r
X
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' ' ' "
VERNON W. LONG, Editor and Publisher.
A NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATIC FAMILY NEWSPAPER FOR NORTH CAROLINA PEOPLE, IN THE STATE AND OUT.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $I.OO PER YEAR.
Vol. xxxii. Ko. 15.
WINSTON-SAIiEM, X. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1888.
A BLOCKADE-RUNNER.
HOW CAPI". WILSON IiOST AND
RECAPTURED
The Emily St. Pierre. An Episode of
the War Seized by KeIraI Men-of-War
While Running Out vf Charles
ton with Cotton.
ifrt. Carrie Jenkins Harris in 2T. Y. World.
One dark, rainy night in the sum
mer of 1866 the deck of the Emily
St. Pierra, a rakish looking sailing
vessel anchored off on one of the larg
est wharves in Charleston, was the
scene of unusual commotion. She was
heavily loaded with cotton, and her
cargo, valued at $100,000 was con
signed to Trenholm, Fraser & Co.,
Liveropol England, the largest cotton
firm in the world. Her sails were
being unfurled, and as they caught
the wind that blew half a gale the
swaying of the vessel impeded some
what the rapid movements of the crew
as they hurried along the slippery
deck in evident preparation for the
journey. The steward, a burly negro j
vho had been born a slave in the
fkiiiily of Mr. Trenholm, was t he only
one who took things leisurely. Find
ing the sailors too busy to listen to
him, he too! peeiing into
the darkness, whence shown, far in the i
distance, the light on Fort Sumpter,
and, further still, a faint glimmer on
the indefinable horizen, which he knew
came from one or more men-of-war that
were on the watch for a chance to
.Blockade vessel.
This negro steward knew every inch
of the harbor as well as he knew the
deck on which he stood. The sough
ing of the wind, and driving gusts of
rain, together with the intense dark
ness of the night seemed to impress
him unfavorably and awaked some of
his superstition. He muttered to
himself as a sudden rush of wind
struck the bellying sails:
'I don' like dis. De soun' dat wind
brings from the de pine barrens is like
de moanin of a lost au' wand'rin'sperrit.
In de ole days Mas'r an' me sent our
cotton outen dis port in broad day
light. Now we sneaks out wid de
whitest an' de finest dat grows on the
Sea Islands jes' like we had been er
stealin' somebody's chickens. No
flag aflyin', no sunshine on de deck,
no wavin' of de bandannas en de
wharf, but jes, so in de dark, sly
like er fox, an' dodgin' dem forts an'
gunboats like we couldn't no longer
hoi our heads up big an' high as eny
body. I'll give Mas'r a talk on dis
tubject if Gord spars me to come back
an,' jes' as shore es my name is John
Calhoun, di3 is my las' trip under sech
sarcumstancea.
While Calhoun soliloquized, two
men were talking earnestly on the
wharf. One was George A. Trenholm,
the head of the firm, and at that time
Secretary of the Treasury of the couth
em Confederacy. The other was
.known as Capt. Wi!son, the com
mander of the Emily St. Pierre. He
was called Capt. Wilson because he
did not choose to use the name of
an - ancient and noble house
nhat had borne the fieur de lis on its
uzure shield in the days of Bourbon
supremacy in his native France. The
Eily St. Pierre had been named for
the beautiful daughter of Mr, Tren
holm, who, though a mere girl, stood
in the window of the main office of
the cotton warehouse, looking
cut on the scene before her. At her
aide stood a boy of about ten years,
who was also ready and eager for a
journey.
Like Calhoun, the girl seemed to
have a forebodying of the coming dan -ger
and silently held the hand of her
companion, as if she wouldlike to keep
him at her side rather than . see him
go aboard the restless ship The boy's
hand returned her warm and friend
ly clasp, but his eyes were concentrat
ed on the tall sinewy form of bis fath
er on the wharf belw him. Tren
holm. was saying: "Wilson, do not
-take Leolyn with you. It is a perilous
voyage. Leave him with me. I will
be a lather for him if anything should
.happen to you. The sum of $25,000
-shall be put to your credit in the
Bank of England as soon as youc-car-goxeaches
Liverpool, and your suc--""""
-cess is more assured without the child
than with him."-
"Eutreaty is usele s," Wilson an
swered firmly. I must have him with
., me. He must become accustomed to
perils. His forefathers were brave
men, and ne7er commenced an enter
prise with a failure. I am deter
mined to have him educated in Eu
rope, and I see no promise of a better
opportunity to take him on a voyage
. with me The wind and rain are in
our favor, and in an hour's time we
ought to be beyond the forts.
