Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-06-23
BAYARD AND MCDONALD.
Those Noted Letters TO tho New
York World.


York World.
To Joseph Pulitzer, Esq, New York:
The more important the question
the greater the necessity i'm dealing
with 1t gravely and worthily, and
anything like tinesse, or trick in
dealing with such an issue rs tariff
Tor revenue or tariff for the pro-
lection Of certain classes OF our cit
liens will greatly weaken the party
resOrting toit.
Quite Independent OF the economy
to the Treasury and incidental BEN
eft to American producers and
manufacturers which is to be affect
ed by higher or lower rate OF Ia
riff taxation, is the more profound
question of political right and pow
er to lay any public burden upon
the entire people for the benefit,
profit or protection OF private indi-
viduals.
If this claim be admitted as one
of right, then privileged characters
do exist in this country, and al
though titles may not be allowed
by the Constitution yet all the al.
vantages and privileges of rank will
be obtained without the name.
| know of no position more inn
pregnable and upon which IL is
more important for the Democratic
party to form its lines than that
public property cannot be taken for
private use under any pretext.
The Constitution of the United
States and of every one ofthe States
80 united, provides for the taking OF
private property for public use only
upon the rendition of ''just compen-
sation" to the owner; but nowhere
in this country and nowhere where
free institutions have recognition
can the sovereign power take pub
lie property for private use, or the
private property of A to be bes-
towed upon b, with or without com
pensatiOn. The only ground upon
which any individual can be de-
prived Of his property is to benefit
the community, and whenever such
an emergency arises he must lundeF
our guarantees) be first justly COM
penSated.
The form OF the exaction IL im-
material as much 80 ~ the place.
and tax collected inthe interior or
ut Il mans residence, or at the sea-
port of entry and under tariff law,
an excise or a direct tax Jaw, IL Is
all the same, and to be justified
must be in the name and for tho
use of the Government Of the Uni.
ted States.
With this principle once laid
down. the rate OF taxation will be
easily measured by the public eX-
igencies, and such spectacle As
was witnessed at the last session OF
Congress, OF u handful Of men rep
resenting private interests and con-
trolling and mOlding public laws Of
taxation to suit those interests, VIII
never again be tolerated by honest
public sentiment.
The excise system can be 80 ar
ranged, am sure, as 10 do away
with the army of spies and agents
and the detestable inquisition prac-
ticed under the present law. A tax
upon the ascertained capacity OF
still can be substituted for the hosts
of political storekecpers and gaug-
ers and armed marshals' who now
constitute the chief power OF the
Radical party in many States, and
a sensible reduction Of the rate Of
the tax to true revenue point would
accomplish vast reform and give
vast relief.
/ am convinced of the serious ne
cessity for change in our civil ser
vice system of removals and APP
pOintments.
The tree will grow old and bear
its natural fruit, and If we continue
to make mems salaries and meaps
of living dependent solely upon the
caprice and favor OF the Executive
branch, we will see such men In
high office as suit the otiicc-hOldinR
class and not the people and their
interests or honor.
Yours sincerely,
II. +. BAYARD.