Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-13

RESERVATIONS were before the Senate, the
lecision Of the House postponing tue re-
1uctiOn would be reversed, and that body
also be induced 20 Iecede from its position.
We see in many cities that the business
men arc taking active steps to bring about
the repeal Of this oncTous and ruinou3 tax
Their position and information make them
moro particularly familiar with the ruin
which lis imposition will cause, and tleir
council will be on this account more highly
appreciated by Congress. In view OF this
fact, in unison with the action of merchants
in other places VIC respectfully submit to
the Chamber of Commerce of our city the
propriety OF their taking immediate action
in the premises by Sendi"g u committee to
Washington TO confer with Congress upon
the subject. The question is of too mo-
mentous Importance to the South 10 be left
to the mere stereotyped form of petition.
We should show our interest in, and appre
citation Of, its importance by personal en-
deavors in behalf Of its removal Let men
of business character be sent on, who, with
representatives from other CONNIE rcial
quarters, whose familiarity with the burdens
this fax entails, the straiteDed clrcum-
stances of the farmers, and the pennlless
condition OF the laborers, whose necessities
It's repeal would alleviate, viii give the IN
formation required and have the influence
needed to act upon Congress to cause the
imme Ciate reduction of the tax.
The tax levied npon cottonis required to
support the Freednan's Bureau. Now, if
the Government of the United States is
determined to sustain lazy negroes and
whites ut its own expense, 1t IS not proper
that the whole amount should be collected
from the white cotton planter and the color
ed cotton laborer. The white men who
own the lands, and the industrious negroes
who work them, should not be taxed
one-fifth of the proceeds Of the income OF
their property a I'd labor to support in idle
and wicked indulgence the white or black
Lazaroni, who hang around the officers Of
upon the property and labor of the indus
trious and virtuous. If the twenty-five
millions of dollars, which will be collected
from the South this year, under the opera
ton of this cotton tax, wereleft int the posses
sion Of those whose capital and industry
will earn it, this section could we'll provide
for its own merit orious poor; the Freed
mems Bureaus occupation would be gone
4Io Of fay- hnTprC and nt hnJ
office-hoIders from the North, whose ''enor-
NOUS frauds upon the Treasury have not
ONLY made for themselves colossal for
tunes at the pubic expense" but whose
operations have in no little degree Grip,
Dled and embarrassed the finances of the
country, could be dispensed with, and tho
| expenses of the Government very much
curtailed. The removal, therefore, in its
| Immediate financial effect upon the public
revenue, will be most beneficial. Surely,
men will not let their partizan feelings
carry them to such lengths as to continue
IL tax which is sucking the very Hte-blood
Of the nation, from sectional preJudices OF
from motives Of party success, Let the
abolition Of the cotton tax and the Freed
mems Bureau, twin sisters Of sectional hate
ana party corruption, so hand Ill hand,
and long stop Will be tul1on towards t1nan
cial recuperation, organization of Il perma.
nent and lucrative labor system, and gen
| erous, hope-inSpirinG reconciliation, which
will again arouse ourpeople with confidence
and make the Southern wilderness bios