New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-06-21

Gaplt2i Will seek such investment. Upon what then
will this tax fall if not upon active capital and how
is this active capital Employed Is it not
employed in commerce, in manufactures,
or in mechanic pursuits, or in the great means and
instruments of intercommunication between tho diff
ferent sections of the cOuntry-thus making our
neople i'm fact &c pliyibus HaBnw Are not these
the industrial pursuits which attended with the
greatest risks, demand the greatest enterprise ard
most essential in their prosperity to the general
welfare" And are these pursuits, only successfully
followed with adequate capitals required to be IN
creased with the increase of the people, the proper
selectcd objects of invidious taxation; Are not
these the pursuits whose condition affecting oil other
conditions of pursuits which control and wisely con-
troll the administration of public affairs Are not
these the pursuits amid whose sensibiites Liberty
found its origin and its cfectual vindicaionf The
liberty of Europe first felt its power in the seats
of commerce The American Revolution sprang
from aggreSsions upon commerce and manu-
features. The agriculture felt later as 1t
always must feel The evils of misgovernnent. But
j. The great wealth. now the object of sectional jeal-
Ou1y ALWAYS to be concentrated on the seaboardf
Has not Providence in the bos0ms of the mountains
and in the valleys deposited sources of cumulative
wealth of unreasonable valuei And must not the
politicians, who now claim merit because of their
unatona local partialty, be read of hereafter with
sevcrest condemnation by the courted poor when
risen to fortune by their talent their industry, their
prudence, for inherited wealth in this country is
the rare and probably not the happiest exception
But more than others was the argument urged that
il was a tax upon the rich. This" it was said,
was popular tax with those who did not pay it,"
and therefore was the discrimination in the proposed
tax bill Just passed by the House, the fewer who
paid il the greater it's popularity. Under the exist
ing Income Tax 272 900 persons pay this tax under
the law now before the Senate $500 are TO pay it,
As to the monsrous tyranny this fact exhibits that
the 4OOth part of the population of this sosaled free
country are to be selected to pay this unconsti-
tutiOnal tax, it is not necessary to comment. Their
success in life is to place them under the arm of the
inCuistor and under the ban of the demagogue.
With stronger claims with better titeto immunity
from the oppression of any arbitrary exacton because
of life sacrifice and blood freely she'd than any syco-
plant of the deceived, misled people can claim, we
appeal to this people to judge between us as to their
own good, their own rights their own duties.
And here let the historical minutes previously
brought forward, not with any affected show of
knowledge, but for the purpose for which they now
are used, be again in view. The taxation in Flor
ence which overturned the Medic was progressive
taxation How far did it go 1t progressed with the
necessities of the State the arbitrary tyranny OF the
Government and the supposed supineness of the
~.
tax of 10000 crowns levied on tceny FlOrentne
citizens! The shp-mOney first raised in England
was levied on few selected ports and then followed
by general levy. The discriminating tax In HOl-
land exied much of its wealth. The discriminating
taxes of France, bringing the French Revolution,
were followed in their imposition during the
shOrt-lyed triumph of bloody demagOgues,
when the Revolutionary tribunal swayed, when
the Committee of Public Safety was established,
when a forced price fixed upon grain Then
came the notwithstanding taxes Beyond
fifty pounds year." Carlyle relates, "you not
exempt rising into the hundreth, You bleed freely;
lnto the thousands and of thousands you bleed
gushing" and what fOllOwedi Requisitions-a
forced lOan-a cOnucopia of assignatS" Is there no
lesson for us in some of these recitas Rome passed
and sank under Imperial sway. France with beat
ing pulse is under Imperial sway. Demagogues have
done it all. And have we no demagOguesf Has
not Reputation of the public engagements been
the boon offered by unprincipled anbitiOng Is not
an odious arbitrary nQuisitoral exactiOn the boon
now offered in most disgraceful bid for popular
favorG
Reputation has been stamped under the foot of
great honest soldier and we lave sufficient ground
for believing that this discriminating taxation will
also be averted by him, though a strange scene is
before us. Doubtless, unaware of the pledge that
the Income Tax should not be renewed, the Presi-
dent anxious to relieve the burdens of the people,
recommended to Congress the reduction of its rate
from to 8 per cent and its termination in three
years Wholly regardless of this recommendation,
the Committees of both Houses have proposed it's
continuance at the existing rate of per cent with
out any limitation of its duration. Informed of the
pledge of its discOntinuance by Congress, with
proper regard to the nations honor and to the deli
cacy of soldiers honor we learn, from more than
one source the Presidents opinion that all the in
ternal taxes ought to be reduced to those upon
liquor. tobacco, and the stamps. Doubtless he will
be firm in this opinion as he was in the conduct of
the war; and the laures of many victories will thus
become brighter and dearer, and more lasting, be-
cause of the increased and increasing gratitude of
his overburdened fellow-citzens Unless this is
done, the UNION party is ruined-ruined by the in
capacity of its leaders. HONEsTUs.
Aeio- York, June H. 1870.