The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-01-17
No. 1870.

/ thS ASANAuht'N lhNcShEtf lCf
Gently communicated to the Legisla-
ture, il is said, the time will come when
it will be matter Of profound asto-
nishment," that this requirement of
freehold qualification in voters fer the
Senate everhada place in the Constitu-
tion; that it is founded on the SUPPOSE
tion "that the people are politically cor.
rupt, "and that fifty acres ofland endows
its owner with knowledge, virtue, or
! patriotism, for the excise OF the elective
I franchise. Now, sir, all this is so COM
plete peryersion Of the objectand de-
sign of the provision in question, and
so gross a reflection upon the trainers
Of the Constitution, to whom we are
indebted for so much of liberty as we
have enjoyed, since throwing off the
dominion Of the British crown, as well
as upon the people Of the State who
re-adopted this obnoxious qualification
in 1885, that we have far more reason
to be astonished at finding such re-
marks in an Executive communication
to the Legislature, than the author has
at the requirement Of the Constitution.
Whether this requirement be right or
wrong, moderate acquaintance with
the history of the country and the Con-
stitution will remove all ground for
ast0nishment OF the kind anticipated,
and relieve our ancestors from the un,
just lmputation Of having devised and
transmitted to US a Constitution which
implies that the people are political
ly corrupt" and the absurdity Of hay-
ing supposed that the possession Of
land rendered man a wiser or better
citizen.
Sir, it is fact Of history, too well
known to require repetition, that the
provision Of the constitution, requiring
this House Of the Legislature to be
elected by owners of property in land,
was intended to be defensive in its ma
ture, and to check the hand of taxation
on property by mere numbers. II i'm.
piled no qualities, moral or inteIlectu-
al, in the landhoIder superior to him
who was landless, but was designed as
protection against the imposition Of
unjust burthens in supporting govern
ment by those not having common
interest. Our ancestors who gave us
the constitution Of l776, and went
through struggle Of seven years Of
fire aud blood to maintain it, were not
more remarkable for their love of liber.
ty, than a jealousy, amounting to a
dread, OF taxation. Not to recur to
the times Of King John or the first
Charles, they had IN vivid recollection
the stamp act and the tea tax; and the
occasion for forming constitution
arose out of the fact that they had
gone TO war with Britain upon the ques-
tion Of taxation without representation.
They were unwilling that Parliament
elected BY their fellow subjects in the
mother country, should impose taxes
on them, and resisted to death strug.
gle. The Colossus Of English ltera-
ture IN that day, DR.. Johnson, it is
true, undertook TO prove to them in an
elaborate pamphlet, that taxation was
no tyranny, but without success. They
would not believe him. And when
they came to regulate this important
power Of taxation among their fellow
citizens at home, what did they do ?
In the bill Of rights they declared
That the people Of this State ought
not to be taxed or made subject To the
payment ol any impost or duty, with>
out the consent OF themselves or their
representatives in General Assembly
freely given" What kind Of General
Assembly is here meanti The same
constitution of which this bill of rights
is but part, informs Us. 1t was
General Assembly composed Of Sc
nate chosen by ireeholders, and a
House Ot Commons chosen by free
men. Such was the origin Of this re-
quircment OF the constitution. You
may call it, if YOU please, unequal and
unjust, but its end and aim was 10 pro-
tect men in the fruits Of their indus
try, or IN their acquisitions from the
industry Of their ancestors, against ex.
actions for government, imposed by
those who were not liable to the same
species Of taxation. Sir, | have said
that our Fathers were distinguished
not more BY love Of liberty than
jealousy against taxation. Indeed, ac-
cording to their ideas, no system uf Ii.
berty was complete which did not give
security To property BY constitutional
guarantees. | proceed now to show
that this characteristic descended 10
|, their posterity, at least as FAR down
as 1885, when, although the consti-
tuition underwent extensive mudiiica.
tiOns, this protection tO landed proper.
~ against taxes, unless imposed With
the consent Ot landholders through
. their representatives in one branch Of
, the General Assembly, was carefully
retained, and another great subject Of
property was taken under the prOtcc.
ton 0l the constitution against taxa
tiOn at the will of The Legislature.
. Yes, sir, IN the caIlsOf that convention,
fhra., fhInrs tyara sfinut4FnI r.,. Y E,n