Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-02-16
The Standard.
LEGISLATURE OF NORTH CAhoLlNA.
MaNnAY. Feb. Z, 1859.
CENATE

Reports from committees were presented by
Messrs. Donnel and Battle
Mr. Ward submitted the report Of the joint select
committee on Neuse River Navigation Company.
Ordered to he printed
message was sent to the House proposing to pro
hibit all but members and officers Of the Assembly
from entering the room of the engrossing clerks.
On motion of Mr.. Boyd, message was sent to
the House proposing to raise two committees on en-
rolled bills.
NEW BILLS.
Mr.. Donnell introduced bill to amend the 9th
sec. Odd chap. Revised Code. Referred.
Mr. Mills bill to authorize the sureties OF f. L.
Allen late Sheriff of Polk, to collect arrearages OF
taxes. Also referred
BILLS on THEIR THIRD HEADING
The bill relative to public road in Dave and
Davidson. and bridge across the fadkin river,
passed it's third reading. Also
The bill to protect purchasers at judicial sales and
The bill to incorporate the Tennessee Valley
Turnpike Company
REvENrE BILL.
A motion of Mr. Ramsay's to pos pone the con-
sideraion of the Revenue hill i'll tomorrow at 10
O'Clock, and motion of Mr. Pools to postpone till
8 o'clock P NJ were rejected.
The consideration of the bill was then proceeded
with
The LIST I'd, and Sd sections were agreed 20.
Mr. Leach novel a tc hnical objection to the
4th which was rejected after debae.
The 9Th, 9th and 18th were agreed to without op
position.
The ninth was then amended, to CORES onl with
the 9Th
Mr. Edncy moved to amend the 10th section.
Rejected.
The 18th and 18th were adort"d.
Mr. Edney moved to strike out the 18th. Re-
jected
The 14th and 18th were adopted without debate
Mr. Ednev moved to amend the 10th to allow an
appeal from the boards of valuation to the cO'rts
Rejected.
THE foregoing amendments were all technical
and of no public interest
Section % brought the Senate to sche ule \.
Mr. Worth moved to strike out of clause |
twenty cents" and insert 'Hcen cents" as the tax
on each 300 of real property. the ground Of IN
equality as between land and slaves. lfany dis
crimnation was to be made it should lie against
slaves Nearly half of the slave property paid
nothing-all kinds of land were taxed. 5000 worth
of land paid twice much tax rs slave worth
that amount. He protested against this
Mr. Leach, as one of the finance committee sail
that the sum named in the bill was compromise.
The committee thought it Was the best that could
be done.
Mr. Edney complained that the Senate was com
PEELED to move in the dark-they had no informa-
ton as to the purposes for which the revenue was
to he raised, except as to slG0oG0 for the sinking
fund. 1t was hard upon his people to he called
upon to pay this tax. seeing they had received Moth
ing in the shape of improvements. He. as one OF
their representatives. unwilling to subscribe to
any tax bill while this was the case. The proposed
tax on land was monSrOus proposition considering
how land had gone up in value.
Mr.. Leach said the committee had nil the infor-
nation before them upon which to base revenue
bill. Not cent more called for than was me-
cessary during the next two wears. .Atter taxing
every species Of property to the utmost they found
themselves $25 600 behind the estimate. and th V
had been compelled to make this up by reducing the
sum for the sinking fund to $4,000.
Mr.. Steele said the revenue WAS required t" NEE!
the liabilities of the State As t, Mr. Ednev'S COM
plants and those of Mr. Worth. he said the tax on
land had been raised on the last revenue hill hut
33s. while that on slaves had gone up G6, AMI they
were not satifed at that. EIe Mr.. s. wo Id vote
for the bill in whatever shane it passed the Senate.
In reference to the discrimination between land and
slaves, he disagreed with Mr.. Worth. One rcr
mancnt property the other moi So-land won.l
not die or take wings and fly fom the State H.
contcnded land ought TO bear muh taxation as
any other species Of property. and if il were re-
duecd to Is cents, slaves would have to b. put up
to 81 or 1925
Mr. Edney conten,cd that the Increase nf 33L or
land would increase the revenue to $3.50 600 nsteaf
Of $5nnh0. in consequence of the increase in value
The addition Of G6 on slaves was not SIT IF t.
this as one-third Of them was exempt from taxation
Negroes were the most valuable species If property
in the State-a large portion of the land yicl.e'
nothing
Mr.. Pitchfori asked what portion of untaSel re
groes Welded ANYTHING to the owner?
Mr.. E!ncy, the young and the old pay nothing
Mr.. Ptchford. And Weld nothing to the owner
Mr.. Edncy had seen an untaxed negro sell f.
$1,000. lie continued his remarks on the ne1ual
ty between land and negroes. The committee ha,
not considered the matter fully As the represcr
tative of his people he would not submit to thi
heavy tax on land
Mr. Steele sent there to legiSlate for the Stat
and to protect her interests and honor without re
gard to how his constituents might specially !,
affected. If Mr.. Edney's people had never gotte
any thin- from the State it would not absose then
from their obligations to her. There were ohc
Senators about him whose constituents had not re
cescd even spoonful. hut Mr.. Edncy's had rccei,
Ell something. The Western n. c. Road was somt
thing, and there Runcombe Turnpike he ha
heard Of He, Nr 81 was aware tax bills wer
not popular; but if every Senator was to sh-in
from fear of dcma.ocues at home. the State wOIl
be driven to Reputation. Mr. Edney was in errO
as to his imaginary amount from the revenue bill
The list not too high for the wants of the Stat,
Strike it down to the level cf the last revenu
bill, he said, and demands would b. made npon tn
treasury in vain. IIe (Mr. s. knew this bill wou1
be unpopular in his section of the State-hc knc
he would I've met with the cry of taking the PEI
ple;' but if he could not represent his people b
doing what he believed essential to save the cred
Of the State, he did not desire to renresent tn
all. The people were honest however, and won
pay their debts.
Mr.. Leach replied to Mr. Edney. II he had n
the necessary information the committee could n
help that-they had
Mr. Cowper said the committee had laborel fat
fully in this matter They had met twice a d;
and late at night for several weeks. and had Civ,
the matter full and careful consideration. and Il
present bill was the best that could be DONE
reference to the tax on land it was his opinion I,
lands Of the State were much underrated IF t
amendment were adopted it would strike eff ST.
600 from the revenue. His impression was that t
bill as it came from the House would hardly raj
Oh forf bo Ii I