The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-08-16

Editor N. {. Democrat:
Since the publication Of the Bntetin's expose
ageiayt the f3rmvf Leeds b Co.. and the iBdf.s
vidual mBuAbers Of the 1rm, we have sought he
opinions 3f citizens IN our general intercoafse,
and we MD that paper every lime condefuned
for its course. Beyoiid n question, the BMltetih
has tbistimenot only done an unsise thing. but
e mboe Az 9Sf
knowledae Whatever on ifhe subject, We are
willing y risk waser that in gubsh.e AN
parties are denuuents 70 the extent nanlsd, II
Has actually Detained them. IN 7. '
L But let ts look ut this matt r. In other points Of
view. Leeds b DO. eo1stitats an i'm portant man
I.ufeetufing hrn. ured,t " most valuable ing
10 them. and u Is q thing which, no journal or
Of roasons. and then only wren supported BY
ditR indhs iutably correct fEven then, for any
tbtasten nepsona Or genera nhaeer absdtt.tIry
such publicasiop NJ That trade would DESERVES
the oondem' alton of ali thinRing 1t.,ny FaofJBl
Again the long established aad totally untar-
niehed good name ot tels nrm ai,d If the indi-
vidual msmpsrs should have been D guarantee
Ss Il s m,ss sst s sss
linuueney were ~ mentioned no frivolous or
dishoporabie reason could be urged for r..
fact that it sined a. most uhdasefved blow
against one ef the most vaiuable sp1 no orable
features ot our community. Probably capital
is 80 we'll employed in Il city as that Invested In
notwithstanding. and rnors ESPECIALLY in the
hig her bf,saehes. such as the fobndty ana ma
which the B,tiietu, plays with in its columns as
rhe schoolboY does with his marbles or bis SOAP
bubble. gives work to 400 skilled wJrkingnen.
Thereby feetiing and clothing them anu their
families. .3Rf,at IiHf.. ..F# "a ~. #.
II the Bulletin continues in its unwise. thought
year before it's ent ~ establishment WI bs worth
the tens of thousands Of dollars of taxes Leeds
b 20. have paid in the past four wears. or weld
me social. business or moral influence That Hrm
II the B,aletii had taken the trouble toinauire,
we have no doubt mt All IT would nave found that
there are large numbers OF people who have
paid their back taxes aud yet not lifted the
mortgages inscribed against them. There are
two reasons for tins course list, the unwilling
ness to throw the fees ia the way of the cormo-
rants who hold the offices I'd. the desre to save
the expense. E.t ~ Ir-t. F .l
But the bulletin Is wild on the subject Of pay
ing taxes. What pity the editor was not worth
an hundred oI m lions Of dollars. so that he
could give Tree scope to his patriotism aud his
philanthropy. be we really lear he has never
tried this pleasant pastime. and therefore his
theoretical heart -throbings., Some OF these
tines. whom he Is surrounded by swarm of
children in nice. comfortable house that he has
teied for during long years; when state and
city draw on him for three. four. or i've. or may
be six per cent on exorbitant ASSESS
ments. he. too, like good many OF us,
will begin to ask himself II there are not two
sides 10 that Interesting question. and If
n man named Hatnpden was. b cause he re-
fused to pay what he believed to be an unjust
and ilegal tax, all that he now denounces thou
sands OF hls feow-citizens for. Iittt Will he
practice. that will go home TO the worthy edi-
tors sense of manhood. to his sense of duty to
the fam ly who have the first cain TO any boun-
ty he may have to bestow. to his sense Of real
patriotism, which ifnpels man to resist oppres-
sion, whether it comes IN the .garb Of an armed
soldier or tax gatherer. Now. the bulletin
h0ats on sea OF theory aud 1t lacks both sails
and rudder: or il 1t has both, the captain ana
crew are on u burst, and Ill are in danger.
III the Butte IN will look back On the history of
tax resistance here ~ Will find that all such re-
slstiinee was. as Mr Mitchell tells IL, against
Illegal and unconstitutional tn sation. Large
numbers OF the good, honest, honorable. indus
trlous and useful citizens OF this place peers Of
the Bittain In every attribute ttat eiiobles man.
long and naniufly. By corrupt courts they \
wore denied the redress they sought, but tho
struggle resulted III exposure. and stretched the
cord of judicial rascailty all IL could bear, and
much good has Resulted. Ihere can be no doubt
whatever that. had it been possibie to get every
man and wotiisn vine pay taxes into ttle fight.
it would have broken dywn the infamous gov
ernment that has been put upon as, Tor only on
the money extorded from us cotllL " live day.
Yes when the Dtete IL begins to get q few gray
hairs in its head, 1t will know too and admit that
the weapon ol taxatiun ia the most powerful ono
not ~nly see the pr6priety OF resistance. but 1t
will, as edo. aud as.iHmpden did. tor our in
struction. deem il d DUTY aud n virtue. "a |
Let the bulletin stop its grOwlinGs and denun- |
citations. then or IL will be spected of Pharsia-
ISM Since the Convention tyaet ut Baton Houge |
1t has snorted at Nichols Indirectly, at Ogden
and Lusher directly, and 1t has lapsed into real
abuse OF it's fellow citizens because they don't |
believe in being tax to impoveriShment or for \
enterprises that itleems wisean proper. The
Butiett can be useful: 1t has the. ability to be.
Now it is only miscbieyous We shall watch its |
praDks. pray for its Improvement and earnestly |
hope that it may not become a nuisance
LAST DlTCHER.