Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-03-23

SAY ia; t, Highest constitutional tribunal known
laws ia a",r decided ha ht sp;:ir and plain n;ou
| shoU.i prevail the siiic; letter "f the law.
he h1rcd hr had satisfied The /! usc that inc erns the
si!. lie reason, the plain n!cnt ct &c constitution %cTf
against this aS and IL should cntcasur, 5r!o'e taa!ng HI:
so thai the effects und qacncs were Suci ns
10 deter every member from ckag step trnugt Win 81
much mischief and iEliscc. Our constitution IS NOT ikt
the constitution ocr0yee which IS co'ridrei as coEac
between the people the side and The ruling race and
dynasty The n!!c1, whether noniaiv made a. contract
granted by tile monarch but prescribed rs general rules
which have been settled and expressed such go as to limit
the of those authority that they may not make I'M
proper and dangerous OF II. Unless We keep "!'h
these limits the constitution may be interpreted so ne 10
feet anything but that for which II was established Nn
ought not TO exercise doubtful powers resort 10 eYrara
CANT construction because contract between The people
large; and ought be mindful that every such
construction may he but the beginning Of fearful !nroSds
Let us all remember that nothing favorable [" that
great essential Of all civil liberty the protection Of intivd
us rights ms close Interpretation and construction Or
ton under the rs constitution may be relied rpon and otcd
ny future assemblies; and all vino snow md feel the pc" o.
I'll: authority of the principle OF stare deeiss in p tcs,
nunh pause before exercising doubtful Was
Just aud did il advance tho wcltnre of the Stltc He was no
believer IL higher law but the Chinese ckno Wedge
III their sacred books the princis ".alus popu suprcmu
ier Tie practical ought TO make laws Tor Ihe
advantage benefit and welfare of It's citizens This tax
would be oppressive unjust and Offensive 10 tie largest
and greatest interest In the State. Physical prosperity high
pcee good wages md douishing spnercc are some OF
the concomant Eas Of real public welfare all OF which
will be greatly oppressed and injured BY II.
National weah Is made up Of individual wealth. Let The
Government show fair play and equal justice 10 oil parties and
then the interests Of individuals will not De al war with each
ohs and the interest OF tho Government TO great extent
Unidentified with ths, Of individuals The Government ought
10 distribute lis burthens equally amongst lis czens aud
allow the interests of portion Of The community
oppess those Of another The farmers do not complain,
when lhsv are required provide their Just proportion for
ha unavoidable cxiqencies Of The State bat they will COM
nn when the Government lays taxes the assessed value
o their land saves horses and mules their property that
yields income in the form of agricultural producls, which
you propose The profits of tho farmer, Is
the gain by the sale OF these products after dcductng tho
value Of the labor ren md all expenses together win The
interest of The capital employed whether land, machinery,
buildings implements money Slaves that constitute the
labor Of the larmer nre now taxed Sbi 9l 70, hna aha
s253 09 6l of this there TO- $50 acres mpored lying
nmos entirely in section of the State The value Of
farming implements and machinery In Virginia, amounts 10
5U2 G55 which, under tho new SYSTEM VIII be taxed ac-
cOrdng value Deduct all these expenses values and IN.
tcrcsts, machinery implements and Improvements 10 the
soil and the gain will be the pross with which he wi have
meet this tax. And under This system OF ta1aon his
land md his negroes his capital md labor will have The
burhens increased them at least 20 per cent BY Inc
the cities and Trans Allegheny Will be sssened,
and those agriculture of the East and the Valley
greatly increased The agricultural capital OF upwards OF
$500 COO would have 10 bear burhens in the form
OF increased taxes; of these new taxes hr' eIhs wonn a
agriculture Vas not this enough u satsiy gentlemen
without desiring further onprcss this lnrgc class IN our
community VINO rule the storm OF mighty wars-who, con-
stitue The true 9cnd um diadnnlng little deiicacies
ly 10 the plough, and lay deep tho foundation on "hch
rests all othsr interests, which give life and spirit 10 the
body polite They what they get by the sweat Oh hcr
brow and do pass hc lives in fountains and ON now
ers and know the weight Of human hours 1t might
otherwise but for The heavy burthens oil government
Will you increase them by laying this tax on their income
this OF taxation He believed that the East would pay
more taxes horses than the Hest-becauso oi their
greater value hereand on every other KIND oil proper eH
ccp, perhaps cae and he would not be much surprised II
the East did not pay a5 much On that Item or Inc same fea
son.
