The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-08-17
Taxing United States Bonds.

ance Win laws passed Dy congress-
Are they unehangeable, like the laws
of the Medes and Persians? Does
not Congress repeal some laws enact
ed at a previous session almost every
time they meet? Nothing is more
common; and this fact every money
lender knew, or should have known,
when he loaned to the Government
He should have known that when the
war closed out, and the people had
time to cast about them, they would
not long submit to this thing of pay
ing their own taxes and those of their
rich neighbors also.
The Journal further assumes that it
isn't lawful to tax Z. S. Bonds. We
reply: let us elect men who will vote
to change the law. No one having
the authority to do so has ever said
the law would not be changed; and
there is, therefore, nothing wrong
nothing unfair-nothiDg in the least
violative of the purest morals-in adj
vocating the repeal of such odious
and unjust laws. Let US repeal them
and enact In their stead that Bondhol-
ders shall be taxed like other men,
There Is no justice in making fish OF
one and flesh of another. There is no
justice in making the poor man pay
the taxes of the rich man. We would
be the last one to stir up bad blood
between the laboreF and capitalist
There should be no jarring or conflict
between them; but this thing of ex-
empting the rich man from taxation
of laying al his burdens on the back
of the poor man and making him bear
them and his own too, is so full OF
rank injustice that our blood boils
whenever we reflect upon it seriously.
Besides, these Radical leaders are
pretty fellows, indeed, to talk about
the sanctity of law. During the last
six years their party has done little
else except to violate law;-not mere
ly statutory enactments, but the fun
damental, organic law of the land
They were finally forced to acknowl-
edge that they had trodden down the
laws, but claimed that it was a militia
ry necessity. Lincoln called out TO-
900 men, without the authority of
Congress, because it was military
necessity. He formed a new State
out of old Virginia, in direct violation
Of the plain and positive provisions Of
the Constitution, but claimed it was a
military necessity. He issued his E
Emancipation Proclamation and urged
military necessity in Justification
His spies and military satraps all over
the country seized Democrats at the
dead hours of night, tore them away
from their families and friends, hurried
them on board steamers and Failcars,
and dumped them down in damp, qn-
healthy and lousy bastiles,-keeping
them there for weeks and months, and
finally turning out such as did not die
leaving them to go home as best they
might, and not once informing them
as to the nature of the charge against
them, or why they were imprisoned.
ALI this was done in violation of the
express provisions of the Constitution
under the plea of military necessity.
Time would fail US to enumerate all
the eunlawful and unconstitutional acts
perpetrated by Lincoln. His entire
Presidential career, almost, was one
continued violation of law; but mill
tary necessity was invariably plead in
justification, and he was lauded to the
skies as a deni-god by his followers.
They even went so far as to claim that
he was the Government. Hence, when
he was sick the Government was i'll /;
when be sighed the Government was
weary at heart; when he sneezed the
Governmental proboscis experienced
titill8ting sensations; and when the
assassin's ball crashed through his
skull the Government went up higher
than Gilderoy's kite.
Now, we do not claim that it is a
military necessity that Bondholdere
should pay taxes, like other men; but
we do hold that it is financial peees-
sity. The Journal says there is no
power, either Legislative or judicial.
to tax u. States Bonds We propose
to elect men who will change the law.
and then we presume the Judiciary
will decide that they should be taxed.
But whether they will or not, we say
tax The Bondhosders anyhow. 1t is a
financial necessity. It is necessity
as urgent, as imperious, as much enti-
tied to respect as any military neees-