The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-07-07
ODIOUS STAMP ACT.
Gastonia Gazette.

Tomorrow one of the most odious
forms of taxation ever imposed upon a
Tree people goes into effect in every
channel of commerce In the United
States. simultaneously with the bor-
rowing of 2OO,OOO,OO0 OF dollars on
bonds for war purposes, decrepit and
tax-mad Republican administration
also imposes upon trade this infamous
stamp act. The Americans are a pa
triotic people; they will support their
country in peace or wal. with their
money and with their blood. But we
shall be much mistaken if this seven
years itch system of scratching taxes
out of tho people two cents at the time
day In and day out doesn't raise fierce
storm OF discomfort that will sweep It
off the statute books. Everybody, at
any rate, ought to hope that 1t will and
contribute to the storm.
just 1873 years ago Great Britain
forced her Infamous stamp act upon
her American colonies. All ]aw-pa-
pers like deeds, notes, wills, and receipts,
were to bear government stamps cost
ing from threepence to $50; every
newspaper, and pamphlet, and advertise
ment had to bear stamp. The day
when this obnoxious measure went in
to force was treated AS day OF mourn
Ing. Bells were tolled, flags were half
masted, business stopped. In every
colony the act was spurned. Lawyers
paid no attention to 1t in drawing up
documents, and the newspapers print
ed skull and cross bones in the place
where the stamp was to have been af-
fixed. Col. John Ashe, of North Caro-
lima, declared that the people OF that
colony would resist to the death the ex-
ecution of the law. Patrick Henry
took up the matter before the Virginia
assembly and in her famous resolutions
rang out the first signal OF formal de-
fance which was soon caught up by the
other colonies. In England, Pitt
Burke, and Fox champanied the cause
of the colonists, and within one yeal
from its enactment the tumult-breed.
ing law was repealed.
We sincerely hope the present stamp
act will see no longer life. There does
not appear to have been adequate nee
essity for resorting to so dlstastefu
a measure. Our forefathers resisted
the law until 1T lost the power to stand
even in the enacting body. We dc
not urge resistance to execution O
this law or evasion of. its provisions
but we do oppose it as unnecessary leg
islation, wicked annoyance, and +.
nuisance inflicted upon the country b,
the party in power, the repeal of which
cannot come too soon. The American
people will not submit to being regard
ed by wholesale as blockaders ant
moonshiners to be hunted and search
ed by revenue officers and perhap:
have their documents, if by chance
they should be unstamped, cut up lik'
a contraband still in the woods.
Folks re taxed enough now. The,
have to use enough stamps as it is
The stamp act should be abolished. ]
free rein Is allowed this sort of thing
there is no saying where it will end
about the next thing we hear from
this congress up at Washington will b
that it has repealed the us # suspen
penders and declared that ry citize1
must keep his breeches on til inter
nal revenue stamps, or he's no patriot
or perhaps 1t will forbid man ate
the days work Is over to 60 home AM
kiss his wife and babies unless thei
faces are plastered over with these tt
kens and insignia of a republican wa
revenue.
Away with the thing!