Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-12-20

while poll tax is imposed on both male and female
slaves and the period of taxation begins nine years
earlee and continues five years longer the latter
Thus it viii appear, that, by taxing both sexes the
amount of revenue collected from the slaves
is double the amount collected white polls, in
proportion to the entire popuation Of the two races
and the difference in the duration of the period for
which they are taxed, is equivalent to hundred
per cent more 1t is therefore obvious, that in pro-
pe ton 10 the whole number of each race, the poll
tax paid on slaves is three times as much as that
paid on the white population So it will be found
that this provision of the Constitutio has imposed
tax on slaves in the two fold character of persons
and property and that an ad raIorem tax cannot be
imposed on that species of estate
And will the Senator forget that large num-
Der of the landholders, some who own the larger
amount have not the protection, he seeks for them,
not having quite 90 acres of land; that favore quail
ificaton of the Senator? But do not propose to
argue the Free Suffrage question. 1t has hereto
fore been better done by others and particularly by
the late Governor upon whose message the Senator
has commented, without i'll my mind any sufficient
answer. The people have decided this question and
it to that they will view with listst the
actions of those who introduce questions to de-
feat it.
Bat the Senator ayoys himself against legiSla-
tive amendments Ii is true the Senator did not de-
pict in glowing colors the utter incompetency of
legislators to make amendments to the Constitution
as his AGO tLt-bs-sWcctas0r did last summer but he
too talked about mutilatng the Constitution by
amen lnlentS IN that mode lie did call it either
an anti-rcpubican mode, as the address to which
have alluded substantially does. But do you want
deliberation? do you want investigation, careful
consideration in the alteration of your organic law
Do you want to exclude log-rolling in making or
altering Constitutions frequently the bane of legs-
ation? Do you want to exclude sectional strife and
| contention Then you have wise provision in
your Constitution to attain all these ends
Well let what the Senator proposes bv his
Convention if he could get it called. He says he has
no objection to Free Suffrage, if you will couple
with it some other clause protecting the andholders
| all hn that ~
willing to let the clause about capaton tax stand
is he in favor of abolishing that clause atogetf-
err? Well what next? He spoke of electing the
Judges and Justices of the Peace and other State
officers in different way than that now provided
for Does he desire that? lie did not say. Are
there any other alterations proposed? The basis he
says Is to remain unchanged. 1.-The is against elect
ing the State Officers differently infer he tx then
for what does he want Convention. to pay the
"prtntsrs bill" of which he speaks, and other e.
peaces not included IL the printers 6ixs II results
i'll this that he is 'oiHing to go for Free Suffrage
coupled with some clause protecting the landno.-
ders against unreasonable ercEi0ns and this is about
the sum OF his wishes as understand him And is the
State of North Carolina to be agated is the strife
engendered for many long years before 1885 to be
again stimulated, have the bitter excite
ment which preceded the Convention of 1885 again.
and for what? Because of the fear entertained by
the Senator, that if Free Suffrage PASSES without
some other security for landholders there is danger
to them? Why the iantlholdrrs pay not one fourth
of the aggregate of taxes, and il be seriously
supposed that the representatives of the people paw
ing on other subjects of taxation the other three
fourihs with lanliiolders, who make up the aggre-
CRATE, will be induced to single out the land, and
place upon it &" unreasonable exactions?' And are
VIC to have new element in this agitation to dis
tract and disturb the feeling naturally arising that
to attain the end in view, the Constitution is tran
pted doon Has any great emergency arisen to re-
quire revolution Entertaining therefore the opin-
ion do, that the measure of the Senator is wrong
and unconstitutional in principle that it is aogcth-
er calculated to stir up strife without yielding any
benefit or advantage to the State, conclude by
earnestly repeating my protest against this rerolu-
ti0nGry nOrement