Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-03

country knows, that this question:, 1raugnC
with such tremendous consequences, that
is looming up for solution, cannot be post
pOned much longer, but must be decided,
either for veal or for woe, by the American
people. l desire to make one more quota
ton. 1t is from the great Burke, whose
perVading mind in its mighty sweep seems
to have comprehended all forms of govern
ment and every phase Of society, for, with
prophetic vision and wonderful fitness, he
has given an illustration of the govern
ments in the South, in the following graphic
language:
eve know that a swarm of locusts, although |
individually despicable, render country |
more desolate than Genghis Khan or Tamerlane. |
When God Almighty chose to humble the pride |
and presumption Of PharOah he did not effect |
his purpose with lions and tigers, but he sent |
lOcusts, lice. mice, frogs, and everything loath-
some and contemplate to pollute and destroy
the country"
Sir, il. further proof, beyond question, of
the truth of the foregoing quotations, and
of what have said, | come now to the facts
and figures, of Radical profigacy and rapa-
city in the Southern States, digested and
condensed, as follows:
Vir= inia.-Debts and liabilities at the
close of the war, $31 ,93S, IA so. Debts
and liabilities LIST January, 1872, $45, $780,
SAP p.
North Carolina.-Debts and liabilities at
the close of lie war-principal, SO, $50, 800;
interest, $1,261,3 1G; whole amount, $1O,-
951,S1G. Debts and liabilities January l,
1872, $34,997, 4G7 S..
South Carolina. and liabilities
at the close of the war, S., 100000. Debts
and liabilities January /, 1872, $50, 1885,
914 At.
Geo,gia.-Debts and liabilities at the
close Of the war, nominal. Debts and liza
bilities June, 1871, $50, G37, 800.
Florida.-Debts and liabilities at the close
of the war, 1921, 900. Debts and liabilities
january l, 1872, $15, 783,447 81.
Tennessee.-Debts at the close of the
war, $50, los, COG GO. Debts and liabilities
January /, 1872, 5,GSS,2G 4G.
ADMINISTRATORS and liabilities at the
close of the war, S4,O4G,952 81. Debts
and liabilities January /, 1873, $40, 76l,-
265 81.
Louisiana.-Dcbts and liabilities at the
close of the war, Sle,O09,O74 "a. Debts
and liabilities January l, 1872, $40, 540,-
! 800 81.
Texas.-Debts and liabilities at the close
of the war, nominal. Debts and liabilities
January l, 1872, $4,000, 010 I'll.
Aabama.-Debts and liabilities at the
! close of the war, S5,930,G5S 81 Debts
and liabilities January /, 1872, $685.
! 067 81.
Thus, it will be seen that the Republican
Legislatures involved the ten States
enumerated i'll the enormous aggregate
debt of more than two hundred and eighty
four million dollars. And yet no public
work has been constructed on account OF
| these vast expenditures, SO far as | know,
and certainly none in North Carolina, eX-
cept large amount of money expended
upon the State penitentiary, and even in
this the Republican party Gas shown by the
report Of an investigating committee OF the
last General Assembly, has practiced upon
the State the gaossest fraud and imposition;
so that the greater part Of the proceeds OF
this public robbery has passed into the
hands Of the plunderers Of the States, re-
spectiveIy.
Sir, the greatest oppression upon the
people of my State at this time financially
is the present odious system Of collecting
internal revenue taxes on tobacco and
liquors. Under the present law the men
OF limited means are deprived Of the privi-
lege granted to the mammoth distilleries
and ''whsky rings of the North. l have
felt it my duty to endeavOr to remedy this
evil and injustice, by the introduction of a
bill, allowing persons Of small means, with
out mourning heavy expenses before be-
ginning, to make whiskey; and repealed in
the bill all tax on brandy, and cut it down
on whiskey to fifty cents a gallon. This is
a matter of great importance to the people
of my State. The enormous tax on to-
bacco is most unjust. | have endeavored,
in cooperation with friends, to get it re-
duced to uniform tax Of sixteen cents a
pound, and the indications are that this
reduction, or at least a reduction
to twenty cents uniform tax, will
pass. l am fully satisfied that by
such reduction on whiskey and tobacco
the Government would realize a larger
revenue than at the present eXorbitant
ratn &c oft Of TNrIcC hot hD
Administration should have blundered on
so many inefficient and dishonest officials in
the internal revenue service; and just cause
of general complaint is found in the OppreS-
sion, as we'll as the dishonesty of collectors,
assessors, and their numerous SubOrdinateS.
To say nothing of the illegal eXactions and
tyranny of most Of the assessors in my
State, have before me an executive dOcu-
ment from Secretary Boutwell,, showing
that up to December, 1870, the defalca-
tions of collectors in North Carolina was
$4S0,3O5 1G, Of which amount one John
Crane, eX-collector of the district | repre-
sent, is a defaulter in the sum Of STA
GG1 81. And of the many millions they
collected from the people that this dOcu.
ment exhibits, some of the defalcatiOns ran
up as high as 1871 900. And on invcstiga-
ton it will be found the bondSmen Of most
Of those villaiiOus defauIters are men of
straw. And thus the peoples money goes.
Look, sir, at the outrageous miSrule and
tyrranous abuse Of the sacred rights Of the
people by many Of the Governors of the
Southern States. who. with few excep-
tiOns, owe their preferment to office, not to
the power of the ballot, but to the force of
the bayOnet; and most of whom, although
poor when inaugurated, have grown rich,
and have been the leaders, in the States OF
which they were the Executives, in oppres-
sion, eXtortion, and plumber.
Sir, | propose to pass them in review be-
fore the people. Here comes Holden, of
North Carolina, who was impeached and
deposed from Office for high crimes, and by
the votes of number Of Senators of his
own, as well as those Of the Democratic
party. Next is Scott, of South Carolina,
impeached by his own party, but by fraud
and bribery avoided conviction. Next
comes, and rapidly passes toward Canada,
that arch villain Bullock, Of Georgia, who,
! to escape Impeachment and certain cOnvic-
ton for his populations and enormous frauds
! upon her people, fled from the State lie had
SO mcrcjlessly plundered. Next, Reed, Of
! Florida, impeached by the Legislature; the
man who has time and again refused to de-
liver, on requistiOn Of the present Cover
nor Of my State, into the hand Of just e,
that prince Of scoundrels, the notorious
Littlefeld, who has swndled North Caro-
lima out of millions of dollars. Next, Clay
ton, of Arkansas, now United States Sena-
, tor, who is under grave charges Of election
frauds. Then comes WarmOuth, of Louis
lana, regarded by both parties as being a
political trickster, and openly charged by
the friends of the Administration though
: strong Republicans being a consum-
mate rascal. Lastly, Davis, of Texas, who
is under indictment for fraudulent conduct
I,,-E 81 4