As he finished speaking he made a
high musical note on an antique silver
whistle he carried on his watch-guarc
When the boy heard it his eyes bright
ened, and drawing the girl's hand
through his arm he carefully led her
down the office steps and towards the
two gentlemen. In a few minutes Mr.
Trenholm returned with his daughter
and -5 was. driven to his home , in
Charleston. -
Every sail on the Emily St. Pierre
was stretched to its utmost tension and
as the anchor chain rattled over her
- sides she sailed away. By sunrise she
had safely passed the gunboats and
Calhoun s uneasiness would have en
tirely disappeared if the sunbeams of
the morning had ; fallen on the famil
iar flag lie had been accustomed to in
"de ole dajs' instead., of the Union
Jack that was unfurled to the breeze
as she sped over an open eea. . ; '
A few days afterwards, however,
two large Federal men-of-war saw and
signaled the susptcious-Iooking ship.
With the sails spread she gave them
a long and hard race, but as they
gained on her and brought their heavy
ordinance to bear directly on her sides
she paused and surrendered. An at
temp at a fight with such odds against
him would have been suicidal. Capt.
Wilson received the officers who
boarded the blockade -runner with all
the courtesy of a man who welcomes
his honored Iguests. A brief
investigation showed them na
ture and mission of the captured
ship. The spurious Union Jack was
hauled down the Stars and Stripes
soon took its place. The crew wore
made prisoners of war, and transfer
red to one of the conquering ships.
The dauntless Capt. Wilson whose
self-possession never left him, sug
gested that he should be left with the
Emily St. Pierre, as she was an old
boat with peculiar machinery, and
carried a cargo that was just then es
pecially valuable, lo his request the
officers assented. They also agreed
to retain the negro steward who ex
pressed an earnest wish to stay. The
new crew was composed of eiht ex
perienced sailors besides the two naval ,
orhcers who were to take the blockade-runner
to New York in the wake
of one of the men-of-war.
A friendship soon sprung up be
tween the officers and the suave Cap
tain. They found the Frenchman was a
master of navigation, a charming con
versationalist and was of invaluable
assistance to them in managing the
queer craft on which they sailed. Ev
ery evening Capt. Wilson amused
them with wild adventures he had ex
perienced in his journeys of the past
few years, and made himself so useful
that the young officers got into the
habit of treating him more as a broth
er officer than as a prisoner of war.
They even sent him below to order
the sailors to do certain work on the
ship on several occasions. The cap
tain s pretty boy became quite a pet
with all the crew, and both father
and son seemed to etura with eraert
heartiness the evident favor which
whichthey were regarded. Capt. Wil
son spent a part of every day on deck
with his son for whose amusement he
whittled all sorts of odd playthings
from pieces of wood. The officers
would sometimes pause and laugh at
the comical jumping-jacks and other
toys their ingenous and versatile pris
oner had carved with his pocket-knife
for the bright child, to whom he seem
ed devotedly attached. Capt Wilson
whittled thse playthings every day
with remarkable persistency, and the
child seemed to develop an unusual
fondness for them. In the presence
of the offieers he would tease his fath
er to come with him on deck and make
him new toys.
One day, as he was thus engaged, he
asked the boy : ' Leo, if the occasion
required it, could you face great dan
ger without shrinking, that you and
I might succeed in a difficult under
taking?" The child's laughing face grew ser
ious in an instant as he answered :
"Try me. I can shoot a pistol with as
steady a hand as you can, and I have
known," he added . in a whisper,
though no one was near them, "what
you have been working on while you
pretended to be making my toys. I
am no baby, as you know, papa, to
care for such playthings, but I saw
you wanted to make those odd little
things you have in your pocket." The
man looked at the child in astonish
ment for one moment, and then draw
ing him to his arms he kissed him
again and again. The officer who
came near at that moment turned
away'and sighed as he thought ot the
probable fate of the father, when he
should be delivered to the -authorities
and held to account for the contra
band business he had pursued with
such notorious daring that he could
not hope for mucd laercy. He con
siderately left them together longer
than usual and went into his cabin to
calculate how much longer his prison
er would enjoy the companionship of
his only child.
The man of-war had long since dis
appeared and would reach New York
several days ahead of the Emily St.
Pierre. Left alone with the boy, Capt.
Wilson said :. .''Follow me closely this
afternoon, and when you hear my sil
ver whistle, come directly, but without
showing any signs of haste, . into the
Captain's cabin. -1 am going to put
you to a test from which a strong man
might shrink, but you must prove
yourself worthy of the trust which I
repose in you."- . - -
"I will," said the child, and that
instant, hearing approaching footsteps,
he brought back the careless smile to
his face that had grown suddenly pale
at his father's , ominous words, and
when the second officer in command
came, up he was apparently absorbed
in a pile of wooden playthings he had
scornfully dashed away a moment be
fore. ; A. little later Capt. s Wilson
arose and walked away, followed at a
short distance by the boy, who car
ried with noisy - solicitude his wooden
soldiers and other toys
fit m . . m
vapt. wiitou -went into tne com
manding officer's cabin and . found
him- still bending over the chart.
