Year: 1868

ritoral rights, and Minister Reverdy Johnson


is likely to have very easy time in London


Our people do not want the Alabama claims


money Mexican treaties, West India trade,


Parana commercial experiments or Pan


anna lsthm1s transit. They require and will


have that the whole Continent of America


shall be ours Civil war, territorial conquest


one American flag and grand popular triumph


over the politicians-ths is destiny.


Our Heavy Taxes-Will tho People Bear
THEME


The people Of the United States are more


heavily taxed than any other people in the


world Even In England where there is


stupendous national debt and one larger than
ours, and where there is costly system Of
royal government to support, the taxes are not
80 great or burdensOme. We speak only Of
national taxation. But if we take into account


our local taxes in addition to those imposed


by the federal government, to our State,
county and municipal taxes, the burden is
enormous beyond anything known or borne
heretofore. The patient submission of the
American people is surprising. No other
people having the same liberty and suffrage
and free election of those who make the laws
and govern the country would submit to such
overwhelming and unnecessary taxation. But
will the American people continue to bear it Z
We think not, for to do 80 would be contrary


to all experience and to human nature. One
of two things must happen; either the taxes


must be greatly reduced or reputation in some
form or other will be resorted to for relief
According to the letter Of Mr. Wells, Special


Commissioner of Revenue, published in the
HERALD July 20, the total receipts of the
government for the year ending June 30, 1868,


were, in currency and specie, over four hun


dred and six millions. Of this sum, however,


one hundred and sixty-three million five


hundred thousand was in gold from customs


Reckoning the whole in currency, with gold at


forty per cent premium, though it is now fifty,


that would make the total income of the


government over four hundred and seventy


millions. Thus the people are taxed by


the federal government alone, with


out reckoning the heavy State, county


and municipal burdens, about fourteen


dollars head, man. woman and child. A


workingman with family of five or six chill
dren is taxed in one way or another about a
hundred dollars. year. Making a general
average of the incomes of this class, it would
amount probably to a seventh or an eighth of
each mans earnings. Then, in addition to
this, there are all the burdens of local taxa
ton. Over four hundred and seventy millions
year taxation in time of peace, and three
years after the war closed, is burden as un-
necessary as it is appalling.


And who is to blame? First, our extrava-
giant and reckless Congress, which has done
little else than legislate to swell the expendi-
lures and next, the wretched mismanagement


of the finances by the Secretary of the Trea-


sury. With the enormous means in the hands


of Mr.. McCulloch during three years of peace


he might have reduced the debt several hun


dred millions below its present figure. Instead
of that the debt has actually been made
heavier by the manipulation Of it in the
interest of spectators and the bondholders.
The non-nterest bearing debt, which was not
o burden, has been paid as far as the Secre-


tary was permitted to 60 in such q stupid
policy, and the debt bearing gold and the
highest interest has been enormously increased.
The consequence is that the total interest to
be raised annually is greater than it was when
the debt was larger. Mr.. McCulloch seems to
have had but one idea, and that is to draw as


much from the people as possible, and to
increase the incomes Of the bondholders as
much as possible. He is not the servant OF
the people or government; he is merely the
agent Of the bondholders and Spectators.


Will the people long endure this state of things
It is unreasonable to think they will Their
eyes are being opened, and they will soon
demand both a reduction of the burden of the
debt and an economical administration of the
government. II this should not be done we
warn the government and the bondholders to
prepare for Reputation and general disturb


ance such as this country has never known
before.


The Late Strychnine Poisoning Case.
The inquest Of the coroners jury in the
cass of Mr.. John Spicer, who died in great
agony on the 18th ult. q few minutes after


taking q sedlitz powder, was concluded on
Wednesday. The verdict, in accordance with
the testimony, and particularly with the results