The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-02
WASHINGTON.
The Taxcs-The Payment of Southern
Omcinls-The Mcssnge-Gcorgia to be
Kept Out In the Cold-Washington
Gossip.
TPRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT


WASHINGTON, November %.
The Presidents recent declaration that he
should not recommend any reduction In the rates
OF internal taxation has been met by vigorous
protests from the West, where trade languishes
and where 1t Is found almost impossible to get
currency enough TO move grain to the Eastern
markets at prices even below the old coin stand
ard. 1t is in this depression that the adninisra-
tion proposes to continue to exact portion of
the productive capital Of that section, and to keep
up a constant drain on the volume OF currency
by collecting its taxes and removing the revenue
to Washington. In fact SO great have been these
representations that II Is semi-ofically given Out
that the annual message will, after all, suggest
modification Of taxes, while Western members
unreservedly declare that they shall vote for a
large reduction of taxes, and for legislation that
shall give the West more equal volume OF cur
renew They have the facts to sustain them.
The internal revenue receipts for the present fiscal
year will exceed twenty millions OF dollars In
excess OF the very liberal estimate made by the
Treasury Department, anu OF course that amount
is wrongfully taken from the capital OF the coun-
try. But whether Mr. Boutwell, or Mr.. Delano op-
nose any reduction in taxation, it is very evident
that the House, at least, will have majority
against them I find among the newly ly-arrived
members q general disposition to reduce the in
come tax from the present oppressive rate; and
they are not at all pleased with Mr.. Dclano's idea
that 1t is the most equitable OF all OF the internal
taxes.
During the last Congress an effort was made in
an appropriation bill TO pay such officers as were
appointed by the Treasury and other departments
in the South, who had performed honestly and
faithfully their official duties, but who had been
refused their salaries because they were unable
TO take the oath prescribed by the act OF 1862,
commonly known as the iron-clad OATH This
effort failed in one house. but will be renewed at
the coming session, and 1t is more probable will
succeed, as the opponents OF the measure have
become more even-tempered and better convinced
that these men should be paid The official cor
resrondence shows that the government could
not at the time these officers were appointed, get
trustworthy and competent men to do us WORK
who could take the iron-clad oath. There Is no
charge that they failed to perform their whoe
duty; but the specious point is made by certain
congressman that they held their Offices in viola
ton OF law, because they could not take That
particular oath,l and, therefore, should not he
paid But the government accepted their SER
vices and is in duty bound, as matter OF equity
and Justice, to pay them; and with all It's sins OF
omission Congress. it is not believed will refuse
ut this session to make the necessary approprla-
tiOn.
The President has substantially finished his
message. Ii will not make more than two col
ulnns and q half Of solid type in TIE NEWS, anu
will be telegraphed and not sent in advance to
the press by mall All the gossip and speculation
about the contents OF this document are quite
useless for no one has yet seen 1t but the President
and his private secretary-all the other state
ments TO the contrary notwithstanding. Mr..
Grant wrote his own inaugural, as everybody adj
mits who read it. He has also written his first
annual message tc Con yresS es everybody will
doubtless admit when they read Il. Grant is
vain-his friends are beginning to admit that
and he is particularly so OH state papers" This
was illustrated when he sent his first special mes
sage to Congress, asking for the repeal OF time
hOnorcd statute, so that he could appoint A. T.
Stewart Secretary Of the Treasury That was the
only important step he ever took without con
sulting his close friend and adjutant. John A.
Rawlins. The letter going the rounds from a
Baltimore paper that Attorney-General lIoar has
written the greater part OF the message, Is about
as untrue as the statement i'll another part of the
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