Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-16
From the Southern Planter and Farmer;
CapftatiOn Tax.

We take the following article from the
Agricultural columns of the Religious
Herald, of which DIR. Puryear is editor.
1t is written with that clearness, ele-
gance and power which characterizes
all of his writings. We endorse his
views most decidedly. The prepayment
of the capitation tax as a condition ,of
suffrage, is well nigh the only thing we
have accomplished since the war and
now it is proposed to undo it.
Unrestricted suffrage is the confisca-
ton OF private property. If we cannot
check the tendency of things, socialism,
nihilism, is not far off. The malignant
philosophy injected by force into our
social and political system is doing its
deadly work. We emust bestir ourselves,
and at once, or be forever undone:
1.-THE General Assembly has under
consideration the abolition of the capi-
tation tax, the prepayment of which is
made by one of the amendments to
the Constitution necessary to suffrage.
We consider this, by large odds, the
most alarming move yet made in the
Legislature. The decapitation of Off
cials and the distribution of petty spoils,
which have excited SO much commo-
tion, sink in the comparison into utter
insignificance. The only curb upon
irresponsible suffrage is sought to be re-
moved. If the scheme succeeds, then
all the property of the people of Vir-
ginia is practically confiscated. 1t will
be at the mercy of majority who hold
no property, who pay no taxes, and who
will be benefited, or think they will be
benefited, by pushing taxation to actual
confiscation. We are approaching, and
rapidly approaching, that alarming con.
dition of affairs, and yet our people, our
substantial people, are strangely apa-
thetic; Have long suffering and patient.
despairing endurance, obtunded their
sensibilities Are we prepared to sub
NIT to hopeless pillage and plunder at
the hands of those who have no right,
except paper right. to suffrage? The
invention of manhood suffrage" is the
most frightful curse of our times. There
ls, in fact, no such thing. Suffrage
does not belong to mankind. It is not
a natural right, but a civil right, to be
conferred on those only who furnish
evidence of their fitness to exercise it.
Our rights are not independent of, but
grow out Of our condition. Condition
determines our rights. Infants, women,
lunatics, idiots, felons, savages, have
rights, but rights appropriate to their
condition. Paupers have rights, but
certainly not the right to manage other
peoples property. The success of the
proposed legislation, however, will ac-
complish that very thing.
There is no way to public and private
prosperity, except by ample legislation
for securing to every man the fruits of
his honest toll. A taxless majority
means heavy taxes, and corrupt and
costly administration. The profits of
labor being thus consumed, the motive
to labor is destroyed. Hence idleness,
stagnation of business, pauperism, com.
munism, crime. tao--
We invoke those who have substan.
tial interest in the State to bestir them
selves, and arrest this awful tendency.
Not only our property rights, but our
social fabric, even our right to live in
Virginia, are involved in the pending