Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-05-07
NUMBER 4

speeches Tor the balance of The session, iern minutes
Laid on the table motion of Mr. GocDE Of VI.
Mr. NE~KIRK presented =" petition OF JIcob Rfpp Of
Be'A,le% that the Potomac Rive; be declared lawful
ienre.
The following bills were passed:
incorporating the Mechanics Bank Parkersburg. (Af-
| ter ex. x.'"naon by Mr. Jackson of WOODY
Authorizing the people of the town Fredericksburg 10
eject Mayor and other officers AID prescribing re-
! lot INC government of the >au.' town.
authorizing the Bank uf the ..ey oatabI;sh a. nee
| in Cnrsan shurv
bill authorizing the Bank of The Valley Of Virginia or
Farmers Bank, to establish branch in the Uf Salon.
in krnnwha taken up Gnd r,jeccJ- AYES 43 noe.
On motion OF Mr. GRIFFIN the House took ~ t rngrss
ed bill concerning elections in Henrico Sc und beng
amended, his notion by reconsite The substitute
was ordered TO be engrUssed.
On motion, the House adjourned.
SUBSTANCE OF THE REMARKS OF MR. MARTIN.
MaR.HALL,
In the SENATE april 2nd 1852 his motion strike on,
from the list Of exemptions al agrcnu productions
and provisions and wool OF the last years cup all
mineral productions in the hands oi IEl producer or
MINER"
5Ir. MARTIN said he had intend to have e .ercd some
what length into the discussion of this question
emprons aud have shown by statistical calculations
practical eect and working the principle Tat much
time had already been consumed in The discussion
question, lie would confne himself 10 narrower hints IN
order not 10 Yeary the patience OF the Senate. IL any
member Of the Senate could claim 10 he free from sectional
feelings motives this question: he thought e had
some claims that position. His section o. Tie Siare
would br benefited 10 geut far sectional
advantage was cnncencd other portion Of tie
nonwealih--he meant the extreme Northwest. His was
agricultural and wooIgowing people, and so far hi,
exemption of agricultural products concerned sy
would share largely in s benefits any other pc:t:un
vi the State.
As 10 exemption Of 'woll of Ii" last years clip" if
-" rg in ri" nrucIca operation Of that clause,
MS people would reAI nt"". e benefit derived from II.
But thern nothing IT, aud - I'D it was only
inserted in his bill IN order 10 catch votes c COM"
..,acr, ur,,cr his required the prore'
hlnd on the first dn" OF February OF each year ana
empt'ons enumerated apply also TO that particular
Now sir "wonl OF IN" last yrar's clip, is rarely or
tnut tnP, nut IS sold generally the tall preylOnsIyr
as convenient after the time Of clipping The oi
the clip "f the previous yea: 'h"rs"re in 'he
shape Of money, or Invested in .Operty which
viii be taxed This exemption therefore, is exemption
al all, except in The hands q few OF ~ we1i'r, wool
growers who can, and d. sometimes hold their crop OF wool
over in order 10 get better price.
But Mr. President, opposed 70 nil exemptions excep!
such must from necessity be made. am opposed 10
them from other than sectional grounds. am opposed 10
her because they do violence 10 the letter and sp ot o
Constitution which says that "taxaon shall be equal ond
un0rm throughout The Commonwealth aud that "a! prop
etly other than slaves shall be taxed in proportion 10 s
value" &c.
an, aware that the Constitution gives the power Tho
Legislature exempt other taxable property by the ruo
If majority of thr whole number of members '!rcei ID
each house Of the General Assembly" Bat this pow" vas
only intended b" exercised in those OF nasun
ccssty pubic property, churches buying grounds,
schools, &cit intended by the trainers u ihae
instrument after laying down the great carda principle ot
al raioem taxaton give the General Assembly The pow
destroy practical workings Of the principle by a
Introduction Of specific exemptions The proposition was
repeatedly made in the Convention TO exempt cernln
amounts property tr- r1xa;on and in every instance
was promptly voted do 1t being maucsty proper lha;
public property as well property o. the character just
described should 5e exempted the power given IN the
%lause referred TO- TO make the exemptions.
- is contenLed oy members lhs floor that you
Agricultural products the PROVISIONS OF Tho
| Con. ii, TlIen why r,:n The exemption II W.,
THAI a nosition w"uIu = takcn by some but oeia2
wc satisfied its unsoundncss, left The question oncn
legal construction, in the provisions OF The 'nosn.e
which have proposed 10 this 5I-exemp!lns by ut SUD
stilute the yearly supplies only.
