Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-12-26

4 tic.iS WHICH arc imposed upon others is not
only ii itself unjust and oppressive, but
! will trench upon the established principles
OF free government. All that can now be
said in relation to this objection, is to deny
Ii. The design of the writer is merely 10
bring into Noise those opinions which pre-
vail in his own mind. He believes thst a
public guard is absolutely necessary that
the system wliich he has recommended is
far superior that which exists and that
tax upon slaves is not only just and reason
able In itself, but by no means inconsistent
with the equal principles ofour constitution.
| Ii these ideas should make the impress
sion for which they are written, it will be
| proper then to ascertain the amount Of the
! tag and the descriptions OF slaves to which
1T ought to be confined. A general tax up
on all slaves, the young and helpless as
| well AS the old and useless, would be OPP
pressive--and in these relations unrcason-
able, because. the necessity for establishing
any additional barthen proceeds from the
dangers to be apprehended from the males
who are in the active ages of life, and
therefore ought to be confined solely to
those of that description. According to
this idea, the tax ought to be imposed up
on all the males between the ages of 10
! and 50-By this means the treasury would
quail to the public EFFICIENCY, and solely from
that description Of property the peculiar
situation OF which imposes it as a duty in
| cident to self-preservation to incur a heavy
annual expense.
Ii this subject should obtain public notice,
F.! it will then be proper to unfold and illus
trate some other ideas, such as will proper
2 " relate to the notifications Of the plan.
F. 1t will then be enouired, whether mecha-
MICS, house servants. walters, waggoners,
draymen and watermen, ought not to pay
higher tax than those whcare employed
in agricIlture-Andw whether in future, and
by degrees, the blacks should not be ex-
Guided from following mechanical arts or
from being public carriers. Innovations of
this sort. would be, at first attended with
some inconvenience, out as soon as the re-
guiation was known to be firmly settled
and established, the laboricus and industri-
Gus poor, would very readily embrace those
occupations which are now, f:r the most
part, discharged by slaves. BY this change
alone, society would receive much great
er security than can be expected frcm the
establishment of guards, even tho their
numbers and organization should be equal
ITO those ideas which have been partially ur-
folded
All these considerations might be made
not only subservient to each other, bat with
out affording reasonable cause of complaint
TO any one would also promote public tran
IGuility and prosperity, and at the same
time insure the general happiness of So
ciety.
1t will not he pretended that these pro-
positions contain the most approved ideas
of which the case is susceptible. But il
will be strenuously insisted that, they af-
ford views which may be greatly improved
or enlarged according to the general inn
Pressions, which more maturcd examina.
ton may afford. All that is now intended
IS to submit to notice the impressions upon
subjects of considerable magnitude, illus.
trated only to such extent, as will induce
those by whom they may be read. and have
sufficient influence, to devote to ia reasona.
bic portion Of their time and reflection.
PATERNUS
The Legislature OF outh Carolina. on
the 9th instant, elected CHARLEs PINcx-
NFY, Governor of that State, III the place
OF Paul Hamilton, resigned.--JonN HOP
KINs was chosen Lieutenart governor.
At the same time, John GAILLARD was
reelected Senator in the Congress of the
United States.
>. Major Jesse Franklin has be re-elec-
!; ted Senator in Congress from the State
of North Carolina
I THE JUDICIARY BILL.
Passed both houses of the Legislature Of
this State, on the Fl tn instant. This bill
provides that there shall be two Superior
Courts in each county, yearly, and that the
county courts are to try jury causes twice
ayear & oftener, if the business requires il
that in addition to the Judges and Soil
citors now in Office, there are to be two more
Judges and four more Solicitors appointed
a Judge and Solicitor are to perform one
circuit; the state beng laid off into six cir
cults of ten counties each, and each cir
cult commencing on the first Monday in
March and Superintendent the Judges
are TO hold a supreme court at Raleigh once
year, on the tenth of June. in addition
to 8 masters in chancery, there are to be
So more appointed and in addition to the
clerks of the present superior courts So
more are to be appointed by the Judges.
n. Carolina Pap.
E-rtract Of letter from John GdOino,
Esq. Consul ofthe United States at Gil
6raitar, to the Secretary Of STATE, dated
4th OCT. 1906.
"The restaint on Tobacco from The u
nited States continues at this mort and n 9