Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-05-28

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fields and that naUn IL will be double tax, and the spirit
Of your sacred Constitution will be violated Will you tax
Cattle rocp nn "gs Again hear the Western farmer
"[ay y0ur r,rr.nna hands upon them you dare. The
LAM! and tho labor which they are the issues, arc both
taxed by tho md unyicding mandates Of the Consu.
ton The Land i, tnxr ad raiorem, and The labor is taxed
per c1pa only my slave labor taxed out the sweat
of nv own brow falls in scniirg drops ion my eaeG
and cvcred, an! hrobbing temples Is taxed twice me
amount n ia% levied upon one hunurea co"a'' "on VI
land That bullock that cwc and at soat are consec!a-
ct by the labor Of my hands, and the sweat OF my onw.
Tax them, and The spirit of ha Constitution WINCH oohs
ipon double taxes with degree OF allowance an4
which you have sworn 10 protect and support WE! " W
cIltei and hstroyrd' The application OF the Te9acf'o
al absurIum palpaby exhibits The unsountness OF
position. And will dismiss this branch OF the subject
with the sugccstna that income salary or license TAX
operates upon persons and uon property and hence We
levy income tax when agricultural produc.
tons property in being nj the time OF The assessment Ii
will be Observed that if have no! successfully answered
this constitutional argument in favor of the agricultural eS-
cpuns having heretofore shown that live stock bear the
same relation 10 the Western farmer that cereal grains to-
b.cco and cotton do the Eastern lfmer, and that for all
purposes connected with the political economy OF the State
I've stock and cereal gains tobacco and cotton have been
classified together and placed on the same iootns; II ne
cessarir follows That whatever of remaining force there
may yr in this constitutional OH ctlon 70 taxing the enc
applies equally the other. IT, therefore, be uEconslt-
ton? 10 tax agricultural productions it is equally unco
su;ionn live stock ana the friends OF The amend
they disposed TO do So might, also appropriate
this arg lnlent.
10 siuv: that i: would operate unequay or unjuStIy
tax live stock ard exempt wheat cotton and t5uaccJ
has made use Of an illustration, which, think, when
rightly considered will be found ~ be agalaSt, rather
than in favor OF The correctness OF his position he
sunpGscs that farmer having two sons gives tn each 81 OVv
of whom remains III Tie East and e1pends SaUO 10 land
and $500 il slave property The other moves To e hest
and $500 in land and $500 in live stock The gentleman
from H.iax suggests thaI, il lvs stock should be cx-
rn,pd only half The capital Of the Western son would be
taxed WHILE the provisions Of the constitution tax
would liz lad On the cutre capital of the EIsre'n SON.
At fist glance this looks plausible on, upon examination Il
will be od be unfair Illustration of the question pre-
scented. The gentleman exercised an arbitrary power wien
selected the property ~ be purchased ~ The two SONS
Suppose the olie! hand that tie Easten son, instead o
saves purchases agricultural prnJHcnn and you tax i've
rrs and exempt these rrJdac tons: land this is what thai
gentleman seeking 10 dU;) then, carry out the gen.
llcGa views and adapt his Illustration 10 hem and i viii
DC ouaa hi, the cEte capital OF The ftSerE son "uudhc
taxed AID cny half the capital ul The EGstern. but aio2
The views u the friends 81 the amendEeat und tax both
live stock and :gTicullr:! PRODUCTIONS or exempt boil! To
laxaiinn, equality viii b. an!nfd ADOPT the former
arati.c entire capital di each will tc aXed adopt
tic latter and af the capital 81 each vii! % taxed aud ha
exempted! The inequality and Injustice Of taxing the one
-Iacits vi property and cX=nptag The oOr, Is manifest 10
mis- Syie in the County 81 HARRISON land the SAME
81 exist in other couutes are devoted eA
uS::,g 10 the rearing 81 live Stock wnic chc. irms in
county devoted entirely 10 the production o.
crsn uGd hay Tor market. Now, i You levy lax Oh 1--we
s,Cc ard exempt Grain AID hay oH aSat'on you will laE
c fist farm AID entire produce and every Article al value
possessed by is owner while large amount ot value,
equal 10 bis entire annual crop and may be,
The cr0s Of ten years preceding viii be exempted In The
han..s III the ow ner u! the other farm
This bill destroys r"t equality nEd uniformity OF TAXA.
on provided for by tau ad vGloem system and seek
By this amendment 10 restore H. Tie friends u this bill
seek make nyi!iGus distinctions between the industrial!
nufusus Of tie commonwealth; ara The friends OF the
a .tncn desire 1ad seek place all industrial pursuits,
whether in The East in The West the broad plat
crm OF equality and uniformity Of the governmental bur
hens 1!lo friends of the bill say--lax some and exempt
o.hgys Tie friends OF tie amendment say-tnx all or es.
eIpt all ana in either ty will be satisfied ard con-
tented How sectional selfish and exclusive the position
OF enc how noble Patriotic and rnvabe the position Of
The other Taxation shall be equal and uniform throughout
The commonwealth. This is the fls of ia Constitution;
he rcDui ve ;lrcGrc have sworn 10 obey It,
1t has been urged in this discussion BY tie distinguished
r,ruan Of the cnn,nec that equal benefits wonid csul;
., the citizens OF the East and West ~ the exemption o!
