Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-08

laborers who produce it, and show how the
Radical gentry in this State have oppoaed
its repeal or modification.
Mullins voted against instructing our
members in Congress to favor a repeal of
the cotton tax. SO did nearly every Radi-
cal in the Legislature On the 18th Nov
ember, 1896, in the Legislature, (see
House Journal, page 76,) Mr.. Richards
offered House joint resolution No. 28l, as
follows:
"Whereas, The Congress Of the United
States have imposed tax OF three cents
per pound on cotton; Therefore be il
Resolved by the General Assembly of
the State of Tennessee, That our Senators
in the Congress Of the United States are
hereby instructed, and our Representatives
requested, to use their exertions to secure
the repeal Of the tax Of three cents per
pound on cotton"
The rules were suspended, and the reso-
luton was referred to Committee on Fed
eral Relations.
Mr.. Mullins, from that committee, on
the 9th of December, 1866, made report.
arguing against Mr.. Richards resolution,
on the ground that if the tax was not raised
on cotton it would have to be raised on
lands belonging 10 white people and that
lr01lid be most disastrous. See House Jour
nal Of 1867, page LOG.
The next day, December 9th, House
joint resolution No. 28l was taken up on
Mr. Mullins report, when Mr.. Clements
offered House joint resolution No. 295, as
follows
Resolved, That our members in Con-
gress are hereby requested to bring said
cotton tax before Congress, and ask that, if
consistent with the interest of the govern
ment II be remOped; if not removed, use
their influence to have said tdI reduced"
Mr.. Patton, an East Tennessee Radical,
who lives in county where there are but
few eolored people, and where no cotton is
raised, moved to lay both these resolutions
On The table--that is, not to instruct our
members to vote to reaore or reduce said
tax and his motion was carried by ayes
81, noes q. In the affirmative voted
Messrs. Blackman, Brewer, Cleveland,
Davidson, Donaldson Doughty, Dowdy,
Gilmer, Hudson, Jones' of Claiborne, Mel
ton, Morris, Mullins, Mulloy, Murphy,
Norman, Patton, Porter, Pickett, Rauls-
ton, Rogers, Shepherd, Smith, of Harde-
man, Smith, of 0bion, Taylor, Thompson,
Thornburg, Waters, Walker, WEIGH and
Woodcock-3l all Radicals. In the mega
tive: Messrs. Anderson, of Hamilton,
Baker, Brien, Clements, Clingan, Colyille,
Coward, Elliott, Fuson, Garner, Grove,
Jones, of Greene, Kercheval, Lellyett,
Loughmiller, McNair, Moore, Oyerstreet,
Parks, Pearson, Richards, Schmittoe, Sin
clair, Shultz, Underwood, and Mr.. Speaker
| Heiskell-27. All of the Conservative mem
bers voting voted to take off the tax.-See
House Journal, 1867, page ll6.
By reference to House journal, Nouembev
10, 1866, pages AZ and 43, it will be seen
that the House voted against bill allowing
colored suffrage by 40 to %, and on the
29th November, there being no prospect Of
enfranchising the niger" these Radicals
voted against Congress removing the tar
on cotton. Nearly all of the cotton raised
in the United States is produced by the
labor of the colored people, and of cours'
the tax mainly comes of of them and theil
labor. On every bale say of 500 pounds
the eoiored or white laborer or owner pay
tax of fifteen dollars. Nearly all Of thes
Radicals, voting against taking of the tax
represented counties in which but littlt
cotton is ever raised, and where but a small
part of the colored and cotton producing
population Of Tennessee live. Mullin
voted against the interests of the dolores
people of this district. Hence they wer
willing to tax cotton raised by colored AMI
white laborers, and yet exempt the wheat
corn pork, beet, fisheries, lumber, etc, G
the non-cotton producing sections, from an.
tax at all, TO be raised from ,Uhite laborer
almost Exclusively.
Congress last winter refused to remoy
the tax-and one of the reasons was, tbs
even Tennessee had refused, through he
Radical Legislature, to instruct her member
60 favor a repeal, or even reduction {
this unequal burden.
But unequal and impolitic as the tax
and has been, il would not be so unjust,
it all went into the treasury 10 pay the e,
penses Of the government. But II does no
By reference to the internal revenue Law
of the United States, from 1864 to Marc
3. 1867, all cotton raised in the Unite
States, upon which direct tax is paid !
the producer-and then, by the manufa
turers, (uearly all in the North made ini
yarns or cloth and exported-then the
| New England manufacturing capitalists Al
! entitled 10 a drawbdck out of the treasur
ON all cotton manufactured by them an
exported, equal TO the internal tax assesst
and paid bv the grocer; and "a addition theT
IA. a drawback or allowance of as gRdi
cents per pound upon the pound of oott'
cloth. warn, thread or knit fabrics mani
, featured Exclusively from cotton and exporte
"a shall have been assessed and paid in &
a form of internal tax upon the raw colt
entering into the manufacture Of said clio
or other article-the amount OF allowan
: and drawback 10 be ascertained IN su
manner as may be prescribed by the Coz
missioner of Internal Revenue, under {
rection Of the Secretary Of the Treasury
(See Int. Rev. Laws Of u. =, lS66; pa
liz, paragraph 2l6.)
Hence the tax on raw cotton paid by q
producer, instead of going to the COVER
nent TO pay its expenses, is, whenever ms
ufactured and exported, paid 10 he HadH
f1eturer b. he wkits aud coi0red iaborerS
the South. Instead OF allowing a boun
for raising cotton, the tax thus paid sc
!, into the pockets of rich capitalists, who,
addition 20 this drawback, have high pI
tective tariff in their favor, against the a
riCultural interest and sections of 1
J, | country.
Mr.. Cooper, in Congress, voted 70 repe
this unjust tax on our white and color
people Mullins voted against INSTRUCT
our members IN Congress 10 even fapor
repoal or even a reduction Of this tax, WIN
mainly is paid by the labor Of coIored p,
, pie. The tax on cotton in the fourth CC
{, gressionsl district, raised in the year Isl
will exceed S250,09O, and has been pal
and if a good crop Is raised the pres
N year. il will exceed SSOoO OO al two AM
s. half cents pound. A heavy tax on
a. negroesl ~, -.
Such is the sort Of friendship "MulliI