The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-05-26
Government. Tax and Labor.

in measure forced upon the people
that the Republican party is sucking
the life current from the country. not
only by filing all the offices, but by IN
unnecessary exercise Of power: that
they have enacted law. by which. in.
stead Of requiring the capitalists t" pay
the tax, 1t Is drawn directly from the la'
boring class that the said party i cor
rupt. and that its proclaimed object l.
oppression. Now IS this true: We
answer:
|. That when war and treason
threatened tho destruction OF the
country-whcn Democracy was in pow
cr-thc Republican part! true 10 the
great interests Of all the people. took
command Of the sinking ship. and
guided her safely across the rutllcd
sous. This no one can deny. And
since the Republican party was
thus instrumental in saving the nation.
should it, ut the close OF hostililir>.
have surrendered up TO the attempted
destroycrs Of the Government, the adj
ministration Of the laws? No unbiased.
intelligent person would answer allir-
matiycly. And further, the actual cost
incurred by the Republican admini>tra-
ton in the restoration Of civil govern
incnt ut the close Of -four years o. an
parallclcd war, WaS crcn Tess M0D f"''-
ing BUchun0nS term If Srrrjcr. ir, the
Republican party is charged with sap
ping the life blood of the Republic.
III. The laborcr is not tho tax pay
or, according TO their statements.
True, the laborcr pays 4 reasonable
quota Of the demands Of the Govern
ment in Internal Revenue tax, but the
main burden Of taxation falls, rs i;
should, upon the manufacturer and
not the consumer, except in article, o.:
luxury and imported goods.
Cd There is q Revenue tax upon AL
articles manufactured in the United
States. (2) a duty upon all goods inn
ported, l3 q special tax upon all pro-
fessions. Now We ask, does the com.
mon laborcr come within the purvicw
Of either OF these general Gases:
Docs he pay tax to tho general GOV.
crnmcn, ut nll, except indirectly upon
articles Of luxury and upon goods i'm
ported! We answer he docs not.
ILL.,. That the Republican party j.
corrupt and oppressive. True, i, may
be corrupt to n certain extent. Was
the Democratic party, while in power,
perfect? 1t has been written i'll ic"i-
bic characters. on tho untading pages
Of history, that it WAS, and Is now
alike imperfect. But the Republican
party is not corrupt az has been Charged
The circumstances which surrounded il
in war were unknown to any other Az
ministration in the history Of the Cow
crnmcnt, and those untavorab!c cir
cumstanccs mcasurablt lingcr around
it yet. But the wounds Of the war are
now about healed, the Government i
now beyond the probability Of another
wreck, and very soon all restrictions
which were made to this end will be
removed, and all alike will participate
In the government Of the country.
And rs these restrictions were not
permanent, were not intended for past
oilrncca, but to secure the future safety
Of the nation, and now rs tho Govern
mcnt ~ safely anchored, we sec II" r"a.
son why they should not be removed II
the earliest possible moment. In fact we
are glad to sec that the whole tenor ~
events are drifting in this direction.
But further, is the party in power
unreasonably oppressive: True. som"
have suffered by the prescription OF
the law and true, some should suffer-
At tho close OF tho war eleven sister
States with their brave defenders were
almost subjugated and were left t" tn"
mercy Of the conqucring party. AMI
who were restored to their citizenship
on us generous terms as were consist
cnt with the pcrpetuity of tho Gov"rn'
mcnt. But now the object Of TIM con-
quering party has been consumna'"d
the country is safe, and restrictive
and pSoscriptivc laws should b" re-
moved. 1t is not the object al III,
party in power to enforce any meas
uros other than those OF friend
ship, peace and prosperity; il i not
its purpose 10 fomcnt civil dis
cord, and divide in sentiment AMI in
tcrest this glorious country, but II Is
its design to bind up tho nation ;
wounds by all the ties that can unite
people.
COLLECTOR 81 DIsTRIcr.-Capt. y. W.
Mann, OF Greeubrier, who, somr Time
ago. was appointed Collector Of {. :.
Revenue, tor this (thc 3D. district. We
understand nnalificd ono ,1av last week