With a pleasant remark, and a re
quest that his entrance should not dis
turb hira, Capt. Wilson walked up
behind the .officer and with a powerful
and quick effort slipped a wooden gag
in his mouths In a few moments the
dumb officer whs securely tied to his
chair with a cord the wily blockader
had carried on his person several days
fer the purpose.
At a note from the silver whistle
the boy glided through the door. His
father handed him one of the officer's
pistols and said : "Guard this door
till I return, and if the other officer
comes in kill him instantly." He'
took the weapon and calmly stationed
himself near the door. The intrepid
Wilson hurried off to find the steward.
He put a revolver at his head, stated
his plansto the frightened negro and
forced him to swear implicit obedience
to him. The negro readily entered
into Capt. Wilson's plana for recaptu
ring the ship, and took the offered
revolver to prevent the access of the
marines to the second officer's cabin.
In a few minutes more by a'clever and
reckless ruse Wilson had this officer
als gagged and bound flat on his
back in his own berth.
" This much accomplished, Wilson
went below with his jauntiest air and
told the marines that the command
ing officer had ordered him to go with
them into a certain part of the ship
to make some needed repairs at once.
Not doubting the statement, one by
one the eight men went down the nar
row stairway. As quick as the last
one had disappeared Wilson quickly
clooed and secured the hatchway, xie
called to them to wait until he Bhould
return. He went to the Captain's
cabin, relieved his earless son of in
tense anxiety, told the officer he
thanked him for the kindness with
which be had been treated, an?. re
gretted that he would be forced to
keep -both him and his comrade secure
ly bound until the Emily St. Pierre
should reach Trenholm and i raser's
wharf in Liverpool. He told how the
eight marineis had been made prison
ers, assured the commanding officer
that he should be made as comfortable
as possible, and took the gag out of
his mouth, lhen with his son and
the steward, both heavily armed, he
opened the hatchway, and called to
the men and told them what he had
done.
Only one man could ascend the
narrow stairway at a time, so they
were.entirely at his mercy. He spoke
plausibly to them, promised them im
mediate liberty and $25 apiece when
he reached Liverpool, and a plenty
of rations during the voyage, which
he assured them would be as brief as
the utmost speed of the Emily St.
Pierre could make it. Under the
shadow of the Stars and Stripes and at
the cost of almost superhuman mental
and physical exertion for three days,
on the part ot Wilson and the steward
the Emily St. Pierre sped on to Liv
erpool. At the end of the third day
Wilson became so exhaustad that he
was compelled to bribe one of the ma
rines to help him manage the ship
He succeeded and the man walked up
the stairway while his comrades held
back before the three cocked revolvers
above them. This bribed recruit was
constantly watched by Wilson or the
steward or the courageous boy, , who
never showed the least sign of fright
throughout the terrible journey.
The ship aachored off Liverpool
Harbor at night. A member of
Trenholm & Eraser's firm came
aboard and carried a detailed account
of the unprecedented exploit back to
the city, and the Liverpool Mercury
devoted its first page to a detailed
statement of it. The next morning
the city was wild with excitement.
The Emily St. Pierre touched Tren
holm & Iraser s wharf flying both I
the Confederate flag and the Union
Jack. She was welcomed by a mob
of people singing "Rule Britannia"
and the "Southern Marseillaise." Wil
son was the hero of the heur and for
six months remained in England the
guest of numbers of her proudest no
bility, at whose dinner tables he re
counted again and again the story of
the recapture of the Emily St. Pierre.
He kept his pledges to the Federal
ofteers and marines and attended to
all their necessities before his caigo
was unloaded. The cotton was sold
at a fabulous price. Twenty-five thou
sand dollars was deposited in the Bank
of England to the credit of the brave
boy by his. father, and friends in En
gland forced him to accept an Oxford
scholarship. The cotton merchants
of Liverpool ordered a snug, swift boat
to be built for Capt . Wilson, which
they presented to him, and in which
he made one other successful trip.
