The Van Buren press., 1868-10-09
Why I!

things occur that can only be accomtc,
forby caascs known 20 the Initiated IN,
. Radical party avow fairness and LEGALITY
aslhe BASH Of their platform. Duplicit'
or insincerty is by them. ayowedly, un
known The last Legislature, whose he
gal existence is, by many oflegal ability
denied, passed many acts of vast aud vi
tai Importance to thepeoplcof Arkansas
Some Of these acts were published by au
thority Of that body in pamphlet called
the advance sheets" This pamphlet
includcd the Road Law and Interest Law
and some others of minor importance to
the tax paving masses of the people OF
our State The tax or Revenue Law
was not included in these advance
sheets When we reflect that the party
in power by whose votes the laws { y of
1868 were enacted, were unqualifcdly
| pledged TO rctrcnchment and reform, the
question naturally arises why was not
the " Reycnue Law" published in the "ad
vance sheets" in order that the tax pay
| ing people might he advised ofthe extent
OF the sum demanded of each of them to
carry out the glorious work of recon
structionT' After a long delay the "Rev-
enuc Law was printed and sent td the
coHeciors' Of the several counties, and
by accident found its way into the gazette
of Little Rock. And through the col.
mms Of the Gd-eite it came to the knowl-
edge of the people at large Thus the
acts Of Legislature, composed of mem.
bcrs of the party of retrcnchment and re,
form, Which are of the most vital impor.
tance to the people, came to their knowl.
edge through the organ of the Democracy
of the State The acts of this " God
and morality party in full are not yet
before the people, and no man can fail to
feel the inquiry creeping over him, why
is this so The most important fact to
be ascertained by the people is he por-
lion Of Their net earnings, required TO car.
~ on tie government By whoSe po,cer Mey
are protected an the e,qoyment Of Me re-
mamder. This is contained In the Reeve
nue. laws of the State. Hence, the vast
importance of an early publication of arg
change that may be made in. those laws.
The Revenue Law passed by the bo-
gus Legislature of 1868, completely over
turns and revolutionizes our entire sys
TEN of revenue, and tortiori, the neces-
sity of an early publication. As We have
said, this act first found its way to the
eyes Of the people through the columns
of the chief organ Of the Democratic par
ty. The party, under whose auspices
this "act' was passed, had an organ in'
Little Rock, known as the Republican,
edited by q man who formerly evinced
much qnickness rs the editor OF the lead
ing secession organ Of the State, III gath
cring news. And yet that paper failed to
give this "act' publicity. This party
processes to be the friends of the people,
Of course then there must be something
in the "acto itself, that prevented this pa
per, as the organ of the party whose
friendship to the people is par erceHeace,
from making the people acquainted with
its provisions mt as early day as posi-
bic We hiak we see the point The
1" act y provides for taxation of every
thing tangible, Chat is, that can be touch
ed, that is the subject of ownership.
Every pig, every calf, every pocket-knife
every sugar mill, every pound of bees
wax, or gallon Of molasses, every pohnd
of honey and every bee gum, every pup
pv, or pet coon, or squirrel in fact every
thing you can claim as having a better
right to than your neighbor is taxed. The
value of your property is not left to Won
to decide either The assessor fixes II
for rou-and you are to pay 81, 90 on
every 500 worth Of property, as lie may
ft Hjor y3't. And yet You claim to he
* freemen" Away with the hollow name.
The substance is gone, the name only re
mains--and what is the shadow the sub
stance be gone; IfGRANT and CoLF.lx
are elected this condition Of things will
not only continue but, the Radical party
feeling that they have new lease of
power, will carry their opWtss,8aS erea
tarther. Your houses, lands and stock
are then to become more insecure than
they now are. CoNrIsc ALTON by enor.
nous taxation will be fully conSummatcd.
And differing from confiscation, the sup
porter of the Radical party viii be as
much in danger as the strongest rebel
that ever followed the banner of the de
funct Confederaey. Are the people Of
our State prepared for this? Are they
ready to sacrifice their lands and homes
in order to maintain " carpet-bag' gov
eminent, whose sole object is rIuNpER {;
On the Bird of November they will be call
ed upon to decide this question. H
E ..uN .".
fs-Poor Del is terribly out Of sorts
at DO miscnrrnnc Of the rint and iioht