Gun tobacco, and cotton and tat Tie aS on live stock
would in pfaccal fleets fall equally nearly So on
thu Easrcrn and Western sections O! the State
Now sir did tie statistics Of the State, ard such othef
oa hasc within on roach, Justify II" position
-,Iic ~ the gcasau il would rot prove a II was
III. Tie and exempt The oiicr nor wouhi II
show thai thr true aa meaning ii Iia claus" ii tc
Cansttpn which declares thai taxation shall r 'ql. 'nr
un5sa ira@GHnr tie Commonwealth, wona rot DC gross
IL sga aaL violated. That in uusnt knows ~ last,
no West, and Tie uniformity an! equality OF TAXATION re.
errci cansc had 10 rercacc to sections, but =
dytii citizens d the state While, therefore, yoa ilsy
i2c taxation ht,s.ccn the Eas and the Ncst, or ri'':t
may moi dc-trGy ~ bill his equality Of taxation be-
The different sections yet, Ii y"r destroy It "a be-
rcu ,us! citizens YOU will have violated the
spirit ii ma, instrument. And have shown that his bill
m lie committee, obviously taxed GU me pro-.
pry owned D. tr farmer rearing live stock and exempted
rmG apg;i; al property UwHcu by Iic lt!HicI lals
and cotton acd other agricultural or vegetable pro-
!aciinns If a!a .Icn the premises cl The gentle.
man il viii not sanction or sustain me crEcusionslo when
H.. arrived We SEEK 10 carry out The true intent "l lie
Constitution by equaIzing taxation among the industrial
pursuits c the State al large without regard 10 section o.
.c.!v; and III. gentleman fearing the true issue
presented talk. a5ua, divisions and TONS and .ccas 10
-u9osc shat Ly a6jGc'ng I'D Salo": Tax BILL lie eon
make c the Site owning small amount VI pro-
.y.t" paw another Se:thn hniGlH larger
amount he will Ic within the pale OF this Constitutional
provision and that injustice will be done individual c:'s-
We have no means OF asccranin precisely the relative
Of live si0c held BY czrrs Of the different SIC
tons OF the STATE Hn; d. know, that, for the want Of
facilities for getting grain market md other CAUSES al
most the entire agricultural capital Of the Allegheny
section end very large a:oun Of the capital ct The Valley
is INFESTED in the iow!n. Of live stock because II can be
transporter 10 market Without the Intervention of rail roads
and canals And Judging from Inc rns we have good reason
believe that the ncros necessity by which the Meat has
heretofore hcan compelled TO look 10 live stock nothing
lie staple production 9" their cnntfy VIII exist Tor an
n..giiaic period In The future. We know that the EAT l.
operated upon ny these necessities know that the
East ia ra roads canals and the finest contuncl
the world, by the ii TIE otter OF which
r gain tobacco ard cotton IL all tines Ed the beet
markets the country. We also know, t',ai labor i a5rn
G.i "a ln scarce ia Iic East wiG lahor in The West is
i araveiy scarce and land plenty. And, its wei! known
that !n-c amount OF land and comparatively snail
Of labor necessary To rear live sorE; and mat TO
gro wheat. ca tJhicco and cotton, comparatively small
i;nGuui q! Land ard large OF ia1or rtGnred-
rnkin then these well facts j. reasonable To
cunciur that ty far the largest portion Of Ii. live s. Of
ui agricultural productions are 10 be found in The
East Ru; in absence 81 ceitnn data, let I'd make
violent suppusition nn that equal amoHt OF each
Species If property is fouad in the 81 cni West
What then would be The practical operation upon sections
Of the Stale 0 bill taxing the ana cxemtna the oihe
Upo investigation it will DC found that each provision will
operate in favor of the East and 10 the prejudice Of the
Wcs'.
First taxing live stock-and intend 10 be brief on
each Of these points.
Z, reference volume Of documents furnished The
Convention il will he that the lard VI Eastern Ficia
il assessed 9l55 15 5i 81 and a according the
az 1880 there ia the East 295S7 !Grabis
slaves which for purposes Of taxation, I" he retarded
as thai many Jars worth of Ian! multiplied by 300 Lock
in@ the constitutional provision this subject, and for
purposes OF taxation regarding slaves land have then
an aggregate OF S22l ,527 Isl 6 which, by the
provision Of the Constitution, ls TO he taxed al van
rem. The land of the West is Assessed a. SlSg29li 60
and tie number Of feasible slaves owned is 81 500 And
ry maEU- similar c;cG1ton it w! DC found that this
s:ccc2 -" tasnJc property In the Wtst aHcCns
Sl2937ls14 ST. BY coinnarzn' will DC t:iht
aah value OF land nrd slaves in the West, il to the
taxable value m land and siIves i'll the East and
seil iraciiun is in other words r! every Grirr
pIii in the West land snd slaves, the East will pay
SIN III frJcua less i;lan dollars H. HEN. live
stock: which i estimated at about S33 GOT 962, assuming
equal amount Of is found in the East and West
and zoe hg&l exempt from taxation the rao Of paid
land an! slave. would remain uns:crcd cut hem