New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-04-07
THE PUBLIC DEBT.


n The following questions and answers occur
the examination of General Lee, before the Cor
gressional committee of fifteen on reconstruc
ton:
O. How do the secessionists feel in regard to th
: payment of the debt of the United States con
tracted in the prosecution of the war :,
A. have never heard any one speak on w
subject; suppose they must expect 20 pay TN
taxes levied sby the government; nass M a near, a
And az their efforts to raise money to pay the taxes
which. i suppose, are for their share of the debt
y have never heard any one speak in opposition
the payment of taxes, or OF resistance to thei
paymert; their whole effort has been to try an
/ raise the money for the payment of the taxes.
j D. From your knowledge of the state of publ
feeling In Virginia is it your opinion that the pee
Pile would, IL the question were left to them, rept
| date and reject that debts
A. never heard any one speak on that subject
but from my knowledge of the people, I beliey
that they would be in favor Of the payment Of a
just debts.
g Do they in your opinion, regard that as
A. ] do not know what their opinion is on I'll
subject of that particular debt; have nevt
heard any opinion expressed contrary to it; i,
deed, as said in the beginning, have had yer
little discussion or intercourse with the people !;
believe the people will pay the debts they ar
called upon to pay !; I say that from my knowledg
OF the people generally.
q. Would they pay that debt, or their portion Q
IT, with as much alacrity as people ordinarily pa
| their taxes'to their government?
A.. do not know that they would make any dis
tinction between the two-the taxes laid by tn,
government, so far as know, they are prepared tt
i pay to the best of their ability; I never hearc
them make any distinction.
We have had occasion to become familiar with
public sentiment in reference to the national debt
not only as expressed in the various Journals Of
the South, but as made known by the action oil
Southern legislatures and conventions. The prev
alent feeling is that the interest on the debt must
be paid regularly and punctually, and that the
States of the South must pay their due share in
proportion to their greatly diminished wealth and
resources To say that they viii do this gladly OF
cheerfuIiy would be an abuse of terms, but they
will pay willingly, without resistance, and as a
matter Of course. They will pay their share Of ii
with much the same feeling as party ltigant pays
the fee Of his advocate and the costs Of court in
suit which has gone against him. Even now
when the South is without representative voice
in Congress, and has no hand in fixing or raising
the needful tax to support the Federal government
and to meet the interest on the national debt, no
disposition is shown to resist or evade its payment
Southern men have always beenwilling and honest
taxpayers. When the South exported each wear
from three to four million bales Of cotton furnishing
Ehe basis of avast importation which was heavily
'axed for the support OF the Federal government,
we did not complain of this enormous contribu.
ion. The exports of the Scuthfar exceeded those
of the North, and the burden Of the tariff rested
n like excess upon us. Itwas always known and
fet that the raising of revenue by means of a
tax on imports was neither equitable nor eeonomi.
cal. 1t was well understood that where the tariff
put one dollar in the public Golfers it took, in one
way or another two or three dollars from the right
full returns of expectation. 1t was well known
that the tariff on foreign goods, bought mainly
with Southern exports, enabled the Northern man
afacturers to advance the prices of their fabrics
BY large per centage Of profits fabrics which
were bought by the South in immense quantities
# was as well known that the revenue so collected
BY the United States was expended mainly in and
or the North. Yet very little serious complaint
vas made by our people Of these heavy contribu-
ions and meager returns. A genial climate and
'o prolific with desirable products gave ample
.etnrns to our planters, and while they were pros
1erous they willingly paid their public dues.
they would have continued these cheerful contri-
buttons to this day had they been let alone in their
What Southern taxpayers now desire in refer
'nce to the public debt and expenditure is:
First, That they may be duly represented in the
FEDERAL legislature.
Second. That the cost of the Federal govern
lent may be lessened by disbandng useless
oops and discharging meddlesome and mischief.
aking functonaries.
Third, That they may be permitted to resume
cir usual ayocations without being molested by
,itators or annoyed by hostile legislation.
Let the people and government of the North
ant these, and by granting them, give assurance
at peace is restored in spirit and substance as
III as in name, and they will put the taxpayers
the now impoverished States of the South on the
Oh road towards a renewal of that prosperity
iich will enable them again to contribute as
inificently as in former years to the support of
g government. As a drouth-parched field thirsts
! the rain SO does our war-burnt South long and
irst for peace. Southern taxes must be the fruit
Southern labor that labor can be greatly
mulated, aided ard encouraged by wise legisla
N in Congress and becoming liberality OF feel
8 among the Northern people.
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