Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 10 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 10 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
We remember, too, that another ship crossed at the same time,
buffeting the same sea. It was a Dutch ship, with twenty slaves,
who were landed at Jamestown, in Virginia, and became the fatal
seed of that Slavery which has threatened to overshadow the
land. Thus the same ocean, in the same year, bore to the Western
Continent the Pilgrim Fathers, consecrated to Human Liberty, and
also a cargo of slaves. In the holds of those two ships were the
germs of the present direful war, and the simple question now
is between the Mayflower and the slave ship. Who that has not
forgotten God can doubt the result? The Mayflower must prevail.
Believe me, with much regard, my dear Sir,
Very faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
ELLIOT C. COWDIN, Esq.
COMMUTATION FOR THE DRAFT: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RICH AND POOR.
REMARKS IN THE SENATE, ON AN AMENDMENT MOVED TO THE ENROLMENT BILL,
JANUARY 8, 12, AND JUNE 20, 1864, AND FEBRUARY 7, 1865.
January 8, 1864, the Senate having under consideration a bill
to amend an act entitled “An Act for enrolling and calling out
the national forces and for other purposes,” approved March 3,
1863, Mr. Sumner moved an amendment, afterwards modified as
follows.
“That, in addition to the substitute furnished by a drafted
person, or, where no substitute is furnished, then in
addition to the sum fixed by the Secretary of War for the
procuration of a substitute, every such drafted person
shall, before his discharge from the draft, be held to
contribute a certain proportion, in the nature of a tithe,
of his annual gains, profits, or income, whether derived
from any kind of property, dividends, salary, or from
any profession, trade, or employment whatever, according
to the following rates, to wit: on all income over one
thousand dollars and not over two thousand dollars, five
per centum; over two thousand dollars and not over five
thousand dollars, ten per centum; and on all income over
five thousand dollars, twenty per centum. And it shall be
the duty of every such person, seeking to be discharged,
to make return, either by himself or his guardian, to the
provost-marshal of his district, of the amount of his
income, according to the requirements of the Act to provide
internal revenue, of July 1, 1862. And it is further
provided, That the contribution thus made shall be employed
by the Secretary of War, in his discretion, to promote
enlistments, or for the benefit of enlisted men.”
January 8th, Mr. Sumner explained his amendment, remarking as
follows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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