Year: 1867

The first duty Of Congress, after the war
bad terminated, oug ght 10 have been the prac.


tce Of rigid economy in public expenditures
and the reduction of taxation, lifting the OPP
pressive burden, as much as possible; from


the necks Of the people. This, seems to us,
even the Radical must agree with, for they
share in the general hardship and feel it as
deeply as anybody else Such being the
fact, how great was the disappointment of all
classes upon the signal failure of the las. Con.
gress to afford the relief SO mperaively de-
manded. So far from doing anything to
Tighten taxation, that Congress actually went


to the other extreme by increasing the tar
iff and internal revenue tax thirty eight mil.


lions Of dollars The lords Of the looms and
spindes in New England profted largely bv


the heavy tariff, but those who are compel


ed to pay double price for every article they


wear or use, on which it is imposed, can't
appreciate this kind Of legislaton 1t is bat
poor consolation, while tax-gathels are seiz-
ing the wages 0. industry al. over the coun'
try, to tell them tie revenue exceeds the
cost OF government by millions per annum.
They know the fact, and no stronger argu-
ment could be advanced for reducing the
taxes. That Congress in which there Was
not sin gle champion to stand up for the
people, after !egislating exclusively for the
negro, increased the salary Of its members TO
$4,000 and adjourned. Yet in the face Of
this record many of the same men have been
returned by their constituents. 1t may be
asked; why did not some Democrat step for
ward in prominent advocacy OF The reduc-
ton Of taxes! The attempt was made until
Democrats learned it was a part of the 10y
al programme to vote against everything their
opponents favored. The two great objects
of national legislation at this time are the
practical unity Of the country and the relief
of the people from exorbtaut taxation. Both
are wholly neglected. Yet our Radical CO.


temporaries utter no word of complaint.
VIII not their silence at length attract the
attention of their own party friends, who
must feel the force and Justice of our remarks!
We hope so, and raise such clamor about
their ears as will compel them to open their
batteries on recreant congressman. Last
year the actual expenditures of the Govern
ment, according to official figures, fell below
the estimates by s20O,529,235 thanks to
peace and economy exceeded the estimates
by s9O,ooo,OoO. Why, then, cannot the
Federal taxes be lowered, in view of these
figures? The actual necessaries of life, for
every article of which the people have to
pay an exorbinant price owing to revenue
duties, should at least be exempt, now that
the war is over and the expenses of Govern
ment greatly reduced This relief to all
classes, but more particularly the poor, could
be afforded, and at the same time leave an
immense revenue to he applied to the pay
ment of the National Debt. Here is work
for Congress, whereby the whole country
would be vastly benefited. One week OF such
practical legislation would be worth mora to
the American people than hundred years
spent in passing laws to make negroes the
equals ol white people, Sonomaa Democrat.