The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-03-27
From the COurier.J0urEal.

Two or three of the more thoughtiess
of our Democratic exchanges-wc trust
that they are entitled to no worse ad-
iectiye than thoughtless-are beginning
to discuss the situation with all the in
temperate zeal of that sort ofignorance
which is able to ascribe nothing but
corrupt motives to all who do not take
it's view of affairs. If the Democratic
party is SO poor and weak that, in this
period of public exigency, it can not
consider what is best to be done with
out running the risk of its ruin and
infaming and embittering its different
sections, why it is not titto live and
were better dead and buried. But such
is not the fact. The Democrats in
Congress; and the nationally organized
channels of the party are Of one mind,
and are working tremendously toward
common end, which will of course
vary its shape, not its direction, &C
cording as it is affected by the events
of the next three months. Meanwhile
the people should put clapper on the
mouth of every noisy zealot who is not
able to open it without befouling his
neighbor and disgracing himself.
A bill is now before Congress provi-
ding for.the re payment of all taxes col
lected on raw cotton during the years
1861 and 8. The passage of the
bill has been urged by memorials and
reports from the South, and it will be
remembered that the Legislature of
Kentucky requested its representa-
tives in both houses of Congress to
vote for it. 1t is urged in support of
the bill that even the coDstitutionality
of the tax has been doubted in the Su-
preme Court of the United States, and
that in it's operations it has been une-
quail and unjust towards the producer
The laws providing for this tax have
been repealed and it's injustice being
now determined, it certainly seems
most reasonable that the growers OF
cotton during the years covered by the
bill should not be made to suffer from
that injustice and inequality. Such a
tax fell only upon the producer and
therefore was eminently prejudiced to
i the growing of the staple. No Other
, raw agricultural product has ever beer
| so taxed in this country even during
war; it is be hoped, then, that the man
o fest justice of the provisions of the
bill in question will lead to its passage
The bill provides for the appointment
of commission who shall decide upon
the claims of different applicants fol
return of.taxes paid.
:. The Radicals are becoming restiv'
= under the silence of the Democrats il
Congress. There is assuredly a certain
power in silence as general producer
u of effects; but at this particular mo
u ment it has special value, which tn
+ Democratic party is wise enough t.
d see and profit by. 1t is ominous TO
t. the Administration. 1t bodies no goo'
It for Grantism, which, having signalize'
@ many of it's worst corruptions by a sto
70 lid reticence, has been at last forced t
. open it's mouth and grow garrulous i
self-defence. The Democratic mem
W Der of Congress who shall prove him
H. self the best orator is he who keep
his mouth shut closest and longest.
An exchange tells US that /" a Micha
gan boy who had stolen some none
re was so overcome by remorse that b
In killed himself" If the officers of til
s. Government at Washington and abor
y the New York Custom-hou were
" wake up tomorrow morning and fin
ro themselves equally as sensitive to r.
~ morse, the rattle of small arms for tt
k next few hours would be deafenipg.
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