Whe " II" Ia; n the Constitution upon which gentle.
men rely lv exemption Of agricultural products ~ i
found the 25h section Of the ih article and reads thus
"Tne General Assembly may levy tax on incomes, 81
and licenses but no tax shall be levied properly from
which any income turtJ is .c!srd or the capital m
e. ia the Trade or bu snrss in respect when The H.!
cr, faxed issued" IN order clearly 10 Under
stand matter viii tur., The report Of the c"anra
he legislative department, e.; wich had ~" hon"f 70
De member) as presented 10 the Convention he ind IN
,hat report tie following provision:
rrhe Legislature shall have 10 levy an income 49,
and tax SALARIES hut no t6S shall Dc levied on %
rived from properly otherwise taxed-ms proposition was
considered loose and ambiguous, and motion Of h-
Goods Of Mecklenburg was stricken out OF the report "n
left The Legislature without the power TO levy a% on in
comes sanries licenses The gentleman from Angnsi"
(Mr SHErFEy pcrceving this deficiency, drew u the pro-
vision r.r.rd in the Constitution, carefully woicng II,
20 MS 10 apply To taxing incomes s7aries and licenses and
avoiding the objections the clause stricken ont Had hat
clause remained in the Constitution there nigh. a'. teen
ground for doubt the tax the prcncr Of
property already taxed The c!aH'c ss II stands IN ne Con
suon, evidently ''endc 10 The power TO the Legs
aure saries and licenses and {" prohibit
The taxin. goods and merchandise in the shops
stores selling under the license 80 'nscd an 10 prohibit
the taxing OF 0UnuS Stlcks, rom tp
taxed is derived, and nothing more.
The Of Interpretation by which gentlemen seek
10 exempt agricultural products under this cldise ~ ihe
Constitution because IL tnr prodnc, 9" the pr"ey Al
ready taxct will exempt also the offspring oi Et fp' !a
COW and the negro So much for The cor, ,''t""- 'nr"
which gentlemen masrc they zee In The Nay q! taxing
| agrcuur: productions.
Bot afr President the sectional c"aure Of this 5 OF
exemptions is by no means the most !eci9natie one II
rives Eastern Virginia this time the advantage o' ovec
-i1 millions Of dollars worth OF cS""@3rs-c ''asjia:
mainly tobacco, while other acricn oodGcis eiand
about equal But this will not long con'Euco be- the case Tho
rapid grow h. and increase OF the west over the East wi
in years change this Of things and the vest wall
share largely the benefit Of these exemptions
i IMr WITcnER Never the west Will never ex",rd tho east
in agricultural productions increasing rad
than The East Besides that can show thar Eastern N
gina will not be benefited ny these eSemp'l"s hn' "tl
ultimately have make up the amount ~ the !nccatd lax
on her other poprty-it will not come oil oi Western II
! ginia.
i Mr. MARrIS. | will show the gentleman how that will
be effected fore get through But the gentleman knows
but little OF enterprise and industry OF The wcs;, no
suppDses the east is going keep pace win US In me way
Of improvements and increase OF agricultural podcon-
he would visit great and growing West and So no
woodnan's Telling the forest, und extending NE cu''''
ted fields year after year, he would De convinced ~ m
OF my position Or if the gentleman VIII turn NJ at""n
10 the documents, he will find that am onnc
ou in y OF this increase of the west over he
The document referred TO shows no Increase :" ahes N
Western Virginia. growing out OF the increased ah"nh ."
taxable property from 1910 TO ls5U s5 o1 being
At the rate Of 564 per And in tasf,rn 'tR" iVt
The period the increase was s'so'' o'"e''S a. -"
rate al 3Gs per cent only.
Bn, VA proceeding show why ! am opposed 10 this
principle of exemption other than sectional grounds
an opposed il because operates rIustice between
and uan between citizens of the ncEb0rhooG We
all farmers wool growers mln,rs. There Is a
very large class of community engaged in neither Of ttr'o
pursuits Taey get bcnc. from these exemptions !rne
,~y are nr required 10 r.v tax what they nave but
they have Mao u icir IUror'in ni e an'"nn tAe
OF b. the provisions fs h "hic 'het '-r not eAr"i
"d in thing, think they will not LOOK t. ihs y
i rney will look I'D ndihg no other noHc "t re- "@
agricultural productions, they vii! insist on an mere
on LAM. in order reach them IN that way ihis .
IN party in the wen as IN tnc east, COT oi
those are rot engaged IN .a!mng Their ncr III 30
sweed by The accession Of small farmers who - li't no
exemptions by this bill The whole will oe ssgei by
the consideration that increase 9. zen per cent
ON land produces corresponding ncreasc Of hlry per
cent on slaves and will be br night about the result
claimed By gentleman from Pttsyvania The rs-t VIII
have pay only the Lost by these exemptions
but largely increased amount upon land and neRroes
The and cities 100, will come in for !he snare o.
this ea-ed bur;hen hope friend from ne ciV OK
Richmond, ( Incredibly will look 10 this mailer before ne
gives his sanction this bill do not csn TO De eneo
with the spirit of prophecy but may be permitted 10 "nn
Eastern gentlemen of the danger likely grow ca, ot ms
principle which is attempted TO be incorporated In ms '
first lax bin under the canstution.
hone gentlemen will consider well before they consent
10 any tax DILL that may be calculate TO engendsr SOC
he