The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-05-09
The CarpeG-E8ag Ring JO@Defs i'm
mississippi PIOughing with
a Democratic Heffer.

The Mobile Register does very I'M
gracious thing for its Mississippi read
ers," when it permits interested parties,
under pretense of furnishing ''informa-
ton" to them, to prostitute it to the lau-
dation Of that Ubiquitous contrivance of
Carpet-Bag cupidity and villainy, known
as the Funding Bill 1t i'll becomes
the Register, after the deliverance OF
/ Alabama from the thieves govern
ment, to employ itself indirectly in
fastening no less loathsome incubus
upon Mississippi.
In justification Of its course it viii not
avail the Register to plead that the OBJ
ject Of the article to which We refer was
simply to promote negotiations in the In
terests Of the Mobile and Northwestern
Railroad, scheme to which our readers
know We are friendly and in which Mobile
has occasion to feel a special interest.
/ Its inspiration and object would have
been quite well enough understood even
/ if the tail of the cat in the meal tub had
not protruded in the expression that the
double rate of taxation which the bill
provides twill furnish ample means to
inject the current expenses Of the State
''and The probable demands Of the railroads
'o'der the subsidy act"
We beg leave to inform the Register:
First, That the scheme which it COM
mends as a ''wise and statesmanlike act, T"
was gotten up by corrupt combination
of officeholders and corporation rings,
and was passed through the Legislature
over the united and earnest opposition
of the Democratic and Conservative
members who represented the over-taxed
and plundered classes on whom the bur
den falls.
Second, That it more than doubles
the excessive tax heretofore imposed by
the carpet-bag Administration, and which
of itself would not only have betrayed
all the expenses of an equitable and hon
est administration of the State govern
ment, but would have left over a large
balance in the treasury. This law was
several times larger on taxable basis of
$3.50, 900, 900 than it was in ante bellum
times on taxable basis Of $500, 900, 900.
Third, That forAhe exclusive use of
the holders of State warrants (Which are
repudiated as medium for paying State
dues, contrary to the conditions of their
issuance), it levies a special tax IN green
backs. These warrants are either in
the hands of spectators or have been
absorbed by treasury feeches, for whom
extravagant compensation was provided
for inadequate service, with direct refer
ence to the depreciation of the warrants
in which they were stipulated to be paid.
Under these circumstances, it is a
violation of faith with the taxpayers
for the holders to ask the imposition of
an exclusive currency tax for their ben
eft.
Fourth, The additional annual tax in
this item alone will amount to something
like 800, 900: This is a clear bonus to
the cormorants, and will be supplemented
by the additional tax which is provided
shall be imposed for the redemption of
the principal of the debt subsequent to
1873.
The conductors of the Register have
permitted it to be stated in their editorial
| columns that ''the burden of State tax"
(Which the Funding Bill more than
doubtless ''in Mississippi has been almost
/ inappreciable." They certainly would
not have staked the high standing of
their journal on a statement so reckless
if they had given the subject proper at
tention themselves, or had been CONVEX
SAINT with the facts We have already
said that the State tax which previously
was high enough for the legitimate pur-
poses of the State government, was
largely increased under Carpet-Bag rule.
And now when the harpies and ring
extortioners have duplicated this burden,
the Register presumes rather largely on
the forbearance of the people when it
says they evil not marmer at it.
The Register says flippantly that Missis-
''sippi ownes no debt except the floating
debt provided for in this act" It ought to
l have gone further and said that this very
law increasing taxation and levying a
special tax for the benefit of oficeholders
is in consequence of the extravaganza
and dishonesty of the identical Carpet
Bag officials with whom it originated.
When the Adventures we're put in pos
session of the government by means of
the same vile agencies which were opera
ted in Alabama, the State was free of
debt. But running its machinery under
the same high pressure of profigacy and
wholesale plundering which so much
/ disguised the Register with alien rule in
its own State, some instances they doubled
in others tripled, in others quadrupled
and in others quintupled, the expenses of
the several de artments of the govern
ment so that Notwithstanding the enor-
mously increased taxation, and the col
lection Of taxes twice IN the year of 1871,
this floating debt which the Register
describes ''as the merest bagatelle, was
created. And now it is piling on the
agony rather too much fora respectable
Democratic newspaper to boast that the
burden on our carpet-bagged people is a
l trifiinsr affair and To hadanh with r,raise