Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-28
SENSE
An Appeal 10 Governor BrOWE-What
an Honest old Citizen Thinks Of
Him and the Democratic
Party and Taxation,
To His EzcsIency Governor John C.

To His Excellency Governor John G.
Brown:
SRI see In your message to the Lsgis-
ature, published a few days since in the
Memphis APPEAL, thst you are opposed
to reducing the heavy, burthensome tax
alton unWissly put upon the people.
Surely you have not reflected deliberately
upon this subject. You say that The
credit of the State must be sustained. In
the nsme Of common sense, is there any
better way under the heavens to keep up
the credit of ths State than by keeping up
the credit of the people? save the people,
and the people viii ave the StSte. You
cannot saw the State by all the wisdom
known TO man unless you first save the
credit Of the citizens. Would Ii not have
been a much better policy 70 have said to
the legislators, "rednce the unjust, I'M
wise and heavy burden Of taxation, plsc-
ed upon the people, and levy just such q
tax as the citizens can psy promptly, and
make such laws that will compel every
citizsn of the Stste to psy promptly; this
done the credit Of the State cannot suffer.
Civ the people time TO make some little
for themselves. which they osnno do I'M
der any sort Of circumstances, under the
present excessive, heavy, unjust taxa
ton. Il cannot be paid. Look at the fig
ures and facts correctly stated. Take the
ffteenth civil district OF Shelby, for exam
pie In the yesr 1873 the valuation was
81 4sO O54; in 1853, 81, 765, sly; in the year
1870. Sl,Os9,67 in the year 1871,
S2,049, 795, nearly q million dollars
more than last year, when IN fact the real
estate is not worth one dollar more this
wear han it was worth last year. Again,
20 bring the point down to individuals, 70
make &c more plain and more easily un-
derstood by all. Suppose we take one farm
ont of many for example. This farm was
assessed in the yesr 1870 At $6j, 600; in the
year 1871 the same farm was assessed at
Sl7l, O0O-Sl06, 600 more in the year 1871
than in the year 1870. The tax on this
farm for the year 1870 was SIX HUNDRED
AND NINETY SEVEN DOLLARS; in the year
1871 the tax is THOUSAND EIGHT
HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-oNE DOLLARS
nearly six times As much as in the year
1870. There IL no man living that can pay
the tax on this farm for the year 1871,
from the profits Of all the crops raised on
the farm In two yesrs. We hsve cited the
fifteenth civil district Of Shelby county
as an example, because, when HRdicalism
was rampant and in the full bloom of its
glory, In 1868, the assessment Of property
Of this same district care before the Rad
fcsl commissioners. They at once said to
the assessor: "Sir, you have assessed the
property too high in your district; lessen
Il twenty-five per cent" and it was done.
The grievous burden Of taxation upon the
people AOt tuo year Ao4L HoAce Dals
bour Lewis blush to the cans, and
Brownlow lifts up both hands with
holy horror. OH We wise Demo-
cfAts, for the sake Of truth and
consistency, never again name the unjust,
oppressive policy Of Brownlow, and the
wrongs Of Barbour Lewis. just compare
them with your own and see the result.
II was the sacred pledge Of the whole
Democratic party, and prssched and pub
nshed in all the Democratic papers
throughout the State. that II the people
would forsske the unrighteous, thieving,
lying, robbing Radicals snd vote for us
Democrats, and put us in power, taxation
should be reduced one-halL Upon these
pledges the people voted for and put the
Democratic party in power, who have
violated their pledges snd doubled or
taxation, and laugh at our calamity, being
unable 10 pay. Governor Brown, you are
at the head Of the Democratic party In
Tennessee. The people Of the State put
you there, believing you would stand by
and carry out the pledges made to the
people to get their votes, Now We, the
people, call upon you TO know IL this Is
your policy, to double the tax on the citi-
zsns in order to save the credit Of the
State. We call upon all Legislators 70 re-
feet and act wisely upon the subject of
taxation as being by far tbe most tmpor-
tant subject for their consideration. In
the name Of God, are you going TO compel
us to pray for Rsdicalism TO return and
rule, and reign over usf It does seem so.
We cry aloud and long for an amendment
TO the Constitution giving a board OF three
commissioners and . board OF equaliza-
ton in every county in the State, AMI
shove ali, reduce the rate Of taxatioH TO
twenty cents on the tl00.
4AE