Calhoun returned to Charleston in
this boat and expressed himself so for
cibly on the perils of blockade-running
that he was excused from all fu
ture service of the kind. . When the
Stars and Stripes again floated from
the citadel in Charleston, Calhoun
said the reason he was glad to see it
was because "he and Capt. Wilson
had whipped ten men on the broad
ocean jes' qn account of de ole flag
hoatm above de ship. lie Trags
yet about the incidents of that memo
rable voyage, and prides himself espe
cially on the enthusiastic reception
accorded him "de las time he crossed
de water." When the price of cotton
is discussed he becomes oracular, and
tats it will never reach the figures at
which he sold the last cargo he carried
to Liverpool. 1
Some years after the surrender at Ap
pomattox Uapt W lison became a rav
ing maniac, and after a long confine
ment died in an asylum in Paris. '.. His
physicians said he never recovered
from the intense excitement and men
tal strain incident to his last cruise on
the Emily St. Pierre. His son was
graduated with high honorr at Oxford,
and arrived in Paris in time to catch a
Pbice 5 Cents.
glimpse of fond recogoition in his fa
ther's eyes before they closed forever
With the money realized from the
perilous blockade-running, which
Capt. Wilson had wisely deposited in
the Bank of England to his son's cred
it, a portion of the paternal estates
were purchaskl, and now'near the
Chateau de St. Lambert has recently
been erected a beautiful Gothic chap
el sacred to the memory of Jean Fran
cais Leolyn Alexis, Marquis da St."
Lambert. Under the altar of this
chapel rests all that is mortal of the
captain of the Emily St. Pierre.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOIUS. .
NEEDS OF THE NATION.
discu&sed mr
SENATOR
VANCE.
ZEBU-
15
in
or
in
or
LETTER NUMBER .FOUR.
According to the last returns the
whole number of white, and colored
children between the ages ot 6 and 21
years was 566,270. The white chil
dren, during the last four years, in
creased from 321,561 to 353,481 ; to
tal in four years 31,920 or 9.92 per
cent. During the same time the col
ored children increased from 193,843
to 212,789 ; total 18,946 or 9.77 per
cent. Thus it will be seen that the
rate of increase is yery nearly the same
for both races, the whites having in
creased only lo per cent, faster, or
in 10,000.
Last year there were enrolled
the white schools 57.2 per cent.
202,134 out of 353,481 children ;
the colored schools 57.8 per cent.
123,145 out of-212,789. The average
daily attendance in white schools was
35.2 per cent., 'and in the colored
schools 33.5 per cent. Looking baek
over tour yeara the figures show that
there is a small increase ia both the
enrollment and average attendance of
the whites and a small decrease of
the colored. I state this because it is
sometimes said that the colored people
attend the public schools better than
the whites. - This may be true for
some communities, but it is not for the
State according to the returns made
to my office Besides, the whites have
a much larger proportional attendance
in private schools than the negroes
have. "
Because there are enrolled iu our
public schools only 57 or 53 children
out of every 100 there is au opinion
among many people that the remain
ing 42 or 43 do not attend at all.
This is not the fact. Our school age
is from 6 to 21, a period of 15 Vears.
During any one session a large num
ber of small children within school
age will not be enrolled, who at some
subsequent time will be ; and also a
great many, say from 16 to 21, drop
out of the pubHc schools to engage in
work or pass into the private schools
and colleges and are not enrolled in
the public.
The fact is that during the short
time our schools are in session we
have enrolled in them a larger per
cent, of population than Massachu
setts, Connecticut or New York. We
have enrolled 20.03 per cent, of the
whole population including men, wo
men, and children, of all ages, or ono
person in five, while Massachusetts
has only 18 per cent., Connecticut
18.61 per cent., and New York I8.7I
per cent. The figures are taken from
the last report of the Commissioner of
Education and are based on the Uni
ted States census of 1880 and the
latest school censuses of the States
compared. And further, our daily
average attendance in proportion to
the whole population is better than in
New York or Connecticut. .
I am free to say that quite a large
number of our children do not avail
themselves of the facilities they, have,
but the greatest - difference between
the educational status of our btate
and those . I have mentioned above,
and other northern States, consists in
the length of annual school terms.
North Carolina has 60 days per an
num (just about' the same . for both
races), Massachusetts 172, Connecti
cut 179 and New. York 178. With
nearly the same rate of enrollment
and average attendance and, say
three times as long terms, the public
educational forces in these three States
.ate three times as great as those of our
State, granting that our teachers are
as well prepared for their work. We
are indeed far behind in the educa
tional race, but still our public schools-
are improving in efficiency and attend
ance, and our many private schools
are giving valuable help both in the
instruction of children who are not in
cluded in the public school enroll
ment, and in providing higher educa
tion to those young persons who have
passed beyond the , public school
course.
; In estimatine our educational facil
ities I have taken the average for the
State. We must not lose sight of the
fact that, while the average school
term-is 60 days or three months, some
counties have only about two months,
and others have four months or. more.
This results from several causes: "
1. A difference in valuation of prop
erty in the different counties.
