Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-03-01
[PROPRIETORS.
Remarks of MIR. Staples,
ms psTpt.E

4
committee oflhc Whole for the considcra.
lion Of the bill concerning the Commis-
sioners Of the Rev enue. and Mr.. Price. of
Greenhricr, having moved to amend the
% section ofthc bill by adding after the
| words "slso agricultural productions and
provisions" the words "ncat cattle, hogs
and sheep"
Mn. STABLES said | should not, Mr..
Chairman, say one word upon the subject
now under consideration, did not occu-
py somewhat peculiar position upon this
floor. have the honor 10 represent here
a constituency, one part of whom are
deeply Interested in the raising Of stock.
and the other part Of whom are as deeply
interested in the culture of other agrirul
tural productions, such as corn, wheat and
tobacco; and believe speak the scni
rnents entertained l,y the whole Of that
constituency when | say that justice ab-
solu,ely demands, thar If a tax be imposed
upon agricultural products of the farmer
in one shape, iLc snna amount Of tax
should be imposed upon those products
when in another shape.
The bill under consideration proposes
io exempt from taxation not only call ag-
ricullural productions and provisions" bui
further provides that ''the head of each
family shall be entitled to hold, exempt
from taxation neat cattle, hogs and sheep
of the aggregate value of fifty dollars
The gentleman from Greenbricr. Mr..
Price, proposes to amend the bill hy ad-
ding after the word provisions the words
meat cattle, hogs and sheep" so that if the
amendment To tho hill should bc adopted.
then all agricultural productions and pro
visions neat cattle, hogs and sheep nre
exempted from taxation. Mr. Chairman,
| shall support the amendment under con
sidcraton, because believe its adoption
not only to bp demanded hy every princi-
| pie ofcommon justice. hut that its opera
lion vii be equal and uniform through
out the entire commonwealth. Sir. we
are all bound by our oaths TO support the
constitution, aud let us examine for mo-
mcnt its provisions in rc!c ence to the
subject now before us. The constitution
provides that "taxation shall lie equal and
Uniform throughout the commonwcallh
and all properly olhertha slaves shall be
taxed III proportion TO is value, which shall
be nscertainod in such manner as may be
prescribed by law" When The question
Of the hnsis Of representation (Which has
unfortunately been alluded 70 il this de-
bate, and which | hambly think has NJ
relevancy 10 the subject mniter now be-
fore us) was under consideration in the
late convention. the east demanded ofihe
west guarantee that slave property should
under no circumstances, and at no limc be
bnrdcncd with undue and excessive TAXA
ion. Such guarantee vas required from
a very natural apprehcn,on on the part Of
the slave interest. that slaves might be un-
justly taxed and The delegation from the
west. in that spirit of mognanimiiy and
| fairness " hieh has e, or characterized our
western brethren, generously offered any
guarantee that The east might require
One Of the guarantees thus demanded ard
granted was that slaves under,welvc years
old should not be taxed. Sir ! was then
Of the opinion, and sill am Of that opin-
| ion, not as question between the East and
! the West, but as a question between the
STAKEHOLDER and STAKEHOLDER. that that
provision, cxempiing slaves under twelve
Years old from taxation, would result in
ron,s ;r;ns,;rc ~ IA nou-.lnyebolJer
While the weight Of taxation might fall
| heavily on the young, 1nproduclivc aud
useless stock Of the stock -growcr--.a spe
cies Of property never valuable, because it
i never IN demand IN make, .-vo,,no
slaves, another species Of property which
contend nrc productive propcriy, and
casilv conyeriilIe into money. are to he
entirely cxcmut. Ana bow. s;r. nre voung
slaycs productive prnpcuy Whv II ,Lo
tobacco growing ree:on Of The s,aie.uhcre
there are numerous iobacco factories con.
stantly ia operation, slaves from cisbt 10
twclyc wears Old viii ALWAYS command
! r,or G,,,r n Gvc dolI,ra 4, ,,on,h Gnr,he;r
sery;ccs. and i,;s wcl known Tia, ,Lev n,
all ,;,,c5 moo, viii q, rcadv sal,;n ,nnrIo,
I n, n,.;ccs vorvinp ryop two, n fur ,,undrcJ
| JoiI,rs Will. voun,, etock bri,g wholly
lseIcss ond ofcoursc ya,ueIcss. nrc ncvcr
in deo,nd un,;l ot n ccr,oin agc And
now. sir. should lhe amendment undercon.
sidcra,ion Be defeated, s,ill greater and
moro palnalIe NJ, or Injustice will he in.
G;c,cd nnnn ~ ron.sIaveIolder wb,sc
rrn.,nc,;y. estate consists !, c,,,le hoes
and sbccp for L;s en,irc estate il 10 be 20.
ken y bilc tho STAKEHOLDER hose proJuc-
,;r,, os,o,e cors;e,s 1, ,,.l,nccoan .ba,,
i 70 40 eso,, free" / mn MI Cbair.
man tbe advocate Of ,Lc adyolo.
rem nr;ncipIc Of taxar;on that sys.
,cm ~ wL;rl, mans propcptv i tascd
accorii,g u H. valnc itistl,o only conaI
un;forn senul,l;con rule oncro,inc 10 The
same cxtea, on the rich and the poor. tbc
b;ab anJ The low. and hviup taxes mon
5nan accorlioo n lis abillpv 10 nav j nd
po more Il places alI npop tie same plat
| farm or counli,v. doing eoual and exact
Justice to all. and discriminating in favor