The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-30
The New Whisky Law.


ANY one who will carefully and impartially stud,
the last whisky and tobacco tax bill must come to TIL
conclusion that it is full of crudities of the most alb
surd klnd-bad in heroraI effect and bad as pivns
aprecedent for the most tyranncal and inquistoria
legislation which it is possible to conceive This bill
legislates into crimes things which are not and cannot
be made crimes, and attaches thereto penalties which
| are absurd And all because the Governments OWL
ohcals whose duty is to collect these taxes either
| where the goods are produced or where they are
| bonded, are corrupt, and cannot be depended upon
Therefore an entire class of merchants who have here
toore stood as high as any in the community are to
be treated like set of thieves, and placed sous s,
ge5lance and if they refseor neglect to keep GER
tam kind OF book for the convenience of Messieurs
tax collectors they are legislated into criminals and
are to be fined and imprisoned as such further if
they consent to keep the book and make any mistake
OR omission, the most innocent in the world they are
crmnay liable therefor and they are also liable if
they correct the error se the law readsl and this ap-
plies to men who are dealing in articles which have
paid all the taxes due on them, and who have no more
to do with the payment of such taxes than the man in
the moon. Men, high minded and honorable. who
have refused to have anything to do with any illicit
goods, are treated the as mem of whom the col
ecor mlShtJusty be suspicious, ifany difference is
made the former class of men watched closer and
annoyed more, because nothing can be made out of
them In the shape OF "black mail" great show of
official efficiency can be made to the honest mans an
noyanee and detrmen and reboundng entirely to the
beneht OF he 0cal and the scOundrel in league with
him to defraud the Government.
To the dishonest dealer the book will make no diff
ference, for he will keep it to suit himself and no one
will ever be the wiser.
Again, although merchant does his business per
ecty open and above board pays his license regularly
and has his place covered with signs showing plainly
what his business is still if he does not put M one
particular sign three inches long to suit the gentlemen
who framed this beautiful piece of Constitutional To-
gallty, he is to go to prison i
To Congress was delegated the power to Law and
collect duties taxes and excses; but pray what has
this do with such collection in regard to
men who deal in tax paid articles, and Who couse
quently have no business with the collector but to pay
their license Having done this they to be treated
as criminals if they refuse to submit to yrannical in
quisitoral and insulting legislation, which is wholly
outside the Constitution? No power was ever dele I
gated TO Congress to authorse spies to interfere in
mans private business, except upon warrant issued
ipon two aihdavits. ANY search under this or any T
'ther lazy without warrant is unconstitutional.
As well might the State of New York pass law
hat every merchant should keep books, showing
rom wnon they received their goods aud to whom
hey delivered them for the benefit of the police, so r
hat they might catch the receivers of stolen goods.
AGAIN, the Constitution says that all taxes and ex-
Uses shall be uniform throughout the United States
his lar imposes tax Of per cent on the sales of
me class of merchants and not on ohers the tax of
@ much gallon or barrel or pound is added 70 the |
onsumer, and is thus uniform tax. But this tax on
ales cannot well be added to the price, and it was so
1tended 1t should not be; and it taxes one class
fmerchants more than another it is eminenty class
egsiaton, not uniform, aud consequently unconsttu-
onal. = - -
Again. this law says that no one can uy over tentv
allons of spirits from any one not regularly estab
shed IN the liquor business. We understand ner.
ctly the object this for if the dealer cannot buy
le holder cannot sell But suppose that the holder
as an innocent ary goods merchant who to secure =
ebt out West, had received thousand barrels of c
hiskey (which many did few years ago and would 8
. again now, and that he could get two dollars .
ilon TOR the same at private sale if such were legal
at could only get an offer of one dollar and half at
leton (where this law says he sell it or 90 to
son less the charges then the difference would he
ON about $25,00o Has Congress the right to egis- T.
e away the rights and money of our citizens thus
D.! The right to dispose of ones property as best one
is inaienable all the legislation of Congress to the
ntrary notwithstanding. ie
OF ALL our grave and wise legisla- E.,
rs try to give by law the meaning to words This - -
had better leave to the academcian as they have
aFcely shown themselves competent to the task ~ ~
Ihey have defined such words ''deaers rectii- III
compounders, proof spirits, etc, in sense utterly
posed to the universally received meaning as well
to their technical significance. a
The only sensible project for law was presribed p
the late Thaddeus Stevens which ia few sections OF
posed the collection OF the tax spirits at the dis
ery, leaving trade free from embarrassment and
ing pains and penalties in clear and simple man. nc
r while the existinga is so complicated and con- ~
ed that 1t offers every inducement to corruption L'
lie It hampers every effort for Its own enforcement a
- ---------------=- - sss----- q.
JossIP ABOUT GEN. BEAUREGARD-A letter from the ia
Sweet Springs Va, dated Sept. q says sThis - -
he greatest place for flirting have ever been at "
n old married men with children and wives at =.
me- have been innocuated with this pleasant dis %
aper. They say the hero of Manassas ared badly ou
this sport and that reignng belle from the CITY cf
The Hills is the culprit fay In fact be las said pa
aething soft to her, and proposed terms of capt.
ton 50 am informed by spectacled old lady,
you know they see every thing that's going on DO
more besides. By the way, he and his intended
just taken the stage for the Healing Springs Da
ARTISAN LEGIsLATIoN.-Says the National InteII na
cer: -:
se7er in any country has party malice been permit vii
to influence legislation to the extent that has been b
rated even by the petiest and contemplate sb
hods amongst the members of the present and last Tn
lcal Congresses Look for instance at the refusal he
pay Minister Harvey his salary because be wrote
er that differed from the highminded gentlemen
1posng that body Look at the recent abolition of me-
socitorsof the Court of Claims. Look at the ere Def
of the Office Of Congressional Printer and egis its
ng out of office of the Warden of the Jail and the for
Of prhEn R,iId.p,c TLa-o au. -.