The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-03-29
KELLOGG's DESPERATE THREATS.
The New York World advises our
people in the following words:

The New York World advises our
people in the following words:
This is tho first instance in the history
OF our thirty-seven State Governments
In which a governor has been constrain-
! ed by his fears and necessities, to issue
! menacing proclamation requiring the
payment Of taxes. It betokens an al
ready empty treasury and no means to
fill it. Kellogg hos been but little more
than two months in his bogus govern
orship, and in spite Of tho ready advance
OF their taxes by his few adherents he
Is constrained by his distresses and ap-
prehensions to flourish and crack his
lash over the shoulders Of the Taxpayers.
By Illuminating this unexampled proc
lamation he advertises his weakness
and fears. He can borrow no money,
for his government IL so notoriously
illegal that no lender would expect
payment. II he should undertake to
sell property for taxes, there would be
no buyers, because an illegal Govern
ment could not give valid title. Hence
he is reduced to the necessity Of resort
ing to buster and threats. Having al
ready got all he can collect from tho
few property holders among his own
partisans, he tries to intimidate the
weak-minded Of his opponents, and
scare them into furnishing the money
without which his usurpation must
soon collapse and perish. His procla-
nation Is like signal gun at sea fired
by pirate ship that Is about to be en-
gulfei in the waves.
The advantages Of the people Of Lou
1siana for escaping the payment of taxes
to support this usurpation are great and
manifest. Its opponents comprise FIVE
sixths OF tho property holders OF the
State. They alone possess the means Of
buying property offered to be sold for
taxes, and their hostility to kellogg and
his crew will prevent them from ever
bidding dollar on such property. No
man will bid on that of his neighbor,
and he feels assured that in return no
neighbor will bid on his. AS for buyers
out of the State, they would be repellcd
by the inability of the Kellogg Govern
ment 10 give legal title, and by tho
indignant hostility ofcvery neighbor-
hood against such nercenary intcrlo-
ping. If tho State governments could
support themselves, like the Federal
Government, by indirect taxation, this
form of resistance would not be easy.
When duties are laid on imported
goods, or an excise ON whisky and to-
bacco, every purchaser pays the tax,
and the people can protect themselves
only by refusing to consume the taxed
articles, as our patriot forefathers did
in the Revolution. But happily this
mode of taxation does not prevail in
our State Governments. State taxes
are direct; they are laid ON property,
not on cousumption; they are paid i'm
mediately into the hands Of the collector,
not mixed up with the prices of COM
modities. There is no other penalty
for non-payment than the distraint and
sale of property, and property cannot
be sold when there are no buyers. Kel-
logg's supporters are chiefly the negroes
who pay no taxes themselves, and are
too poor to purchase the property of
their white neighbors even il they
could get the fee simple and good title
by paying one years taxes.
1t is obvious that the Kellogg Gov
ernmcnt must come to an carly end if
the united property-hoIdcrs OF Louisi-
ana passively withhold the supplies,
and keep scornfully away from all auc-
ton sales advertised by kellogg's col
lcctOrs.
oxrIdo