Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-04-22
THE PEOPLES PATIENCE BRO
KEN UNNECESSARY TAXES
IN A TIME OF DLNTRENH.


II must not be supposed that because the
infliction Of the new and fearful burden Of
State taxation upon the people has been re-
ceived quietly, that will be borne patiently
Such is not the case The people have
endured much at the hands of the little clique
OF oilice-holders who control the present
Democratic party. They have demonstrated
al times, but have found that remonstrance
ayalled nothing. The tyranny against which
they protested was as resolute, as unyicld
ing, and unreasonable, as combined ignor-
ancc and dogmatlsm is capable of producing.
But the back of the public patience is
broken II was useless to appeal to the
Legislature. The people will now appeal
to themselves. For the first time in long
series OF years, Delaware has to endure the
burdens ~f Il swarm of direct State tdEes!
These are taxes to pay debts.
Those debts were made by the men now
in power.
Thcsc are taxes to supply misappropria-
tions of the public money.
Those misappropratlons-lis contrary to
the laws-were made by the men now in
power.
Every cent OF tax which must be wrung
from the pockets of the people is tribute
paid to the ignorance, disloyaty, and greed
oi few men, who rule and have for years
ruled, not only the Democratic party, but
the whole State, with rod of iron.
Now, citizens of Delaware, the time has
come to break that rod
Let us look for moment at one of the
taxes, laid by these new laws.
Firstly, they are laid TO pay dishonora-
bic debt; \ debt incurred to aid the disrup-
tion of the Republic; debt intended to as
slst the rebel armies, as much as If the pro-
ceeds had supplied powder to Jefferson Da-
Wis.
But, passing that, these taxes are laid up
on the people in time ofunparallelcd flnan-
cial depression. Two crops of corn have
failed to reward the farmers. A crop of
fruit, which would have amounted 10 mil
lions of dollars, was total failure. Men
who should be comfortable are trembling
before the Sheriff. Hundreds of homes in
Kent and Sussex counties, are to-day in dan
are embarrassed comfortable families are
stricken with poverty the poor have barely
managed, during the past year, to keep
body and soul together. Debts are unpaid
because there is no money TO pay them;
business is almost at a stand "times' were
never 80 ''hard, for every class of the COM
munity. Yet ut this moment of public dis
..a.a ,,.J,,.,, arn ra ,paoIo frn,, tho s,,f
fering people for ''stay laws, and "exemp-
tion laws, this most extraordinary step is Ia.
ken of laying these direct taxes! But not
only that-not only are the people thus
taxed when they are least able to bear it
but the burdens are imposed in the most ex-
cessive and unreasonable manner.
They are far greater than there is shadow
of need. We shall show, hereafter, how
much larger is the amount of taxes imposed
than is really necessary Not only do these
men ut Dover demand from the people their
hard earnings in time of great distress, but
they demand two, perhaps three, dollars,
where one would suffice.
Upon every portion of the State, this new
law will fall with fearful force. A tax has
been laid upon every debtor, as though he
was not already enough in debt. A tax is
placed upon judgments and mortgages,
which, in every instance, the mortgagor will
have to pay Pretending to tax wealth, they
have only taxed poverty more severely.
They permit such bargain between the
debtor and creditor, as that the former may
pay the tax. The consequence is plain; al
ready it has become almost impossible to
procure mortgages in this State; this ia,
on them will make 1t still more difficult
every mortgagor of property must pay j
himself. Throughout all Kent and Sussex
hundreds of mortgages will be foreclosed
hundreds of homes be placed under III,
Sheriff's hammer, hundreds of families turne,
out, unless they attempt to pay, themselves
this new tax, which their blind and ineflicien
legislators have accepted from the dictatiol
of the Dover junta, and enacted into statut
law.
Let the people right their own wrongs.