Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-02-18
Correspondence.

/ Editor Of tie Times:
D. The inaugural address Of Governor
a>ited, of Maine, beside Astounding
in interest for the people of that State
also presents many strong points ap
plicable to other localities.
/ Gov. Plaisted is the first and only
Greenback Chief Magistrate in the
country, and his inaugural was natu.
rally looked for as a possible indca-
ton of the drift Of sentiment in his
/ party. | have that document now
before me, and take the liberty to
make = certain extracts therefrOm,
which | enclose and which will doubt
less be. read with interest by your
many readers. | cannot say if these
extracts embodv the sentiment of the
Green back party, but certain am
that they contain sound doctrines, and
make suggestions which the leaders of
party in our own State would do we'll
to ponder.
Please understand this article is
prepared in the interest of no political
party, but is simply presented for the
sake Of the sound doctrine and forci-
ble logic contained in the extracts
from what is generally regarded as a
strong paper.
After congratulating his friends
upon their success, the Gov. SAYS: "a
public trust is the most sacred of all
trusts, and one that must bear with
the greatest weight of obligation, upon
every right-thinking mind. The be-
trayal of high public trust is more
than treason, and admits of no excuse
or palliation a'd no mercy or pity
for him who b, trays it. For, be it re-
membered, that, aft,r all the safe
guards human wisdom and human
prudence can devise for the security
of our most sacred interests. we must
repose at last, for that security. upon
the honesty Of men. Noother founda-
ton than this hath so>iety or govern
ment"
Referring to the nnsat atisfactorv con-
dition of the people growing ont of
unequal taxation, he saws: "The
truth is, the people Of this State are
oppressed BY the burdens they bear,-
the burdens Of debt and taxation.
Taxation falls heavily upon some, be-
cause it does not fall equally upon
all. Too large proportion of the
public burdens falls upon real estate.
This is especially true Of the farming
interests. The property of the farmer,
both real and personal, is all visible
and exposed TO assessment Besides,
no account is taken of his mortgages,
though his farm may be mortgaged
for all that it is worth. 1t approx.
his property escapes taxation accord
ing TO the just value thereof" OF
this, the farmer does not complain,
but when other classes OF property, in
vast amounts, are permitted to escape
taxation, in whole or part, he does
complain and has right 10 complai
Of the Injustice Of his government.
For he is TINS made 10 bear, not his
own burdens only, but the burdens of
others. This is injustice. Taxation
aud protection are reciprocal. 1t is
the spirit Of our institutions to be
equal as well as free; equal rights and
equal benefits; equal protection and
burdens; special privileges to none"
Touching State institutions he TINS
speaks: "1'he management of the
State prison and alI other State insti-i
'ntions, should be taken ont of politics
wholly While inspectors and trus-
tees of these institutions are all given
TO one party, We may expect them to
be bu r,len to the tax PAYERS for ths
can hardly fail TO he run, not on bus
mess, but on political principles. 1t
should be required by law that in
speetors and trustees of all our State
institutions should be representatives
of the difierent political parties" ;" o
Of Electoral frauds State and Ma
tionsl, he thus discourses: ut may
be asked, is there, then, no remedy
against possible fraud and corruption,
in matters of such vital Importance !:
Yes, wait for the rig ghteous and certain
vengeance Of the ballot box and as to
the guilty perpetrators of the fraud
traitors to a public trust-let their
punishment be as swift as was his. of
old, who laid his hand upon the Ark
of the Covenant" ,sa-
The following speaks for itself !:
."ln the days of the Roman Republic
her legions were not permitted to ap-
proach the Capitol, not permitted to
pass the Rubicon. Caesar crossed it
and the Republic tell. Is it possible
that the American people can contem-
template with indifference the pro-
posed gathering Of militia of the States
ut the National Capitol on the 4th Of
March next? True the result Of this
election is not in dispute, but. the re-
suit Of the next election may be dis
sputed, and then the gathering of the
military forces at the Inauguration of
Gen. Garfield may prove a fatal prece-
dent, the very Rubicon of our eRepub
lie. If the President-elect has the in
stinct of a patriot he will sigualize his
Inauguration by placing his veto upon
this proffered courtesy and initiate
simplicity of the third President, who,
without 'pomp and circumstance, al
most unattended walked to the Capt
tol and took the oath of his great Of
flee. BY wise provision of our con-
stitution the militia Of Maine cannot
be marched out of the State without
the consent of the Legislature"
Thus he pays his repects to Govern
ment bonds:. debt, public and pri-
vate debt and taxation are slowly but
surely undermining our free institu-
tions. Government bonds not only
escape taxation themselves, but they
furnish cover for all other kinds of
evidences of, debt that are taxable.
This double iniquity must be endured