National Republican., 1878-12-21

at all hazards and at any expense Of blood
and treasure. The rebellion was suppressed
but q vast public debt was created, and
heavy taxation was imposed, from which
the South escaped for some years of the
war. Had there been no rebellion the finan-
cial distress in this country would have
been much mitigated and the sufferings of
workingmen would not have been half 80
severe. But the result of the rebellion still
requires that large taxes should he levied to
pay the debt and the interest upon It, and
to sustain the public credit.
One would imagine, considering the
amazing clemepcy Of the Republican party
toward rebel Democrats guilty of an at
tempt to destroy the country and who have
reached Congress through the doors which
the Republican party threw wide open for
them, that all Democrats there once con-
cerned in rebellion would have refrained
from introducing any measures reducing
taxation, when II was well known that the
Government wanted the money. And this
abstention would have been wise, as no per-
sou desires legislation in this session with
view to impoverish the Government by re-
ducing the revenues il relied upon receiving
under the law and which it needed No re-
straint, however, was imposed and none
seems to have been felt by any Southern
Democratic Congressman, and especially is
Mr.. BELL, Of Georgia, an illustration and
sample of what we mean.
No doubt Mr.. BELL isanxious to do what
he proposes and il he succeeds the scope
Of his labor would he widely disastrous and
strike at every enterprise in the land 1t is
useless now to ask whether he understands
what he is doing. He has attempted to do
a great deal as the record shows
and If he has done il all in ig-
norance, how can he expect to he
clothed in that double glory which shines
30 brightly for the Southern Democratic
Congressman who has hecn in the rebel
army. At all events he has engaged him
self in an interesting occupation. Bloated
aristocracy bloated bond-holders, and the
detcsted goldSug are his pet aversions,
whom he handles without gloves, in effect
Indeed there is not man, woman. or child
that would not he injured If his measures
were to pass into law, and the injury would
he carried down TO the myriads of SOuthren
Democratic babies yet to be born and taught
that the men, like Mr. BELL, who sought to
destroy the Union by rebellion and who
were rebels, are patriots Of the first water
heroes of the noblest, truest, purest type
And if they are, then the world has changed,
and ialsehood has become truth wrong is
| riuht had il unnl yirtua 10 yica. and ,b.
pardoned traitor is u patriot. But as things
exist to-day, a Southern rebel is a rebel and
a hero only where disloyalty hourishes.
} We have really gazed with astonishmcnt
at Mr. BELL, and, being 80 profoundly
moved, we place before the American peo-
pie the following evidence of his exhaustive
labors in Congress, and ask them, with some
curiosity, whether they think the country
is receiving value from the services " hich
Mr.. BELL has rendered it.
On the Sd of December, 1878, Mr.. BELL
| introduced into the House the follow ing
bill, viz:
BE Il enacted. &c, That distilers of brandy
and whisky, or either, from fruit or grain,
shall report under oath, monthly, to the col
lectOr of internal revenue of the district in
which their distillery may be situated. the
number Of gallons made or distilled upon
which they shall pay a tax of twenty five
{ cents per gallon and no other tax shall be i'm
. posed upon or collected or required Of them.
, SIC. ?. That all law in conflict with the pro.
visions of this act BE-, aud the same are hereby,
!, repealed.
I On the same day Mr. BELL exhibited his
\ affection for the tobacco producer and in
: troduced the following bill in his favor:
$ Be il enacted, DC, That from and after the
= passage of this act the producers of tobacco
A may sell the same in the leaf, hand twist, or
: in any form whatever to any consumer OF
purchaser, without the payment of any tax
e whatever.
SIC = That all laws in conflict with this
act be, and the same are hereby, repealed
Now, Mr.. BELL was in earnest and meant
business, and did not allow the grass ia
grow under his feet, for on the same day he
introduced bill No. 1852, rs follows:
BE il enacted, &c, That the Offices Of "in.
spector of tobacco and cigars" internal. rev.
enue stOrekeeper," "gaugers," aud supervisors
, of Internal revenue" be, aud the same are
hereby, abolished.
Mr.. BELL. was determined to do his work
and leave nothing undone. What to him
was the WASHINGTON Monument or the
national credit? He would erect monu.
ment TO himself by his deeds and live in
y the affections of the whites of his sect ion, OF
be execrated by an outraged people il his
i propositions should ever become law. For
:. on the same day bill No. 525l made its ap
pearancc aud the document, in the light o
the nineteenth century, read thus:
Z BE il enacted, Dc, That an act entitled "Au
act to provide for the resumption Of specie
r payments" approved January Il, 1873. he, and
the same is hereby, repealed.
Mr.. BELL is a laborous man, but whether
he is Il wise one admits of no sort of doubt
His gradual ascent from the proposed reduc'
tiOn Of the tax on brandy and whisky tC
twenty-five cents per gallon up to the repea
+ of the act to restore specie payments shows
, the breadth OF his understanding and tn,
height OF his ambition. But, looking at hi,
3 rebel record, and uniting it with his Con.
= gressionaI hopes and aspirations, and the
A certain failure Of every one Of these bills on
, its merits and ON his own we are stTOuuly Y