Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-09-11

act of the Government, State or Federal,
which tends to inf1ict injury upon the
honest industry of the citizen, or to bring
it into unfair competition with capital or
( penal labor is contrary to the spirit of our
GoEernment and Ishe intention of 1 its
founders.
- 10. That tits well and publicly known
that enormous frauds have been perpetra-
trated on the revenues of both the State
and Federal Governments, and that COL
ossal fortunes have been, made at 9the
public expense. This species of corrup-
lion has increased, is increasing, and, If
not diminished, will, bring Us into total
ruin and disgrace The public creditors
and the taxpayers are alike interested in
an honest administration of the finances,
and neither class will long endure the
lsrge-handed robberies of the recent past.
For this discreditable state of things
there are several causes. Some of the
taxes are so laid as to present an irresist-,
ible temptation to evade payment,
The great sums which members. of
Congress and revenue officers may win by
connivance at fraud, create pressure
which is more than the virtue of many
can Withstand; and there can be no doubt
that the open disregard of constitutional
obligations avowed by some of the highest
and most influential men in the country,
has greatly weakened the moral sense of
those who serve in subordinate places.
Thej expenses of 1.-THE United States, in
Guiding interest on the public debt, are
more than six times as much as they were
nine years ago.
13. That the attention of our Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress is
earnestly invited to the necessity of thor
ough revision OF, our revenue system, 1t
has been assumed that the revenue of the
State in fact is the State; in effect all de-
| ponds upon it, whether for support or re-
formation of the Government. Through
the revenue alone the body polite can act
in its true genius and character, and there-
fore, it will display just as much of its
collective virtue, as it is possessed of a
Just revenue. Our internal revenue laws
and impost system should be so adjusted
as to bear most heavily on articles of
luxury, leaving the necessariss OF life as
free from taxation as may be consistent
with the real wants of the Government,
economically administered, Taxation
would not then fall anduly on the man of
moderate means; and while none would
be entirely exempt from assessment, all,
in proportion to their pecunlary abilities,
would contribute towards the support of
the State. A modification of the internal
revenue system, by q large reduction in
the number of articles now subject to
tax, would be followed by results
equally advantageous to the citizen
and the Government. 1t would render the
execution of the law less expensive and
more certain, remove distractions to in.
dustry, lessen the temptations to evad6
the law, diminish the violations and frauds
perpetrated upon its provisions, make it!
operations less inquisitorial, and greatly
reduce in numbers the army of tax gather
ers created by the system, who take from
the mouth of honest labor the bread it ha!
earned
| IA. That retrenchment, reform anC
economy should be carried into every
branch ::of the public service, the ex
penditures of the Government re
duced and the people relieved from op
pressive taxation; sound currency SHOULD
be restored, and the public faith in regart
TO all its just and equitable obligation
sacredly observed.
| The accomplishment of these impor
tant results, together with the complet
restoration of the Union of the State
upon the principles of the Constitution
would inspire confidence at home and
abroad in the stability of our institutions
and bring to the nation prosperity
peace and good viii.