican party dees not amount, IL
/ the aggregate, TO one-htth Of the voting
population That party has attained 4
power BY combination of fraud anC
force. II adopted system Of disfran
chisement under cover Of Constitu
ton which was itself imposed upon the
people by Illegal votes, and we nov
warn the incoming Governor that, un
less the laws in relation 10 this matter
aud which now disgrace our statute
book, are promptly repealed, aud taxa
tion and representation are permitted 4
20 together, there viii be a storm raisel
in thsfState such IS he has never ye
witnessed, aud which will sweep him
and the party with which he has afhlia
ted, from place and power as efectuall.
AZ the reform movement purged thi
city Of the rufiianism that infested !
during the bloody years of his mcmora
BILE mayoralY