Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-04-13
SPEECH OF NR. GooDE OF MECKLENEURG
on THE TAN BILL.

Mr. Chairman, Congratulate the committee on the op.
preaching close Of this polracle4 deJac dn n' p'opdse
10 deian yuu than few fnOnans Indeed, cntcat
as am win the diGcGssiJn il has been conducted by my
friends find self disposed permit the question be
taken now aud do mol yield 10 this disposition ia be-
GAUGE am animated by earnest desire to satisfy Tic
members and the people Of the West OF the justice OF the
policy of this BILL have wish that this policy may be
sustained, but far anxious wish that tho bill may be
sustained by the Of tie Hes:. Sir appear before
them in spirit Of controversy. cnle tie ampiIic.
armed gladiator dcfyng them TO mortal conflict.
sundc.
The proposition exempt live stock from taxes is urged
by gentlemen from the West OF justice their
constituents, equivalent cr The exemption Of a4rcu.
luya produc!inns .ch they regard advantage :
East. and as in fact originating 10 spirit OF favorsm 10
the East Entertaining this ufi:on chcrishng strong
feeling CT ntmenf gentlemen Indulge in violent express
siuns of condemnation | cannot complain. |! ] hrcvc!
great gross wrong be designed my constituents
should not withhold TIC expression Di strong resentment
But If demonstrate that the exemption U agricultural
productions did originate in my spirit Of avorilis
sectiouas; that In its elects ii does operate any Pc
culla or t-c';onal advantage IN nc East h at tc cnre
benefit is popor'innntely extended 10 the west may ~
dulyc hope s!u!i have achieved somewhat tu con-
qaer ruces AM remove objections 10 the policy OF The
ELL imposing taxes upon live stock.
The first step in the process OF my arsumcn! wi! be 10
dsabuse tie West Tho cSen ct their interest In the
empiiun Of agricultural prodEctiGns-and l maEtaa il is
equal 10 the interest Of the East
Property and capital furnish the subjects, and criterion of
tuXaon Property and capital must therefore, furnish the
subjects and criterion Of cxcTpnns Taxation is not meas
ueI by individuals population. Exemptions, therefore,
cultural productions obviously the result O. capital! and
will show that the agricultural productions Of he West
bear The agricultural capital OF the West proportion as
large the agricultural productions OF The East bear 10 the
agricultural capital o! the East!
The aggregate vaIuc Of the lands c the East is sl55,7ol
c5O: of tie Wcs, Sls III Vie have no authentic
count OF the agricultural productions later than lSiQ but by
the census as Of that year the product Of cereal grains in
inc East was 3SG55 53 bushels; which NAV Give The meas
uc of Eastern exemption. Nov f Si55 eco G00 Eastern
give 33 900 900 bushelg OF Eastern exemption what
should sl9 600 GOO Western capital give? The Gnotient
will give the answer and will hr found be about 2o 0G
OOO bushels But Tie tables show The product ol cereal
grains in the West have been 2i4825l6 b1shcla ac'ua
exemption little short nj The aTitmccal answer and should
be satisfactory the West, even if these were the only Gle!
mcns Of caluIaiion Bat il is nviJs ;rrc other items
10 be taken estimate Labor s essential 10 success
m agriculture. Capital is iavcsieG il! labor and fai labor
is mr;oiei v slaves Tic slaves Of III" East cStlna
ted at the aggregate valuc o 1923 o0U and fraction
which added s55 Geo. 600 in and gives an aggregate o
S27s 0G0n0D Eastern capital, enjoying nm exemption "i
80 0OO GOO bushels OF cereal grains The slaves n the West
arc estimated Il, the aggregate value CT Sl9 GEO. which
added 10 the sll9 00O 600 land furnishes aggregate
capal of s39 0000U0 which, according 10 the proportion
which Eastern exemption Gc"r- Eastern capital would
cute West nptun less inn II T0Go 0uJ bush
lcs Bat il has been shown, the ac,ua, exemption nj the
West is o eEGceds &C. the fair pr"p"I 9rai,
cau"rs accoant Of ,hc hardship OF Agricultural excn
/ tons
and should hc charged against tie East will give TO the
Vest the full bentf; Of that article The crop OF Virginia
in 1850 was estimated in thc tables al 565b 9!
give to the Western The full benefit q: arcrogc
crop In 1910 it estimated 10 exceed puOO00 mounds
On careful examination "f the best evidence within my
each estimate average tobacco crop of Virginia. io
term of ten years about AZ o00 hogshcads of l4Ol
bounds c1ch of the value of 70 per horsead max
inn an aggregate Of 49, 000 lfw this ht
converted into cereal grain could be estimated at
than 900 900 bushels. Add this 10 the Eastern exemption
of S33 000000 ard hnve total Eastern exemption o
80 900 600 bushels Now S21S 600 Eastern capital
enjoy an exemption Of 00000o0 bushels the pr"pnr
lion will give the sl3S 100000 Western capital cxGmp
ton less than 20 900 00U bushels ahnnt i50O0 bushels
less than their actual exemption Thus IL IL shown, iha
the West enjoys greater advantage Than the East from hs
exemption OF agricultural productions which is made the
foundation of their argument in favor OF The exemption OF
| live stock
MT pRcE of Grccnbria rose inquire Of the Chairman
of the Committee OF Finance where lie located the dividing
line between the East and Wes'2
Mr GoopE-lt is obvious from the statistics adrced TIA
locate that limo the top Of the Blue Ridge. is equal
" obvious o the inerrogatoy OF The gentleman that nc
doe. not recognise The Blue Ridge the dividing line
between the East and Wcs That kcro sagacous and
sdc.te gentleman espcs diversity Of interest ls qnes
on in tho tract of county West Of the Blue Ridge, ant
the instinct of self interest," true and strong as tho lnstnc
of hunger locates that diversity of interest the SUNNI
of The Allegheny chcerfuy and promptly respond to t'
suggestion aud invite the representatives Of the Valley ucS
famine Into te policy Of e1cin5g live stock from t7saNh
thereby creating the necessity Of throwing increased a'
upon land OF the cattle tax, AIcehany mnS 'a'
her jus, proportion and 10 Than her ust rro2r''an
The Valley and tho Eas with fTtns shany VII rac'
bear its rsabc part CT The cattle as But il live s'cf "
exempted md the OF that tax thrown on land then N!
Valley will contribute al the rate n the average vac o' NE
land which is S. l3 per whilst Allegheny vii
con1rihae n, the rate s. 05 per acre. the value
their land Can the Valley find its interest in such af
expedien,2
But the gentleman evidently has in contemplation Inc va
rying condition u The Valley and A!eghany In con
nc1ion with agricultural producton-ent viii mol decih
investigation Of that topic If there be any part 81 'h
State having peculiar interest in agricultural exemptions
il is The Valley In 1850 the entire Commonwealth prodn
ced 10000 0U0 busts OF wheat and fraction; OF wEcl
the Valley counties produced about bushels oias
more than Third Of The whole Ana there were esh
counties In the lowe. Valley. all adjacent one anc.el
which produced wheat than any esh, counties o. Las
Virginia taken spar:.m, and scattered over our w
/ area. With all these facts before them submit 10 the Gc
gates from the Valy whether they perceive the necessl
ty of taxing agricultural productions or OF cxemptlns '
| stock
an very ready TO receive another Interruption The gen
snan from Geenbrer has another question 10 propound.
| now pass TO other phases of this question. trust
have disabused the Western mind the motive IN wnct
Il in Iha ltnmuitlee ~