2. Closer oollections of school funds
by officers of some counties . than of
others. - ' . -'
3 Receipts from license of retail
liquor ' dealers, which are large in
some counties and small or nothing in
others.
4. Special levies for schools ; by
some county commissioners and none
hy others. S. M., Finger,- -Supt.
of Public Instruction
The executive committee of the North
Carolina Agricultural Society have fixed
the time of the next State Fair for'October
16, 17, 18 and 19.
The Poor Pay the Tariff Tax Senator
Vance on the Spoils System of the
High Tariff Men.
.sr.'-.-. ;. . From the Baltimore Sun.
ARTICLE HI.
vln the formation of our government
one of the earliest things to recieve
consideration was the matter of taxa
tion. In the estimation of freemen it
.'as also most important and deserved
Jad Received the most mature and ear
nest examination. And surely no
people on earth were better fitted to
deal with it than those who established
our government. It was the prime
cause which had led to separation and
independence. For centuries our En
glish ancestors had struggled against
their princes for just principles of tax
ation, and their statesmen had sounded
all the depths and shallows of the sub
ject. Their wisdom " and experience
were the richest mhentage of their
children in the American wilderness.
Profiting by these lessons which ihe
history of their ancestors afforded,
our founders established such kinds
and methods of taxation as were best
suited to the situation of our commu
nities and the upholding of liberty.
The States, for the support of their lo
cal governments, having the power of
direct taxation ot wealth, licenses.
lolls and the like, were forbidden to
impose either duties or burdens on
either foreign or inter-state commerce.
To the federal government was given
the power to tax foreign commerce as
all the other objects of taxation on
which the States were permitted to
levy. In short, the taxing power of
the State was limited ; that of the fed
eral government was unlimited, in the
particular that it was both foreign
and domestic. The only restriction
laid upon it wa3 that direct taxes up
on the property of the country must
be imposed in proportion to popula
tion. This has in many ways proved
uniortunate. It is manifestly so un
equal and unjust as to deter the law
makers from resorting to it when it
could possibly be avoided. This for
ced the bulk of taxation into methods
les3 offensive but really more unequal
and unjust still, where it remains entrenched.
The debates in the First Congress
on this subject show a decided prefer
ence for tariff taxation over the direct
kind. In this the representatives fol
lowed the recommendation of Hamil
ton. In fact, there was scarcely a dis
senting opinion. The primary object
was revenue, and one of the reasons
most fervently given for adopting this
rather than this direct taxation was
that it would at the same time inci
dentally encourage or protect, if you
please, our infant manufactures. Such
were the origin and intention ot our
first tariff laws, and such continued to
be their object for more than a quar
ter of a century. Those who claim
that Alexander Hamilton and the
members of the early Congresses were
protectionists per se, and ei acted tar
iffs for protection and not for revenue,
assert that which cannot be proven
by their words or deeds.
Admitting, then, that a tariff for
revenue is constitutional, and is sanc
tioned by unbroken usage from the
first, I desire to show the great import
ance of regarding Buch laws with jeal
ousy and confining them within reas
onable and legal bounds. At the ve
ry best a tariff operates most unequal
ly. It is scarcely possible to frame
one that will bear with equal weight
on every man. Knowing this, legis
lators are less solicitous in striving
for equality, and the temptation to
give one clas3 or section an advantage
over another is very great. The diffi
culty of evenly adjusting the burdens
andot detecting the inequalities af
fords ample shelter, for this iniquity,
Of course, the natural and undisputed
basic element ot justice in taxation is
found in the requiring of every man
to pay in proportion to his ability
lhat 13 to Bay, that every citizen of a
State shall contribute to the support
of the government which protects him,
in proportion to the interest which he
has protected. Accordingly, as all
men have an eaual interest in the pro
tection of their lives, persons and liber
ties, so in all countries the personal
tax is the same. So in all State tax
es on property the amount levied
against each individual is an ad valo
rem percentage on his taxable pos
sessions. There is no other rule
which shakes hands with strict justice.
No man ,in America would submit
without a struggle to any other in the
levying of direct taxes. A direct tax
on persons and property which con
tained as much ot injustice and ine
quality as is covered by our existing
tann laws would provolce armed re
sistance all over the United States in
ten days. But the tariff methods are
imperceptible to the ordinary victim.
He finds prices high, perhaps, but at
tributes it to natural causes. He does
not. know that they are artificially pro
duced tor the benefit of his neighbor.
