New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-02

snen' IL tpat the sovereign may take AM
part OF mans property, time, or per
sonal service which the sovereign maj
deem essential to the service of the State
The seizure and sale of citizens by thu
Prince of Hesse Cassel to serve as mer
cenaries in the subjugation of our fore
fathers was an abuse of the principle
stated. 1t was under the law OF nations
as legal as had been the bondage Of
prisoners Of war. In the United States
the PEOPLE are sovereign. They may do,
under limitations, imposed on themselves
by themselves, precisely what any
other sovereign may do. They may
condemn private property to public uses
by merely paying money value. They
may declare war and command life or
limb, and may prohibit, under martial
law, the exercise Of many personal rights.
very valuable TO citizens. Taxation is
not, therefore, imposed 10 render any
mans property more valuable, but TO
protect the safety and promote the well
fare OF the State. In many cases taxa
ton essential 70 the preservation of the
State, may be destructive of the particular
interests Of an individual. The error in
the new philosophy consists in the dogma
that any man has a RICH. to judge the
propriety Of taxation for himself, and if
the rate or schedule Of taxation does not
promote his interest. he has RICH. to
resist the collection Of the obnoxious
tax. The difference between this and
other governments is that every citizen
here is part Of the government. That
he has sworn to abide by the constitution
and obey the arbitrations Of rights pro-
vlded by that instrument. If dishor est
OK unwise lawmakers are elected and i'm.
pose taxes, according to the assertion Of
the persons taxed, oppressive. there is no
inherent right in any to refuse compli-
ance with his voluntary obligations TO
obey the law. It is 70 be regretted that
the doctrine OF "a higher than human
law" and Of a reserved right to nullify
what We have agreed to should find any
foothold here. It has been. however,
advocated among US Tor several years
)ast.
3. The proposition that it is not the tax
paid by Mr.. Mitchell which is his chief
grievance. but the tax paid by some one
Use. would have required the elaboration
" chapter to vindicate. 1twould imply
hat if there be a large mandatory in |
Fool OK leather. subject to such heavy
axation as to compel the proprietor to
lose his doors, the consequences upon
he discharged operatives would be more !
erious than tax upon themselves. This
the argument OF capital for exemption
rom taxation. We have only space to
ay that the manufacturing establishment.
an not find q profitable market for its
GODS. or it could bear the taxation i'm.
osed for the support Of the government
'hich protects it. A Legitimate deduction
'om this proposition would be that the
peratives had better themselves assume
ae support Of the government. and dis.
'ibute among themselves burden which
ould disable their employees from con.
nuing TO pay them wages.
(. Mr.. Mitchell. however, advances a
leory which at once puzzles and amuses
le thinker. He actually asserts tina: it
i'll be better for the tenant to advocate
le release Of the landlord in order that
'e tenant may be thereby better provided
:. Such is our translation Of this
arase:
The property holders are fully sensible
a: it Is not they alone who suffer by taxa.
IN, but that all classes OF every condition !
life, are equally affected by it, hence,
cir organization, instead Of being an ]
gonlstlc to the interests Of other classes, {
designing persons represent, will. if sue.
sstnl, promote the interests Of all, as all
no live honestly are equally interested in I
9 reduction of taxation with themselves.
IS for this purpose that they have united
save themselves and the people ct large I
I'M impending financial ruin. ,
We are told in the same communication
at
Tho property holders, composing that
Iss more directly and obviously affected !
taxation than any other, becoming i'm | d
tient OF oppression, have resolved to take {
initiative in uniting to bring about the
fuctlon OF taxation at all hazards-as alb |
ntely essential to the very existence Of t
,iety itself. r
And moreover thai property holders. op- I,
sssed beyond all precedent. will not .
omit longer to "the absurd and nefa- !,
US pretexts upon which 1.-THE tax ex- =
ing powers, miscalled governments" :,
robbihg the property holders, but +,
st soon 'assert their rights or perish" '
re is Jack Straws on horseback. Jack ,
lie is property holder. The agrarian !;
'trine promulgated by those who have a,
property to distribute. Mr.. Mitchell I,
spoken from the text, "God help the u
a!-the poor can beg" These argu- q
ats are very delusive. They are very
lgerouR They teach freedom from -,
political obligations. and Professor :,
hibald Mitchell can not be surprised if 81
non-property holders who now pay ! CO
IS for the privilege of labor, and whose s.,
sumption Of gas, markets. water and Il
srves are now hired out to monopolists,
uld adopt his principles. and announce
II determination to assert their rights
perish"