Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-05

.o,in,t The tax-consumers - the
IL w,v in which corrupt and tyrAn-
picsI tax-levying can be checked orre
strained. III taxpayers would retain the
right OF property they must exercise the
| right TO fight tsx-robbery. The war between
taxpayers and tax-consumers has beer
raging for centuries. In 1927, John
Hampden, a patriotic taxpayer, re-
sisted the collection of certain internal
revenue imposts. OF course he was beaten
in the courts, which then as now leaned TO
The side OF power. But still he resisted, and
with seventy-eix other citizens was impris-
oned in the kings "~gste-house." In 1886,
this stubborn taxpayer resisted the collec-
ton of the celebrated inland ship tar, and
his patriotic example was followed by nearly
all the taxpayers in the county OF Buckiug-
ham. Charles 1 held = consultation with
his council TO consider what was best TO be
done to put a stop to the fight of the tax
pasers. One high and well-paid sf6cial
remarked that the refractory scalawsg
Hampden, had done a great deal of injury to
the cause OF the tax-consumerssand damage
TO the interests OF The crown; that tax
paying was the first duly Of a good citizen.
Bot Hampden thought differently, and he
finally triumphtd. The war of the taxpAy-
ers against the tax-eonsumers began in the
United States at Boston in the year 1913,
when the ~iax-6ghteTs threw q whole ship
load Of tea into Boston harbor, which act of
the t~sx-6ghters was pronounced by The
British tax eating governor 10 be "tbe bold
est stroke which has been struck in
America" 1t made the British tsx-eaters
very angry; aud, as Charles l did in 1886, SO
consult with his
council to decide what should be done to put
down the tax-6ghting which seemed TO be
growing among his American colonists.
Those Bostonians, said one taI-eater, had
done a great deal of injury by encouraging
a I Fighting. They ought 10 promote = SEN
timent in favor of taxpaying instead of
tax-6ghting, said another royal tax-ester.
Don't you think it would be well 10 edu-
cafe the judges in regard TO the necessity oil
. strict rule for the collection of cur taxes?"
propounded an oraDge-colored satrap of the
taxing power. And The upshot was that, 10
punish The Boston tax-6ghters, a sport bill"
was passed, closing the port OF Boston, and
thus striking q severe blow at it's industry.
But these arbitrary proceedings OF the tax
eaters did not put = stop to tax fighting, any
more than the like proceedings OF Charles l
did, nor any more than the like projects
OF tsI-esters will do now. Tax-6ghting
went on, and out Of tax fighting proceeded
The great Puritan rebellion and the CON-
monwealth, which is said TO have found
ed The English CONSTITUTION; ana OUT OF Tax
fighting proceeded the American revolution,
which founded the American constitution.
Thus it will be seen that the opposition OF
the taxpayers 10 the tax-consumers IVES re-
garded as a patriotic duty. 1t il such still, |
aud it will always be so. History contains
30 record Of a patriotic resisiancs TO tyrants
and opprersors that, when snalyzed, is not
found 10 have been resistance TO oppressive
taxation. In fact it is almost impossible Tor
political oppression 10 be realized in any
other form. The despotism which robs the
citizen Of his money is as detestable as that
which robs him of his liberty.