If he did, that neighbor would, ' per
haps, hear "something -drap' some
line morning. Hence the dangerous
nature of tariff taxation. It is said
there is no sensation more pleasant
and soothing than that of bleeding.
yet there is nothing that more certain
ly ends in death. .The process of pay
ids taxes without knowing how or
whm i& equally soothing, but its inev
itable ending is equally certain. - The
difficulty is always great of awaken
ing the patient to the danger he is in
curring. The chief inequality of a tariff aris
es from the fact that it is a tax upon
consumption. Whilst it is true that
men do not consume alike and equal
ly, the deficiency in their consump
tion is not nearly so great as the dif
ference in their wealth. If there was
a certain and well-established ratio
between wealth and consumption, so
that the greater the one just so much
greater the other, then consumption
would be as fair a measure for the
imposition of taxes as any other and
as convenient. But there is no such
invariable proportion; not only so,
but verykfrequently the position is in
verted, and the man of least wealth
pays largely the most taxes. Duties
upon food and clothing will illustrate
this. A common day laborer will eat
and drink as much and wear as much
clothing as a millionaire. The only
difference is that the millionaire con
sumes costlier food and raiment, and
thereon pays mor'e tax ; but the just
proportion of the amount which
each should pay is by no means ob
served. They are miles and mile3
apart. To tax each one in propor
tion to his ability to pay would take
from the man whose income was $60,
000 per annum hundreds of times as
much as would be required of the la
borer whose income the year round
was $6. per week. Estimating that
uch a man pays annually tariff dut
ies on what he consumes so low a fig
ure as $10, it is not in the capacity of
any sane human being to consume so
much of taxable articles as to bring
the duty on them up to" five thousand
times that sum. Practically, the duties
on consumption which such a man or
dinarily pays is not one-tenth of that
amount. Social conditions and the
variable dispositions of men every
where aggravate these inequalities.
The man of moderate means and a
a large family consumes vastly more
than the rich-man without a family
or the miser. The whole income ot
the farmer may be, and often is, ex
pended m the cousuptiou ot dutiable
goods, whilst the millionaire spends
no more, and his houses, lands, furni
ture, horses, plate and jewelry, worxs
ot art, vehicles, stocks and bonds, and
securities of all sorts pay not one dol
lar to the support ot the government.
Wild horses, chained to his limbs and
struggling to burst forth, could not
make an honest man say that kind ot
taxation is right and just. Yet such
is the operation of tariff taxes every
day, even with the most judicious
which can be levied, and whose only
aim is the proper one of revenue.
There is always much endeavor to
meet the force of this consideration
by talk of discriminating in favor of
the people of small means by impos
ing higher duties on luxuries than on
the necessaries oilife. Even if this was
fairly done, and it never is, it could
not by any possibility remedy the in
equality of the tax, for the reason al
ready stated, that the rich man can
not in the very nature of things con
sume as much more than the poor
man as to make his taxes greater in
the proper proportion. In short, it is
physically impossible to attain to ab-
increased as the net income becomes
larger," and in all cases when the in
come sinks below a given point This
is a manirest discrimination 1
the rich not reconcilable with
justice; but men forgive it on a
of its obvious humanity, But
ever heard of any country sav
America, by any law save our
rill tariff, inventing the proce
taxing the poor more than the
increasing the rate as the abi!
pay is decreased so that th.
map's poverty becomes a crir
which his country punishes hu
pains and penalties and shorte
allowance of his children's bre.
diminishes the warmth of their
ing ! Let any man look tit tha
and.study -its effects before he
these things. He will find all
stated to be true, and based upr
official reports of the Treasur
par t men t
To such absurdities and outr
results doe9 unconstitutional ta
lead when once we depart fron
ciple. No matter how good our
tions may be it is dangerous tc
any laws or 'methods of taxing t
izen that is n t grounded in j
There is no safety, the preacht
us, ontside of the church. So tl
no securitiy for our rights and
tics outside of the organic law
guarantees them. For the g..
mankind it is provided that ou
law will avenge itself. If, the
we violate the manifest dictates
tice in the matter of taxation, v
be sure that one portion ot th
raunity will suffer in proportior to the
beneht which has been reaped
other. We cannot escape the
law of compensation. We mu
whatsoever we have sown,
seed be injustice, the harves
needs be suffering . Therefore
capitulate, whilst a constit uional
tariff is at th best open t mtmy
ana serious ODjections and ha
avenues leading to monepol
injustice, yet as it has beco
settled policy of our count
tariff reformer wishes to cht
for another. But we do de;
nestly to restore our system ti-
iginal and only lawful objects,
firm it to justieo and humani and
make it as nearly as possib. j free
from oppression and all kinds of in
equality. In short we strive t; make
the taxing power of the govt eminent
the shield and support of the iJ- opk, J
ana not tne dormant partner .f tho
manufacturing firms.
