The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-07-05
Abolish the Internal Revenue System.
A BRIEF But POWERFUL SPEECH BY THE
HON. s. 5. cox.
Congressional Record, June 15.l

Congressional Record, June 10.
/ beg the attention of members to say
that enough has been developed, owing to
the unfortunate colloquy that has taken
place, to show honest people who are watch
ing our proceedings with more care for our
own honor than we seem to be dong. l say
the revelations which have been made in
connection with the internal revenue system
have begotten much suspicion. Whether
we'll or iIl-founded, do not say but 1t calls
for very careful investigation. The result
will be, and not very remote either, that
the whole internal revenue system will be
blotted out. 1t ought to be.
I believe if the tariff were properly ar
ranged, if the number of articles upon
which duties are levied was cut down from
more than 1000 to some smaller number
and with revenue qualities, 1t would not
reauire a commission to frame tariff that
would Weld revenue enough to pay all the
expenditures of frugal government. l
would hail the day when this Internal rev.
euue system shall be abolished, and our rev.
enues be collected with revenue purposes,
neither political, partisan, nor protective.
We have had it now twenty years. 1t
was a war measure. It has done its work.
It Is past its usefulness. | know the edeeti
of it in nv own State. You gentlemen WRA
favor free ballot and an honest count per-
hans do not know how the internal revenue
officers, the storekeepers, the gaugers,. anq
all of the employees of that bureau, force
by their espionage and terrorism the free
ballot. 1t is a power which | could, had
time. display here in its enormlty, anu
from published and notorious facts.
1t is an expensive system. 1t is costly IN
country and city. Go to North Carolina.
/ defy any man of common sense to tell me
that the system in North Carolina pays
either morally or economically. Take the
several districts of North Carolina as you
find them in the report of the Commissioners
of Internal Revenue. Take its Sixth Dis
triet. You will find that it costs to collect
$50. .944 of revenue over $2S4,415. 1t Is
over 54 per cent. for the cost of collection.
Yet in that same State, quiet and orderly
as it is, they collect their State taxes for i've
per cent, or $50, ,513 as the cost OF collecting
$3.50, ,263.
This expensive system does invade the
towns and cities. As I said, it forces the
ballots. It uses spies and lntormers-per-
sons of bad fame throughout all history
OF all those which history hands down as
most execrable are the spies and informers'
They are voluntary witnesses for CONSIDER
alton, WHICH luS dLucuuAlSn0oA tA.e 6N'-- /,
man from Kentucky, lMr. White,l would
cut up the roots.
With permission quote the description
Of the detested informer given by the lrlsh
orator Curran. It was familiar to our
school boys It ought to direct Us on TINS
amendment:
In case of iife-of honor and OF Infamy q
IA credit vile informer, the periuTer OF an
hundred oaths, wretch whom pride, hoaos,
or relieian could not bind The forsaken pros
titlIto of every vice calls upon you vita one
breath 10 blast the memory of the dead anu 70
blight the character of the living. He measures
his value By the cossins Of his victims ana ~
The field ofevidenee appreciates his lame 81
the Indian warrior does in Aght, By the NUM-
her of sealps with which ne can swell A. 3
trinmphs. He calls on yon BY the solemn
League Of eternal justice TO audit the purity 0t
q Conscience washed in his own atrocities
Ha has 19romised and betrayed; he has sworn
ss5 forsvorn. and whether his soul shah
s. III heaven or to hell be seems altogether in-
+; ;fserenf. for he tells ydA he has established
an interest IN eacla
+ make this speech nov not lor the pnr.
nose on with the expectation that any
ssneeial reform will Be made II tbs bill.
Bnt ne cannot fail 70 see that FsloEm
must commence some time and soneN -
Thfs whiskey stencil, which has been zgil-
/ tilated ii this House, may be tElf
under Providence, 81 50 arranging paTtie
! fn the next election that We viii tear up
/ this fnternal revanne sys lsm b the xoosz.