The Lincoln County herald., 1871-01-19

sumed, therefore, with entire confidence,
that our admirable form Of government,
which whilst reserving certain funda.
mental conditions to national guardian.
ship, refers local matters to local con.
troll, SO far from being weakened in its
conference, will be greatly strengthened
by having the one chief element Of dis
cord eliminated, and that there will be no
attempt on tho part of a central authority
to impose its wish or will upon the sub
ordinate parts in matters exclusively per-
tanning to their own proper choice.
GENERAL AMNESTY.
Iu view of SO signal an illustration of
the wise and prudent policy Of amnesty
| would submit. to you the propriety of
making it the subject of consideration in
our relations with the general govern.
ment, through the medium of our seua-
tors and representatives in congress.
Missouri occupies central position in
the nation geographically, politically and
socially. Intimately connected by vast
commercial intercourse with the states of
tho north, and the states Of the south,
peopled by those from every section who
have conc hither with extreme antipa-
thies, and yet have arrived at common
concord, herself the initial point from
whence has gone forth the impulse Of
nearly every change that has t-auspired
in our annals, 1t may we'll be6t that the
timely word should be spoken here that
shall put period to so much of convul.
sion and illwill. There is no longer o
reason, other than the success Of very
questionable partisanship, that can be
adduced for maintaining disabilities and
acknowledgements against any of the
people of any part OF the country, either
under national or state constitutions
The reliefs afforded by special acts Of
congress only restore the more prominent
leaders, and are but too apt to cast upon
those who vote, as well as those who
receive such favor, the mputation of un
worthy motive. a general amnesty, on
the contrary, would at once prepare the
country to confront the questions Of the
future, relieved from that mirage which
now clouds the vision Of so many on al
sides with reflections of the past. L
would terminate, likewise, by destroying
the pretext for those occasional combi
nations and clans that seek to crafty
private malice or mercenary ends BY
assuming the garb of an otrased senti
ment of justice. And why shall peopl
50 full of christian charity as our own b'
held to the degrading task of vindicatiD:
the dead by perpetuating injustice agsins
the living? We respect the dead as al
do--the dead who died in perfect faith
and whether that faith was the faith tri
umphant or the faith vanquished, W.
must recognize that the faith dominau
should of right be magnanimous. Wha
is freedom Of thought If there be no for
giveness for opposing convictions? Wha
is all republcanism if the success Of
= majority is only to result in quasi SLAYER,
of the minority? On the contrary, is
not of the essence of monarchism to fin
strength in concentrated class rule, how
ever that classification may be perpetua
ted-keep,ng itself alive by rituals 0
recltative loyalty?
UNEQUAL TAXATION.
With the advent OF social and polite;
| harmony throughout the country, with
n more perfect union Strengthening il
:. bonds iu joint industries, commences an
adornments, with the establishment {
q these ideas of personal freedom and equa
}. ity that made memorable our earliest de-
!. laration Of independence, VIC may hof
for long continued term Of prosperlt,
But the fuiflment Of such hope will onl
a be upon condition that we bear in min
!, the inner truth and meaning of tho re
suits arrived at, and consult it in rectir,
ing other branches Of control. twill
!, delusive utterly, if, after having asserte
q the equalities Of citizenship in the exc
y else of power, VIC shall seek to adjust ii
: burdens of government under unequ
'e laws of taxation. This considerable
d will call your attention to the necessi'
which exists for revision Of our prese
70 system of levying q national revenu
l. 1t is difficult to say whether injudiciou
!. ness of many of the unproductive intern
Or taxes be more conspicuous than the j
justice of those tariff impositions levi
y for ostenslble protection, but it is certa
y that together they constitute gre
10 drawback upon the enterprise of o,
IN state. The auspices under which it "
y formed would justify recastlng even
s, it's operation did not show fatal defec
or Amid the distortion Of war, the chan
. . from gold to paper, the realization
!, large credits in foreign ceuters, We we
"A hurried out of former usages into
IL avnorimnptoI leo,slntion and snecial
!" terests soon came to find that they cou
~ ~ compass exemption and amass veal
~ -" for themselves by throwing taxes und
- specious forms upon others. Avari
-, thus melted was not slow to eve
y ~ undue advantage. Interested delegatic
u thronged the committee rooms, and rep
= =. seutatives Of the e-peopis, partly Ia ign
80 :. rance and partly in fraud, became plas
TO- under a moneyed influence.