nid unequay the different divisions OF the State ie
Eas, paid scvenenhs of the taxes. He thought The West
ough: be satisfied with that! But 1t Ia now proro'ei n
ay high tax on 5l6990 bushels Of wheat IS, ,535 as2
bushels OF indian corn 5656492 pounds Of tobacco and
other products OF the arm because cattle were not eSept7
from taxation Why were they not exempted rom a2atoh
VIC told by almost every speaker from the "est Tor II
ss the bur,hen OF their song; give them change OF the
basis and should be laid equally a and 'sj nontu
with an air Of triumph to their thousands Of doars invest
at in their thousands OF cattle which should pay tax ac:
rording their value, and thereby relieve inc oppe6s,u
East OF portion Of its blrhens Now that they nave a
compshed their wishes they propose to lay taxes on ag
cultural products He contened that their confessions and
promises part of the ge'te, and that they were
now estnpped from claiming this exemption OF tax from
about S20000000 of their capital. 1t wae just tax
Ii A had $1,000 invested in horses and c had the
same invested in CATTLE lie could see no good reason
why AS horses should be taxed and Cs cattle exempted
1t capital and such should be taxed Some gentle
men had argued that cattle agricultural products he
could believe they serious 1t they were products
OF the SOIL because they live the products OF the soil then
by that system Of reasoning they could prove all animals
agricultural products and man an on An OK Vea
agricultural products man lived on agricultural pro-
ducts and therefore man was an OK ~
The geaIleman's syogsns contained ialacy Inc
He. could Justly complsn The Valley had less cap
al invested in agriculture Than the East and reference
was had lial .act the exemptions oI agricultural pro-
ducts would be beneficial TO them lhan Inc Last ~
therefore particularly oppressive To the East and inc
Valley except the cities. Nehavc been iecc 50 long MA
have almost used 10 It, bu: as this Is to ars"1
for years they had some fear les they might lose sohf
n their skin. Judging from the Instructions whicn ly
were preparing ior Shepherd and the which
exhibited hold Of the flock, re EIust con
frs that he expected ~ scc the wool ny hut hoed thel
would
"A moderation keep
King. ought 10 shear, not skin tstir 5hae2
II Is not proposed Cypress with tax the capital aad in.
same ns,icc7 Why should they select for their venomet
sworn tho tlers Of tho SOIL the hardy husbandmen who
constitute the materials that conquer the world VICTORIOUS
in var iaborous peace, despises of solh prepared
rau the bloodess harvest of the sickle after having
that OF the sword for the benefit OF the insect tTioes ONE
trades the beings Of summers day II tax Is 10 De a
on capital and income let fail like the dcws OF Heaven
nike on the hends Of ALL He believed that if capital J.
taxed income should be exempt and II Income Is fax'a
capital should be exempt ANY other mode g" taxation "ou
not only be unconstitutional but most unjust tax on th
assessed value of land agricultural products
The value OF Eastern lands depended on their capacity
prduce their convenience market md all other ndvana
gcs These considerations control the assessor in fixing he
value The price of agricultural products depends upon I'M
cost of production hai is the wages OF labor and the pohl
on the capa expended by the farmer The owness ot wage
md the profits caused by the pro2ress OF capital a p"
ulaan will oil commodities 10 ta In price, WIN IN
exception of agricultural products Hence this TAX WIN o
moro oneous agricultural products than manufactures
an will continue with the progress OF ime ax upoi
the income ard capital OF any other usness, will mol
half as onetuus the poor, labornG f1rmer as ms
The possible happiness Of society !, attained by 10
surng TO every nnn, tho greatest possible q"anu.y .
the produce of his labor Instead Of depressing labor
this tax will do let rather raise the advantage attached
| il the grcaes possible height =,
There cannot be prices in the samo mnrKcf and IN
boo, man with his poor land lnbos under disadvantage
enough already without increasing them The products
the farm being Of pesabc nature arc sold oil a soon
possibe invested In capital which s taxed Line AM
other fertilizers purchased for the purpose OF being use
on the nnd from which tho income derived by which 10
value Of land is enhanced and with II the aI Tie DC
eycd that would be odos in the eyes ot the people
as the foeluree benevcencss and forced loans OF kdwar
the " By which he obtained fifth Of the realm I'M
great interest had knocked the door OF Is GENERA
Assembly year after year. and peoned fo' email poor
which had been denied without hearing, and 10 now pro
noscd by the cities and the grazing interest oil The STATE
make them do tho work Of the camel and common carrier
un.l they could obtain, from thsr hard earnings, IN
mems suffcien, 10 build their splendid lines
ImpTovements,-to paw for reservoirs 10 hold u
dsws and wators OF Henven-hydrnulic rsms TO or!n
|, from The plains beneath, and balloons To carly
10 the summit level Of Ihsir Gatilo covered MOUNTAINS
ronnac, lhem by of the wafer ilns in irlssouo
lies Iay this tax and can't they sny:
Nlar is II iaxes r.e or Ialt
ThenEs mono al aH'
lie, mursworns Who in dirty acres d.a
Larsrt those ha ardshps 80 ccnaot ies' ,s
E,,.a .au.bo. o.rr hr