The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-16


ERGETIc OUTSIDE INFLUENCE TO MOVE THE
SENATE TO GRANT RELIEF.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Richmond Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, December -, 1878.
It seems to me that there is one subject
on which the p, eseut Legislature could act
without criticism from any quarter, and at
the same time confer great public benefit.
| refer to the bill passed by the House OF
Representatives 1T its last session modifying
the machinery OF internal-reYenue taxation
and also reducing the tobacco tax from
twenty-foGr TO sixteen cents per pound.
II the Legislature would present brief and
earnest memorial to Congress ut this time
setting forth the injustice, oppression, and
burden OF this tax it would have an excel.
lent effect. The passage OF this bill by the
House Of Representatives Is largely due to
the energy and zeal OF the Virginia delega-
ton. The present faithful Senators will do
all they can to secure like result in the
Senate; but Virginia and the States south
OF the Potomac are not directly represented
on the Senate Finance Committee, and our
Senators work therefore at some disadyan-
tage. They are entitled to fair construc-
ton BY the State and all the additional in
fuence and help you can give them. They
ought to have the memorial ready to pre-
sent to the Senate by Monday or Tuesday
next. The bill is now in the hands Of the
Senate Finance Committee. 1t is long
one. The part modifying the machinery Of
the internal-revenue law is very tedious,
and it will require great deal OF time
for the committee to 60 through with
it, and perhaps quite as long a time
for the Senate to deal with it. The part Of
the bill reducing the tobacco tax is very
brief. I doubt much if, with the time which
will necessarily be devoted to the appro-
priation bills and the time which VIII very
necessarily be devoted to sectional party
discussion, it will be practicable to get this
bill up and pass it as whole ut this ses-
sion. It seems to me that the only safe plan
is to separate the two things-to induce the
committee, If we can, to report the rrovls-
ion to reduce the tax to sixteen cents, and
deal with the other ubiectseparately. This
Is the plan which, with Difference to the
better Judgment Of those more immedi-
ately having the subject in charge, it strikes
me is the safer plan. The Finance Commit
tee will be much occupied with questions
about currency, silver, resumption, and
the like, and have no idea that they can be
prevailed on to take up the bill as whole
and press it at this session. The working
hardly exceed two months. There will be
a great struggle for precedence, and no time
is to be lost. The great point-tDe first
points to get the bill out of the commit,
tee, where it is now dying of strangulation.
Once out, majority can take 1t up and pro.
coed at once to its present consideration.
am assured by those who know and I'm.
derstand the question thoroughly that this
tobacco tax is four or five hundred pei
cent! When was there ever such an
Injustice If tax OF ten per cent. only
were laid on any one Of the special agricul.
tural products Of Vermont, New York,
Massachusetts, Michigan, or Pennsylvania,
the people Of those respectable COM
munitles would be seen dancing about
like SO many mad devils, and their
frantic cries OF rage would fill the
air. / met an eminent and upright
senator not long ago. who preached the
subject OF the State debt, and thought it
was very strange Virginia didn't pay it. II
Congress would only pay back one-half of
what she has robbed Virginia by this tax
alone, the State-debt question would be a
far easier problem. I.say nothing OF other
forms Of Federal spoliation. Talk OF a
"Solid South ,! IL there were nothing
else but the recollection of the cotton tax
and the present pressure of this monstrous
tobacco tax the South ought to be solid for
generations against the wicked and cruel
party that inflicted them upon us.
AIr. Lamar, we'll rebuked NJ. Blaine the
other day for makinga mere political TRADE:
and bringing in no measure OF substantial
benefit 20 the colored race-such as to give
them the education which they so muchneed.
With equal or greater point he might have
asked him to aid in removing a tax which,
beginning with the idea Of paying the New
England bondhoIder by imposing a Sec
ti6nai and grieYons tax on the South, strikes
first at the manufacturer and next at the
planter, only to fall in the end with double
severity on the poor negro labor whom the
manufacturer and planter employ. The
negroes OF Virginia ought to be more
/" solid. against Radicalism than even the
whites. "A petition signed largely by them,
as co!ored men and sufferers, asking for
the reduction OF this tax, would be like a
bombshell thrown into the Senate chamber.
L should like to see the faces OF Blaine,
morrill,, Conkling, and Edmunds when it
comes in. They might sign by mark. 8 In
the case OF i. outrage" affidaYits this style
OF signature is preferred by " stalWart =
men. tsyi Es L.IQ. w.
Rev. Mfr. Marshall, of Balasore, India,