Z. B. V.v-.Jt.
:ainst
trict
ouat
lor
and Ji
.' to
poor
for
with
1 the
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enie1
ucre
tho
Da-
eoua
tion
rin-
en-;
act
-lb
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;..ll
- is
r
.ch
: of
ged
ore,
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u-ja it
e ear
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Hi f.on-
FROM THE NATION'S CA1VTAL.
Mills Tariff Bill Crowing In Favor,
sensible VTlew of the Sltuatlo 1 i y the
Editor of the Post. A North Ctroll
n Woman and Her Mission.
Special Correspondence lo the Sentinel.
Washington, D. C, April (1. Tho
House lias spent the past two days
and newly a whole night in a fili
buster over what is known as the di
rect tax bill. This measure has already
passed the Senate and is popular with
a majority of the House, including the
members of the N. C. delegation with
the exception of Col. Tom Johnston
who votes against it. The direct tax
stract justice and equality in taxation I bill appropriate $17,500,000 to those
Y . - 1.--. .. . .
by a duty on consumption, in our
present laws it has not even been at
tempted though the talk of discrimi
nating against luxuries is in every
man's mouth whenever the subject is
mentioned. Thoy are faamed with
special reference neither to the wants
of the government nor the needs of
the people.but to the interest ot the man
ufacturers alone. In reality, the bulk
of whatever discrimination there may
be in the law is against the nece-saries
of life and in favor of luxuries. A
glance at the treasury reports of du
ties collected will satisfy any one of
this. In most wookn goods the great
er the cost the less the duty. Iron and
steel goods pay four to five times as
much duty as gold and silver jewelry;
common spirits five to six times as
much as fine wines ; common cotton
goods twice as much as fancy straw
goods and furs. Common woolen
goods pay fifty per cent, more than
silks and satins, whilst common win
dow glass is taxed six times more than
polished and silvered plate glass ot
the same size ; a homely illustration of
this species of iniquity may be found
in an ordinary whisky toddy. The
whisky of which it is the chief in
gredient is taxed in the neighborhood
of 400 per cent., the sugar which sweet
ens it 13 taxed 82 per cent., and the
which is grated upon it for
flavoring is free. That is a fair sam
ple of the - discrimination of our tariff
against luxuries. Nutmegs cannot be
grown in the United States, therefore
a tax on nutmegs would protect no
body, but would go straight into the
public treasury; therefore to that ex
tent it obvates the necessity of taxing
some article which is made or grown
iu the United States; therefore it
stands in the way of some manufac
turer, therefore the duty on nutmegs
is repealed, and pro tanto, it is placed
on salt, or trace-chains, or children's
slates, or some other item of prime ne
cessity. Of all the wrong3 contained
in the existing tann there is not one
more flagrant than the admission of
tropical luxuries free of duty in order
to force the heavy taxation of the
necessities of life. There is no law,
human or divine, under which it can.
be justified either in policy or morals
It ia unjust to all ; it is cruelty to the
poor.
In the imposition of income taxes it
ia sometimes provided that the rate is
who paid a certain land tax immediate
ly after the war. It the bill passes,
North Carolina will get nearly $4,-
000,000 which will be sent to Raleigh
and paid out to those who can prove
they paid this land tax. The bill will
probably pass.
The tariff bill continues to grow in
popularity. It is generally conceded
that it will pass the House, beveral
leading Republican organs have giv
en up the fight and admit that the
measure will receive the endorsement
of the Democratic House. It then
goes to the Senate, and if it is defeated
in that body the onus of that defeat
falls on the Republican party. Ihe
Post of this morning devotes its lead-
to this subject and states very
stroDgly what the situation will be in
case this should be the outcome of the
5gle. The editor of that paper
says:
"But the l ost is not anxious, except on
financial grounds, that the committee's
bill shall go through the Senate. Let
it pass the House and be killed in the
Senate, and the issue will be in splen
did shape in such shape that Repub
lican voters by the thousnad win come
over to the Democratic side every day
till election time. The Republican
party stands pledged for tariff revision.
The protection organs and speakers
have attempted no denial of the
pledge, but have repeatedly and in
many ways conceded the necessity for
its fiJiillment. In a number of tho
str ngest Republican, states and one
or two of the doubtful states the Re
publican masses are demanding tariff
1 .. . mi r c ir:
reduction, ine ianucis ji miuurauia
rise up and denounce the war tariff as
robbery and indorse the President's
tariff message. In all the cities of the
Northwest there are veteran Repub
lican leaders wh are calling on the
Republicans in the House of Repre
sentatives to formulate a tariff reduc
tion bill? But instead of such a meas
ure. the minority of the Ways and
Means Committee has nothing to of
fer but a proposition to repeal some
of the internal revenue taxes! The
talk about free sugar and a bounty is
nonsense. If the Republican party
could have its own way the sugar duty
would go, but no party will vote
bounty to any industry. The day of
that sort ot folly went by long ago.
