Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-04
THE TAX QUESTION.
~. ~ rsI.s II Al. D.1..k..

To The Editor Of the Register.
The relative attitudes Of Gov. jack
son and the exemptionists and those OF
President Andrew johnson and the
Radical party in 1858, are Identical
barring this, thatin the one case the
attitudes are taken with reference to
the Constitution aud Executive Of q
State, and in the other they were in
reference to the Constitution and Ex-
ecutive ofthe Union. The historical par
sllel, with this exception, as / have
before shown, is, as nearly as can be,
perfect.
Whilst such were the attitudes Of the
President and the Radicals, in that
momentous National emergency, what
was the posture of the National Demo
cratic party? l do not indulge in com.
parison, or in the language either of re
pToa:h or of admiration. merely
answer the question. Assembling in
National Convention la New York city,
on the 4th Of July, 1858, the Demo
cratic party adopted q plat
form in which, after demand
ing ''the restoration OF right
iul autbTity to, and the independence
OF, the Executive and Judicial Depart
men,s Of the government" it
Resolved, That the President OF the
United States, Andrew johnson, ia eX-
eTcisiLg the power Of his high office in
resisting the aggreSsiOns Of Congress
upOn the constitutional rights Of the
states aud the people, is entitled to the
gratitude of the whole American peo'
pie; and, on behalf of the Democratic
party, we tender him our thanks for his
patriotic efforts in that regard"
The principles and practices OF the
Democratic party in the maintenance
of the independence Of the Executive
against the encroachments Of the Leg
islauve Department-the least Con-
sentative, the most susceptible to cas-
ual and demagOgic Influences, and at
the same time the most powerful OF all
the departments Of the government
are traditional. was therefore pleased
Ia see you promptly disavow the senti
ments of an i'll advised correspondent
" no would have Governor Jackson de-
nGuDced for maintaining principle
that is alike vital to the constitution and
TO the integrity of the Democratic
creed.
The particular purpose of my present
writing, however, was To ask the favor
Of answers to a few questions. / copy
the following paragraph from an edi-
tOTial in your paper OF Friday morning
last:
1.-The REGISTER is OF opinion, in re.
ferripg to the second communication
printed on the subject this morning
that the Democratic party, when II
meets in State Convention, should no,
as this correspondent suggeSts) repudi-
ate and denouuce the course of the Gov
eruOr and Auditor, but il should declare
in favor OF immediate steps looking Ia
placing in the constitution the will Of
the people on this subject"
Are our readers to understand from
opinion that:
!. The will Of the people on the sub
ject of exemptions ofprOperty from tax
alton is not now expressed in the Con
stiiutiOn? And that:
2. The REGISTER favors calling al
extra session of the Legislature with 8
view to taking immediate steps" iOr
alter ny and amending the Constitution
- as to provide for the desired eXemp
lions Of certain classes Of personal prop
erty from taxation?
Very respectfully,
LEX FIAT.
MARCH, 5, 1884.
Our correspondent, "Lex Fiat" asks
u if the REGISTER assumes that the
will of the people in regard to tax en-
emptions is not now in the COnstitu
ton.
No. 1t was correspondent OF the
REGISTER who assumed that; and the
REGISTER suggested the proper mode
of testing that question, viz: The sub
mission of an amendment to the Con-
stitution covering the ground III such
clear terms as to leave no room fol
doubt or miscOnStructiOn.
=. The REGISTER is Lot in favor Of call
ing an extra session of the Legislature
for the purpose indicated. The people
will very soon elect a new Legislature
and in doing so will probably keep thi,
question in mind.