The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-03-06
The Revenue ESisE.

SUBSTANCE OF THE SPEECH OF HON. W. A.
MONTGOMERY, SENATOR FROM THE 1lrH
DISTRICT.
Pending the discussion of the Revenue
Bill in the Senate, Mr.. Montgomery offered
an amendment, striking out the following
clause:
(Which conveyance snaI vest in the pur-
chaser perfect title to the land sold for
taxes, and no such conveyance shall be in
validated, nor shall any defence be available
against the validity thereof, in any court of
this State, except by the proof that the
taxes for which said Hand was sold had been
paid before sale; aud the Tax Collectors
conveyance to individuals and lists of LANDS
sold to the State shall be priHla Jdcie evidence
that the assessment and sale We're valid, and
all proceedings OF sale and duties Im posed
upon the Tax Collector preceding the sale
were done and performed according to law"
To which he spoke substantially as fol-
lows:
MIR PRE8IDENr-I must apologize to the
Senate for this trespass upon its time and
patience, and for the attempt to inject this
amendment, which has been rejected in
Committee of the Whole, into the bill now
under consideration But Sir, my apology
is thar Of the soldier who places him self in
front OF the advancing column of the
enemy. determined to meet his fate in the
effort to rally his comrades for battle. /
know, Sir, we arr few in mum bers L know
mittee of the Whole, but may We not hope
that a returning sense of justice to their
constituents will induce those who hesitate
to throw the weight of their votes into the
uneuually balanced scale, and avert the evil
which must b. the inevitable consequence
of the adoption of this bill in IT'S present
shape. While il is true that for mary years
W. have had the almost identical law upon
oar statute b 3nkS, it IS equally true that the
INTERPRETATION of our courts. until within
rT,n r.
severity, and now, whilst our people are
filled with horror at this seemingly sudden
change. shall we add to that feeling the
declaration that this harsh Interpretation is
sanctioned in the deliberate Judgment of
this Legislature? Shall we declare, dis we
will do by the passage of this bill, that the
lands of our constituents may be errOne-
ou-lY and i'm properly assessed; may be sold
without notice of any kind having been
given them; that the advertisement
may be dispensed with; and in the
face of all these acts OF injustice the
title conveyed thereby shall be perfect
anu uHlm pcachableE L cannot answer Tor
other senators, Mr. President, but for my
self | will taxi this occasion TO say, | would
not represent the wishes OF those who have
honnred me with a seat upon this floor if |
for one moment entertained such propo-
sition. / will 90 one step further and express |
the opinion that Senators, though honestly |
advocating different policy, tail to reflect |
the wish OF a majority OF their constituency |
/ say this with all respect to Senators who |
differ with me.
l believe in every man bearing his Just |
proportion of the burdens OF Government |
| believe in the confiscation of the property |
of those who wilfuly neglect and refuse to |
DO so but | must remember that the mon |
taX-payiug evil complained of by Senators t
is more or less the result of that enormous /
taxation we were forced To endure under |
Republican usurpation. II, then, | am cor |
rect III this, may we not reasonably expect |
that with lavS.less stringent these burlenS |
will be paid more promptly, and we will |
have less cause tor complaint! At any Fate, /
let US try the experiment. Let us at Leaf
give those whose properly we would con- |
fiScate, the benefit of all irregularities aud |
mfOrmaliLies in assessment and sale |
allowed US under the Constitution, and |
not be more eXacting than was the party |
which adopted THAT Constitution. and which |
the people have expelled from power. Let |
the Shyloeks have the last pound of flesh. !
but not one drop of blood drawn from the |
struggling aud poverty stricken people Of |
Mississippi! 'me, perhaps, are unable 10 I
pay the taxes assessed against them; others /
there may be who have forfeited accidental |
IL their lands and are living in blisSful igno- |
rance of their situation. To;the former, we |
should extend the hand of charitv-if Init |
simple act of justice may be called chart t
ty-Ihe latter, we shoudIgently arouse from |
their slum berS. and not burst upon them |
this storm which must irresistibly drive |
them from nome anu fortune To struggle /
again up the hill of adversely, and that too |
perhaps, in the declining years of life with t
hair silvered by the frcsrs of age aud nerve |
unsteadied by the touch of time.
And now, Mr.. President, having said thus |
much in vindication OF the position [ have |
occupied upon this subject since the COM |
meAcement of this session, and that m light |
place myself upon record tor the judgement |
of my constituents, | can only say pass |
this bill, say TO the people of Mississippi |
you turn a deaf ear to their entreaties. and /
my word for it (let Senators note the pre- |
diction,) seats which are now occupied will |
be filled two years hence by very different /
class of men. If there was no higher. no |
nobler motive actuating mel should oppose /
it in the interest of the party of which /
am an humble member
The proposition of Mr.. Montgomery was I
lost by vote of IA to IA. the Iieutenan
Governor giving the casting vote againstit |
-=a-s.