Year: 1873

The tax imposed by the general
government upon the cotton, which
remained in the hands ofthe South
ern planters at the close ofthe war,
and which was rigidly collected,
although the measure was in direct
conflict with tho constitutional
rights Of our people, is now furn-
ishing a pleasant theme of discus
sion 10 our Congressional ,represen-
: : ...tivoss ,.sen. Geo. Gx Mckee, me.a-
ber of Congress from Mississippi,
presented a memorial to the lower
House a few days ago, in which he
took high grounds in favor of the
repayment of the cotton tax money
to the planters, and which was COL
lected by the revenue officers who
were scattered all over our country
but few years ago. A general
consciousness of the wrong involv-
ed in the payment of this tax orig
inally, pervades the lower House of
Congress, but the expediency of
beginning the correction of the
abuses perpetrated by tho Govern
ment which has been 80 radically
administered by those who regard
ed every outrage done the South a
national virtue, induces few ofthe
extreme radicals to beg for time be-
fore discharging this duty, which
is clearly duo our people. 1t may
be that Congress will dispose of
this question before its adjourn
ment, as it certainly should, but up
to this hour nothing definite has
been agreed to by those who are to
determine the merits of this great
case of the people against the gov
ernment. Gen. Butler is in favor
of the movement as are nearly all
tho members from the Southern
States, but it is such large ques-
tion, involving millions of dollars,
that it may stagger some Of the
weakened politicians ofthe north,
who can see in the fortunes which
the enterprise of the south would
build with the capital thus return
cd them-a new revolution and ten
thousand other consequences, but
little less calamitous to the integri-
ty of the Union. 1t is the policy
of the administration party to keep
the south poor, and although the
injustice of the law by which our
people were compelled to pay the
tax, aggregating, as we have before
stated, millions of dollars may be
ever SO clear to those who are to
act upon this issue; yet expedicncy
may override all equity with thom
and ultimately defeat the accom-
plishment of the measure. A few
claim agents and lobbyists have
long since discovered the inj ustice
to which southern planters were
subjected in the payment of this
tax, and have contracted, at large
commissions, to collect from the
government the funds thus absorb
cd by it. ! We are glad that this
feature of the case has not been
overlooked by those of our Con-
gressm en- who are friendly to the
idea of doing our people justic in


this measure. If the bill authoriz-
ing the repayment of the cotton
tax passes we doubt not that it will
also provide for the manner in
which its provisions shall be car
ried out. We should like to see
the government send its agents in
to every city and town of our coun-
try, just as it did its rapacious tan
gatherers, and pay direct to the
planter the money to which he is
entitled without the Intervention
of any middle man to manopolize
the. lions share oflhe spoils. There
may be but q fewhundred or few
thousand dollars, at most, due to
any one man, but lot him have it
and as entire and exact in amount
as was paid into the public treasu-
ry by him. If the collection of
the tax was wrong let the govern
ment right it, and do so without
any legal agency to compel it.