The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-01-12
A SPLENDID RECORD.
WHAT THE DEMOCRACY OF n. q.
THINKS OF THE INTERNAL

1 AS
| Revenue. It's Sturdy, Constant O-posi
ton to Internal Taxes Gives the Lie to
Republican Journals that Accuse it of
Treachery.
In 1s7O-71-73, though the tax was
needed by the government to pay the
war debt, the Legislature of North
Carolina, under the control of the
Democrats, passed resolutions of in
struction to our Senators and Repre-
septatives to see k reductions and mod
ifcations of the internal revenue tax,
if possible. In 1871 the Legislature
passed the following resolutions Of in
struciion to our Senators and Repre-
sentatives in Congress:
"Whereas, many citizens of the
State are sorely oppressed by the prac
tical workings of the internal revenue
laws of the United States, which inure
to the benefit of certain manufacture
ers to the great injury of the producers
of our country; and, whereas, numer-
Gus citizens are now being prosecuted
in the Federal Courts for the most tri-
fling offences committed against said
laws, from three to five years past, are
being thrust into prison and their pro-
perty sacrificed to pay costs of said
prosecutions and, whereas the en-
forcement Of said laws is not only en-
gendering strife and confusion among
the PEOPLE, but Is enphatically i'm
planting within their bosom a spirit
of hatred and disregard for the gov
ernment itself; therefore be it
Resolved, BY the House Of Repre-
sentatives, the Senate concur.ing, that
our Senators in Congress be instructed
to use their influence to have said
revenue laws repealed, or so modified
as to relieve the masses of the produ
GERS of the burlhens which are herein
specified. "
And again in 1888, January 26:
Whereas, The present system of
internal revenue laws is oppressive
and inquisitorial, centraizing in its
tendencies and inconsistent with the
genius of a free people, legalizing un-
ton, and, as enforced III this State, is
fraud upon the sacred rights of our
people and subversive Of honest gov
ernment, prostituted in many instan-
ces to a system of political patronage
which is odious and outrageous, cor
rupting public virtne and jeopardizing
public liberty, and sustained by init
midation and bribery on the part of
revenue officials, to debauch the elect
i've franchise; be it resolved by the
General Assembly Of North Carolina !:
l. That the internal revenue taxes
of the United States ought to be re-
pealed at once, with such provisions,
by rebate Of taxes or otherwise, as
will be just to those who hold for sale
articles for which taxes have been
paid.
2. That the collection from i'm
ports, unaided by internal taxation, of
the large revenue now necessary, for
the administration of Federal govern
ment, would give incidental protection
to home manufactures amply suffi-
cient for their healthy development.
3. If Congress should deem it i'm
practicable to modify the present tar
| if; and at the same time abolish the
internal revenue taxes; as the less of
the two evils, we prefer the retention
of the former and the abolition of the
| lrtter"
The Democratic Convention held in
Raleigh in June, 1884,
Resolved, "That we are in favor of
the unconditional and immediate alb
clifton of the whole internal revenue
system as an intolerable burden, a
standing menace to freedom of cleo
tions and source Of great annoyance
and corruption in its practical opera
tion."
And on the 18th January, 1885, the
Legislature of North Carolina
Resolved, "By the House of Repre-
sentatives, the Senate concurring, that
our Senators and members of Con-
gress from the State of North Carolina
are hereby requested to use their ut
most efforts to secure the immediate
repeal of the present internal revenue
system"
Thus it j. seen that from 1870 up to
1885 the Democratic party of this
State has been continually making a
bitter and uncompromising war on
that hateful legacy Of the Republican
party, the internal revenue system, as
oppressive and inquisitorial, centraliz-
ing in its tendencies, inconsistent with
the genius Of a free people, corrupting
public virtue and jeopardizing public
liberty. There has been no uncertain
sound in the enunciations Of its doe
trine on this subject, no talk about the
luxuries and the necessaries of life, no
lntimation of compromise, but war
open and bold against the entiresystem.
The latest addition to this record is
the expression of the Democratic State
Executive Committee in Raleigh last
| October.
Resolved, That it is the sense of
the Democratic State Executive Com
mittee that the internal revenue laws
should lie Immediately repealed, and
our Democratic members Of Congress
are requested to use their influence, as
they have heretofore done, to have
such laws repealed, and to secure such
notifications of The tariff as will re-
duce the duties on imports to such ex.
tent as will be possible, consistent with
the economical administration of the