The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-07-14
The Income Tax.

Atidt the malorty IN tonSress Is re-
sponsiblc for the legislation of that body,
is a fact hitherto accepted without being
questioned Recently, however, certain
Radical organs have felt the necessity
Of trying to shuttle of the responsibility
Of some Of their acts upon the shoulders
Of the handful of Democrats in that
body. The unfairncss of such an at
scmps would be less apparent if the
number Of Democrats bore greater
proportion to the number Of the domi.
nant party, but the majority Of the lat
ter in Congress is SO large, that it is an
MT little short of gross dishonesty, to
attempt to make others responsible for
their sins.
The continuation Of the obnoxious
income tax is pet measure of Mr..
Secretary Boutwell,, who IS DESTROYS
that no part Of his revenue should be
abated, however great the surplus, or
howeycroppressiye the tax upon the PEG
pie lie is sustained by the majority
Of his adherants in that body. Sixteen
Democrats, misled through defect Of
judgment, as We conceive, voted, on
recent occasion, in the House, to retain
that tax, two Of these sixteen, Messrs.
Hanlbleton and Stone, being members
from this State. For this act, one Of
them, at least, has been called to ac-
count BY his constituents, and he has
published long letter in defence of
his vote. But, it will probably cost
him bis re nomination; aud may cost
Mr.. Stone his also Where is the Rad.
zeal who has been compelled to come
out 10 defence Of his vote in favor Of
this income tax 7 lie cannot be found,
because it accQrds with the desire Of
the Radical party to have the tax re.
tanned, therefore defence is not neces.
sary The Democrats, everywhere, are
opposed to this abominable tax, and
the blunder Of a few of their represen.
tatives in Congress, cannot saddle the
responsibility Of its continuance upon
them.
In the Senate, more recently, the tax
was stricken out, by a majority Of five /;
but, BY trick Of some of its Radical
supporters, ii was brought up again,
when the Senate was not full, aud in.
serted by a majority of two only, aud
subsequently, sustained by tie vote.
The tax, however, has been reduced to
q per cent, instead of five, through the
opposition which has been made to il,
in Congress and out.
A Washington letter writer says:
The reason why twas retained l. that Bout.
well and the Administration intend 10 carry
the next elections By fraud and force by the
latter IN the South rs far as practicable under
sne Jaw % ENFORCE the 18th Amendment, the
design Of the bill being for that purpose and
py iraud in tue North aud West through the
vast army OF oiice-hoiders under the control
of the Secretary Of the Treasury, who with an
oyerilowing Treasury and inscriptions off.
eials, hopes to do in the future as has been done
in the past in the matter Of elections. III dic
fers slightly with Greeley. The latter believes
ln'deierring little to public opinion. the for
mer peiieyes IN the efficacy Of money and fra I'D
Inc result OF the Income Tax being restored
ny the ksdicala will be their complete destruc-
non. Their fate was already well-nigh set
doom"
This detestable measure has raised
an opposition to it in quarter little
expected BY its advocates. The Phila.
delphia Ledger, of Saturday last, thus
states the fact:
Seeing that there is but little to EXPECT from
as vacihaung aud rather tricky style oflegis-
iation recently adopted By Congress, the oppo-
siti1n to the income tax is now taking a form
winch VIII bring the acts Of Congress on this
saplect before the Supreme Court Of the United
States. number Of citizens, embracing men
% the stamp who checrfully co-operated with
the G0yernment in lis financial ireasures dur.
ing the rebellion, and who Continued tLat CO.
operation, even upon questionable measures,
Tor considerable period after the war was
happily closed, have taken measufes in ad-
vance 70 bring test cases under the Income Tax
with the purpose Of carrying them to the Su-
preme Court This was done under the belief
that Congress would trihe with the public de-
mands on this question, and refuso repatriation,
as It has dono. The action Of the Senate a few
days ago, IN undoing by the votes of a few SEN
H AsUrs $ WAL naa neen done by comparatively
'nii senate, mas brought this feeling to head
--and at a meeting Of some OF the strongest men
OF the city, held yesterday, an agreement was
adopted to resis. the further continuance OF
the tax BY every iegalmcans within their pow
e.. The movement viii be supported by SINH
liar associations elsewhere.
In our view, the course Of Congress uuon
= his subject Is simply fatuous. A tar, unpre-
cedentod IL our history and especially obnox-
ious to the habits of mind which our free insli-
tusions proclaim, was laid upon US under the
exiBeneies Of mighty war, and though its
consntutlonality no less than lis expcdieney
was doubted at the time, yet il was submitted
70 BY the people with a patience which chal-
icnRes admiration. Left thrs to expire By its
original limitation, IL would form a precedent
o high faiue for future exigencies. But. not
satisfied with this. however, our rulers al Wash
ington nov seek to Impose this unnecess ary
ana hateful burden as peace measure, 10 form
hereaiter an integral part OF nur tax system, to
keep up m army Of spies and inquisitors whose
salaries VIII consume large part Of the pro-
eeens 81 the tax, TO educate our people IN the
idea that thria and economy merely garner
carry Off
There can be little doubt That the
great object Of the Radical leaders, 10
retaining this obnoxious tax, is to con-
tinue the army Of Office holders -col-
lectors, assessors, 60, until after the
next Presidential election. as nart &c