Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-02-02
AID VALOREM TAXATION.
Extracts from the Message Of Co., Reid to tho Legis-
tature Of North Carolina, at the Session com.
xnencin0 October 1052 s.-', ~.

Extracts from the Message Of Co., Reid to tho Legis.
tGture Of North Carolina, at tho Session COM
naencing October, 1852.
For many years the demands upon the Treasury
were so limited that but little attention was paid
to the subject of taxation Of late years, Internal
Improvements and other public objects have in
creased the expenditures, and our financial system
has assumed more important aspect. 1t will be
perceived, that of the $157,137 II tax, paid into
the Treasury in 1851, $s7, O59 80 was collected on
land and town property; $S6, 1873 OF on polls:
$25. 007 81 on interest tax; and $12S22 81 on
store tax; amounting in the aggregate to the sum
Of Sill, 1922 81, paid into the Treasury on these
principal items of taxation and SAC, 014 g. paid
in on all others. The land and poll tax amounted
to $73, 1872 80. The tax for county purposes is
collected entirely on land and polls and the amount
paid into the Public Treasury on these two items
is small when compared with the tax paid for coun
ty purposes. We have no returns to show the
amount of County tax collected in the State 1t
is believed, however, that not more than twenty
per cent of the whole amount collected on land
and polls, goes into the Public Treasury, and l
have based the estimate of the average amount
paid on land accordingly. An examination into
the existing revenue laws viii show that the pres
ent system operates very unequally. At present,
$1,000, loaned at interest, pays $50 cents while
$1,000, boarded, against the public convenience
and public policy, pays nothinsa at all $1,000 in
vested in land, pays 800 cents 7kle $1,000 invest
ed in trade asbt 100 cents unjust dserm
As general rule, it is believed that the tax up
on the estate of each person should be in proper
ton its value subject to such exceptions only as
circumstances and fundamental principles may JUS
tify. Inasmuch as property on the one hand ought
not to be made the test of public privilege neither
on the other ought the absence of property to
exempt the person from bearing an equitable share
of the public burden. Therefore it is thought just
and proper to impose captation tax. Slaves are re-
garded to some extent as both persons and proper
stitution which ought not to be departed from,
defines the power of legislation upon this subject:
"sECTIoN ILL.,
/. Capitation tax shall be equal throughout the
State upon all individuals subject to the same
g. All free males over the age of twenty -one
years, and under the age of forty-fve years, and
all slaves over the age of twelve yeas and under
the age of fifty years, shall be subject to capitation
tax and 10 other person shall be subject to such tax
provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent
exemptions of taxable polls heretofore prescribed
by law in cases of bodily infrmity."
1t WILDE seen that slave property, must form an
exception in framing system of ad ralorcm tax
alton White males alone subject to poll-tax,
while a poll7tax is imposed on both male and fe-
male slaves, and the period of taxation commences
nine years earlier and continues five years longer.
Thus twill appear that by taxing both sexes the
amount of revenue collected from the tax on slaves
is double the amount collected on white polls, in
proportion to the population of the two races; and
the difference in the duration of the period for
which they are taxed is equivalent to one hundred
per cent more. It is therefore obvious that in pro-
portion to the whole number of each, the poll-taz
paid on the slaves is three times as much, as the
potax on the white population. So it will be
found that this provision in the Constitution has
imposed tax on slaves in the two-fold character
of persons and property, and that an I'D raloren
tax cannot be imposed on that species of estate.
Persons and property being the principal objects
of taxation, they should bear fair and Just rela
ton to each other, in system of revenue. 1t is
believed that, after excepting slaves, each persons
estate, real and personal including money, wheth
er at interest or not ought to be taxed alike,
ding to value. This would require every person
her estate, and would cqualize the public burden
between the various classes, upon principles of jus
tice. I know of no better rule to ascertain thu
ability of the owner to pay, or the degree of pro
lection his estate requires from government, thar
by resorting to the actual value of such estate
This system need not interfere with taxing Ger
as is now done. Such persons as do not posses
personal estate to the value Of one hundred ant
fifty dollars, ought to be exempt from property tax
| and exemption Of like amount might be made il
favor of all others. A system Of revenue baset
upon these principles, is recommended to the favora
| Nble consideration of the General Assembly. -