Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-10-29

,,lar the nublic Treasurer will submit his Report
giving detailed account of the operations anu con-
di ton of the Treasury.
The State debt is as follows -
State bonds already issued, Sl,z@4,Vooa
Loans authorized by law for various
works Of Internal Improvements for 20 ooo
which it's expected bonds will be is S2l4o.OOo
sued during the next two years. - -. ooo
Total, So'oo4oVo
The Report of the Comptroller for the fiscal year
ending the Bis of October, 1851, rs here"l1n com
municated.
Il will be seen that the taxes paid into the Treas
ury during the year 1851. amounted to- the sum OF
S157,I37 IL. The Revenue Act, passed at the Iast
session WILL it is believed, increase the revenue paid
into the Treasury this year about 2O0Oo. Neither
the demands on the Treasury nor pubic convenience
would seem to reqre any Increase OF taxauon curing
the next two years No more money should De col
lected from the people, than IS necessary &c deiay
the expenses OF a good and economical government
Taxation is indispensable, bnt it is one of the first
duties of the Staiesman to endeavor to eqnalize the
burdens as well as the benefits of government
For many years the demands upon the Treasury
so limited that but little attention was pau 10
the subject of taxation OF late years, Internal I'M
provemens and other public objects have increased
the expenditures, and our financial system has as
sumei a more important aspect II Will De percelV-
ed that of the Sl75137 II tax, paid into the treas
ury in 1851 $4,000 80 was collected on land and
town property S36l33 OF on polls; SIS, 007 81 on
interest tax and 1882 61 store tax amount
ing in the aggregate to the sum of S1l1022 81,
paid into the Treasury on these principal items OF
taxation; and S460l4 81, paid in on all others -
The land and poll tax amounted to 1913, l92 39-
The tax for county purposes is collected entirely on
land and POLLS and the amount paid into the Public
Treasury on these two items is small, when compar.
ed with the tax paid for county purposes We have
no returns to show the amount OF county tax coec-
ted in the State. 1t is believed, however, that no
more than twenty per cent. OF the whole amount
collected on land and polls, goes into the Public
Treasury, and have based the estimate OF the aver
age amount paid on land accordingly. An examl-
nation into the existing revenue laws will show that
the present system operates very unequally. AT
present $1,000, loaned at interest, pays $50 cents,
while $1,000, boarded against the public convenience
and public policy, spays nothing at all $1,000 lnyes-
ted in land pays 800 cents while $1,000 invested in
trade pays 100 cents. Other unjust determinations
might be shown.
As general rule it is believed that the tax upon
the estate of each person should be in proportion to
its value, subject to such exceptions only crcum-
stance and fundamental principles may justify In
asmuch as property on the one hand ought not to
be made the test of public privilege neither on the
person from bearing equitable share of the pub
lie burden Therefore it is thought just and proper
10 impose capitation tax. Slaves regarded to
some extent as both persons and property The fol-
lowing wise provision in our State Constitutions
which ought not to be departed from, defines the
SECTION III.
81. Captation tax shall be equal throughout the
State upon all individuals subj ect to the
20. All free males the age of twenty-one
years and under the age of fortyfve years, and all
slaves over the age of twelve years, and under the
age of fifty years shall be subject to capitation
tax, provided that nothing herein contained shall
prevent exemptions of taxable polls heretofore
prescribe by law in cases Of bodily infrmi'y.'"
It will be seen that slave property must form an
exception in framing system of al valorem taxa
ton. White males alone subject to poll tax,
while poll tax is imposed on both male and female
slaves, and the period of taxation commences nine
years earlier and continues five years longer. Thus
it will appear that by taking both the amount
of revenue collected from the slaves is double
the amount collected on white polls in proportion to
the population of the two races and the difference
in the duration of the period for which they
ed is equivalent to hundred per cent more. 1t is
therefore obvious that in proportion to the whole
number of each, the poll-tax paid the slaves is
three times as much as the poll tax on the white
population So it will be found that this provision
in the Constitution has imposed tax on slaves in
the twofod character of persons and property, and
that an al ralorem tax cannot be imposed on that
species Of estate.
Persons and property being the principal objects
OF taxtion they should bear fair and just relation
to each other, system of revenue. 1t is believed
that after excepting slaves each persons estae real
and PERSONAL including money, whether at interest
not ought to be taxed alike according to value
This would require every person to contribute in
proportion to the value of his or her estate and
would equalize the public burden between the va
rious classes, upon princi plies of justice | know no
better rule to ascertain the ability of the
pay, or the degree of protection his estate requires
from government, than by resorting to the actual
value of such estate.
This system need not interfere with taxing certain
emrloyments, and the income on professions, as is
now done. Such persons do not possess personal
estate OF the value of one hundred and fifty dollars
ought to be exempt from properly tax, and an ex-
emption Of like amount might be made in favor of
all others. system of revenue. based upon these
principles. is recommended to the favorable consid-
GRAFTON of the General Assembly.
On the 9Th of May 1851. Asa Biggs B. F. Moore
| and K. NJ Saunders. Esqnres, were appointed com
missoners, under the act of the last session of the
General Assembly, to revise the public Statute laws
of the State. On the End day of August 1852, r.
! M. Saunders sent in his designations which, in con-
sequence of my necessary absence did not reach me
till the 24th of that month. His letter of resignation
Is herewith communicated have received no off
clal report from the commissioners but in the
latter part of the month of August last, it came to
my knowledge that the commissioners. prior to the
date OF this resignation, had decided not to report
the reVlsal to the present Legislature Under all
the circumstances, it was deemed advisable not to
fill the vacancy until the subject was submitted to
the General Assembly. 1t is due to state that the
commissioners were appointed with the hope and
! expectation that they would be able to complete
their labor 10y the usual time of the meeting OF
the Legislature They will, no doubt. in due time.
report directly to the General Assembly, when such
action can be taken rs may seem expedent
I Professor Emmons was appointed under the act pas
sed at the last session to make geological and agr
n hn Ntofo No