Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-09-08
Ten Cent Democracy" in Grant County
The Party which Opposes Taxation
Levying an Unconstitutional Tax
One of them Refuses to Submit to the
Tyranny.

yAA6 GA Observation-Disclosures L d.
One of them Refuses to Submit to the
Tyranny.
Senator Jim H. Earnest, OF La.
Fayette county, is the managing
democratic revenue assessor and COL
Letting officer for that party ia the
Third Congressional District.
He is sending written letters
through the mail, preparing them
with Two cent, stamps as circulars
when they should bear three cents,
asking for dime contributions for
conducting +" the democratic state
canvass"
Now the democrats don't believe
in such taxation, which is unconsti-
tutional they say. A democrat in
Grant County lately received one of
Jim Earnest's written circulars, by
Hartwell his clerk. which he sends
US. And with it the receiver writes
us as follows
Mr.. COVER - A." Some base inn
"poster sends me this letter asking
"for ten cents to nelp carry the State,
"and for ten cents from each demos
"crat voter. | am democrat, bat if
III knew that such unconstitutional
''tdres as these were to be levied the
party might go to Texas for me and
select Seymour themselves.
The following is an exact copy of
the letter referred to, except the name
to whom sent and the town, and the
letter.may be seen at the Herald Office.
1t is not at all marked.private, and is
therefore fit to be made public.
SnULLsBURG, Aug. %, 1868.
Ny DEAR SIR.-The State cen>
trail committee have concluded to
raise fund for conducting the Dem
ocratic State Canvass this fall and
one of the means determined on for
that purpose is, to tax each town in
the State, an amount equal to ten
cents for ach..Democratic vote polled
at the last fall election.
1t has been made my duty to c, E,
lect and remit the same for this cons
gressional District, and have adop.
ted the method of notifying some
prominent person in each town to
attend to 1t and forward the amount
due from his town to me at Shulls-
burg, Wis.
The apportionment for your town
is $3.50. Will you have the KIDD
ness to collect and remit this
amount to me at your earliest con-
venience, as you will understand that
prompt action is necessary in this
matter.
The news from all parts of the
State is highly encouraging, rnd we
are confident that if this matter IL
promptly attended to we can carry
the state this fall.
JAMES III. EARNEST.
(HARTwELL.)
'.Ien Cent Democracy" of the kind
now introduced by Senator Jim Earn
est, originated in this way
During the war, Vallandigham
head-center man of the then Peac,
Democracy, now the War Democracy
was suspected of holding correspond
ence with the rebels, and was there
fore taken and sent across the rebe
lines where he belonged,
Jeff Davis of course gave him free
pass to Canada, provi ded he could
get there. The expense was great
for running Vallandigham through
to Canada, and he had no money
Even the Confederacy was poor; be
side all, the union monitors lay every
where to nab the great democratic
champion.
He arrived safely at last in Canada
in company with thirty other rebe
officers. But he came through poo
and penniless. Of course the hu,
and cry Of tyranny was raised agains
the "Lincoln Government" and Val
landigham was called u martyr on &C
count of his being democrat. Ant
the order went forth from the Gold
en- Circle Lodges that every demo
Gratis must pay ten cents for his bene
fit. The order ran as follows
Each t0,cn in the States shall pay a
amount equal to ten cents for each dem
ocratic voter poEled at the neat proceed
ing general election for the benefit Of on
brother so recently expelled from hi,
country for no cause except for being {
democrat.
1t was said that fully $4,000 wal
raised by said demonstrations
tax" or ten cent confidence game
the same as now attempted under
pretense of a need Of the money for
carrying the state-carrying it out
of the union.
AS to the genuineness Of the
scheme, it is purely democratic and
is doubtless the practice all over the
state. Senator Earnest is just what
he claims to be, a democratic state
central committeeman and q head
light Of the party. Every demo,
cratic voter must pay him ten cents
or failing then some head man must
pay it for each delinquent. So eve
~ ten cent democrat must send
along his dime to Senator Earnest,
Shullsburgh, Wis.
1t will take a great maay dimes tC
run the machine, especially since it
went off out of the union and is to
make war on the constitution.