The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-09-26
Extracts from the Speech of
Hon. John A. Bingham, De-
livered at New Market, Ohio.

AANCA ~ esS LNShN AsAANAANON9 OAAAOs
"But this brings me 10 make q
further remark, that theso gentle
men who arc asking for this cxpan-
sion of your currency, who are urg.
ing you to take this first step to-
ward the reputation OF the plight
cd faith Of the nation, are taking
step farther, and they call upon
that Simon pure Democrat, Glen.
ent L. Vailandigham to announce
tho proposition for them in thoir
State Convention last January, in
which they declare they are for
equal taxation. Yes, they are for
equal taxation. They are against
an arstocraey Of bondholdors--
they are for equal taxation. They
propose that Congress shall sub
ject the bonds issued by the Gov
ernment to the people Of the Unit.
ed States, upon tho pledge that
they should not be subjected to
State or municipal taxation-that
Congress shall subject these bonds
10 both State and municipal taxa
ton. Well, that is the method of
making secession easy-of strip.
ping tho Government Of the United
States, in other words, of the means
of self defense: for let me ask you,
as intelligent and reasoning men,
to answer me the question how the
Government OF the United States
esh raise money upon tho credit of
It's bonds if it be in the power Of
: every State in the Union, after
they have pledged these bonds 10
the people TO be exempt from taxa
tion, on this very condition the
people accept the bonds and loan
their money to the Government OF
the United States--if these bonds
shall, nevertheless, be subject to
.taxation,in overy State OF the. Un-
ion, and every municipal corpora
tion in every State, TO tho amount
> that these States and corporations
shall think proper TO tax them.-
Why, my countrymen, ifthis were
The case South Carolina could tax
every bond that might, by any pos
'siblity, pass into the hands of any
citizen of that Sta!e--could tax it
out OF existence in asingle year
could tax it out of existence for the
very purpose Of reimbursing the
money which South Carolina spent
in the unhallowed work of rebel.
lion and disunion. l need not add
another word on that point. Ifthe
Government of tho United States
is to bo trifled with in this way, in
tho name of State sovereignty
and Democracy, and if in this man
ner its bonds are to be rendered
worthless, may not the same men
who do this say TO you that the
credit of the Government is not to
be maintained intact upon the pat.
cnts which it issued to your faith
res and mine for these farms upon
which you live to day. The prin-
ciple is precisely the same in both
cases. IF the bonds oftho Govern
ment can be repudiatod after the
manner prescribed by these gentle.
men, SO can the land patents bcro-
pudiated. The nation is sovereign
IN one instance as we'll as the other
NOT moro, not less. But these
gentlemen arc for equal taxation,
are they?. They are for taxing the
poor as well as the rich. They arc
for taxing the men who hcw the
forests, plow the fields, and gather
the harvests that give bread to the
nation and to tho world, by the
same onerous rule that they would
tax millionaire in New York wao
counts his income annually by the
hundreds Of thousands. Well, / am
not, this nation is not. Applause.
That is not tho rule of taxation
adopted by Congress. am willing
that every man with land shall
bear his reasonable burden of tax
alton and assist in extinguishing
this great debt contracted in that
holy war for the Union; but am
not willing to strike down the ex-
omptions which, for wise purposes,
have been placed upon your statute
books which declare that the hum
bio mechanic and honest farmer,
whose income docs not exceed a
thousand dollars a year, shall pay
no tax on that amount, | am for
equal taxation, after making such
exemption as will protect the labor.
ing and producing classes, and the
poor from oppression. ! am not
willing that the mechanics-and far
mors shall be taxed at the same
rate, and to the amount that A. T.
Stewart, of New York, is taxed up
on his enormous income. / would
not have the farmer pay his five
per cent upon the thousand dollars
he earns by his hard toll with his
plow and his sickle through thc
whole year. But | would have A
L. Stewart pay his five per cent
upon his enormous income. Why
because he is able and willing ant
ought TO pay ii, 1t stands, | be
lievo in Holy Writ--unto whom
much is given from him much shall
be required. At all events, woul,
not muzzle the OK that treadeth ou
tho corn. l would not ncedlessly
1otterthehandso honest toll whicl
fceds, clothes, and shelters the ma
ton. would encourage homes
industry in every way | could.
"Bnt, say these gentlemen, W
are for equal and exact taxation
We will tax every man alike, ant
break tho plighted faith Of this ma