It we could feel sure that the ac
cumulation of surplus would not dis
turb the business of the country we ask
nothing better than a campaign on
the issue presented by the committee's
bill and the minority's proposition
a proposition that oners a stone in lieu
of bread, a serpent in lieu of a fish ; a
proposition that insults the intelligence
cf the American people and makes the
gmt Republican party look meaner
and. more contemptible than even its
enemies like to see it. We frankly
conf ess that it is mortifying to a
Democrat who is proud of his coun
try and glories in its history to see a
great party, a party with a record,
shrivel up with premature senility and
prove itself a silly dotard on an oc
casion when it ought to rise to the full
stature, physical and intellectual, of
vigorous manhood."
' The above cannot prove very pleas
ant reading to the G. O. P. in North
Carolina, and yet it is strictly true.
There is as much common sense in the
article as in any I have read for a
long time. Judging from what I have
learned recently from a number of
sources, it is a just and dispassionate
vief of the situation. In clo3ing, the
writer adds: V.
"The situation is extremely cheer
ful just now, for the high-tariff army
is on the run. It is demoralized and
panic-stricken. Its old charmi will
not work. The phrases with which
the apostles of high protection have
htherto conjured us are worthless and
impoten as the idle wind. The most
gigantic system of robbery ever plan
nod by the brain of man tumbling
from its foundation. Our friends in
the House have only to continue faith
ful to duty and the long-prayed-for
victory will come.
J lean while we bespeak for Mr.
Randall something of indulgent chari
ty from his high tariff masters Why
lay the lash so pitilessly on his shoul
ders, gentlemen ? He has served you
wit 1 rare fidelity. He is not respon
sib' a for the dwindling of his following.
Fa; e is against him aad you. The
rig it is coming uppermost; justice is. ,
goiag to be done. Let Mr. Randallj,
alone and, goiug tothe othter end of
the Capitol, devote your time to culti-;
vating the friendship of the distin-
g whed Protective Democratic Sena
tor who occupies the unique position
of being at the same time an eloquent
ad vocate of protection to labor and an
extensive lessee of convict labor.
Thia is true and generous, I am glad
to gay. I never felt inclined to read
am Randall out ot the party becausa
he was and is a protectionist. His ser
vices to the party, aside from this issue,
his ability as a statesman, his fealty
as a Democrat, his character as a man,
all entitle him to consideration and
forbearance, even in the fightyef vital
importance to the party.
Mr. Cram'i constitutional amend
ment changing the date of inauguration
day and of Congressional terms was
defeated.
The opinion that the Chief Justice
will be a Northwestern Democrat
gains ground. Of courso he will bo a
first rate lawyer.
Miss Dora Jone?, Vice Principal of
Greensboro Female College, spent sev
eral days in this city last week. She
was the recipient of a great dial of
attention from North Carolinians here.
She is visiting the leading schools and
studying the new methods in vogue
in this city, Baltimore and New York.
Senator Ransom exerted himself to
further her researcher;, and his strong
letters of introduction she found of
great assistance to her. Mrs. Senator
Vance madf an appointment with
Mrs. Cleveland for her to meet Miss
Jones, Miss Louise Morehead, and
other ladies. I think Miss Jones' trip
cannot fail to be beneficial to the col
lege. Having so admirable a repre
sentative cannot fail to be creditable
to it. She is a handsome, self-possessed,
refined highly educated woman.
She can hold herjowu against any typi
cal Boston school ma'am, so far as
culture goes, and I have seen few
whose personal presence was so pleas
ing. Besides accomplishing the ousi
ness part of her mission, Miss Jones
enjoyed the social phase of her visit
very much. Sho made many new
friends who will not be likely to forget
her.
Dr. J. M. Hays, a brother of the
popular author, John W. Hays, Esq.,
and a rising young lawyer of Oxford,
(iranville county, spent several days
in this city last week. He is on his
way to Eurepe. He will make a tour
of the most noted places in Germany,
England, Italy, ranee and Austria,
studying new methods in his profes
sion, and will take a special course at
Vienna with a view ot giving special
attention to the diseases of the eye and
ear. Dr. Hays tells me that while
he was attending medical lectures in
Charleston, S. C, he had a case similar
to the one from which the Emperor of
Germany is suffering. He says the
man got well, the tube was discarded,
and he is living and talkjng to-day.
He thinks the German Emperor has
no cancer, judging from the reports in
the leading medical journals of Eu
rope. Granville.
J
v7
V
What a wonderful State we have.
A few weeks ago Romulus Lianey
Esq. found a plastic substance in Al
exander county which hardened into
stone when exposed to the air for a
few hours and now a paint mine has
been found !
(