The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-01
TAXATION.

Democratic newspapers and politicians OF
the eopperhcsd sshool are blowing loud and
long about the oppressiveness Of taxation. No
one Will attempt to deny that the taxes are
onerous and hard TO be borne. But the ques.
tion that very naturally arises Is, who brought
upon us this condition OF thingst Not the
Republic ans surely but the Democrats. They,
the copperheads, encouraged their Southern
brethren to rebel. They fred the Southern
heart against the Northern Abolitionists; they
told the infatuated Southern slaveholder that
he had nothing to do but to secede, and prom
Used him aid from the North against the Abo-
litionists, assuring him all the while that the
cowardly North would not dare to eoeree the
South, or even to attempt such a measure 1;
and that, II they did, for every man that was
sent by the Northern Government to fight the
South, they, the Northern Democracy, would
send ten to fight on their side. BY such en-
oouraging words, the South was urged on, and
the best and most intelligent men among them
never supposed that they would be called upon
to take up arms. They thought the North
would let them go, because the Northern De-
mocracy told them SO. Buchanan told them
so. He said, under the advice OF his Attorney
General, Jerry Black, that there was no power
In ths Constitution which allowed the General
Government to "coerce Stste.n
II was tn Is preaching and this sort OF en-
oouragement which was held out to the South
that led them to secede. Had they known the
real purpose and spirit Of the Northern peo.
pie they would never have attempted the dis.
ruption Of the Union. who then is to blame
for the war; The Democratic leaders most
certainly, and nobody else. Even the New
York Herald went 80 far In this direction OF
telling the South that they might retire, that
they had no hesitancy In adopting all of those
inciplent steps which ultimated In separation
or attempted separation. 1t was not till an
Indignant people gathered about the Herald
office, and its managers were distinctly In.
formed what they must do, that they came
down and ran up the stars and stripes. Had
Mr.. Bennett not done so, his office would have
been demolished. 1t was thus, and thus by
Democratic teaching, that the South was
given to understand that II they seeded they
would be suffered to go In peace, and would
be unmolested. The South started upon their
perilous voyage with the full assurance that
nobody would attempt to coerce them, and
the Democracy was the guilty party In thus
misleading the South. That the South was
misled is abundantly proved from various
and conclusive testimony, and that Northern
leaders of the Democracy led them estray
there can be no doubt. When Mr.. Lincoln
first issued his proclamation calling for
seventy-fye thousand men, 1t was received in
the South with derisiye laughter. They did
not believe, for they had been told so, that any
troops could or would be permitted to leave
the North to fight them.
Nevertheless we had the war, as any mar
with sense might have known we would, be
cause no Government can suffer itself to b,
overthrown. 1t must defend its prerogativei
and its powers against whatever asHails II
The Federal Government did nothing more
1t could have done nothing less.
Now, the question is, who fired the Southern
heartj who urged them ont Tho Northern
Democratic leaders. The immense waste, tn
vast expenditure Of money required to pu
down the rebellion has caused this tax atioI
which we now feel to be a trouble and 3 bur
den. 1t Is not the fault Of the Republican
party who carried on the war and suppressed
the rebellion, but 1t Is the fault OF the Demo
cratic party and the Shareholders who prec ipi
tated the civil war upon the country. II
therefore, our public debt and consequent tax.
alton are Onerous and hard to be borne the
blame Is with the Democracy who brought
on the war, and not with the Republicans
who suppressed 1t.