Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-01-26
clause taxing dirks, bowie knives and pistols, was
under discussion when the House adjourned

TUESDAY, Jan. 1S, 1859.
SENATE.
The Senate was called to order at 10 o'clock:
Reports from committees were presented by
Messrs Edney and Lane
NEW BUSINESS
The following bills and resolutions were introduce
ed and appropriately referred:
BY Mr. Ashe, a bill to incorporate the Dawson
Steamboat Company.
Mr.. Poole, bill to amend the 29th Sec 45th chap.
Revised Code.
Mr. Lane bill concerning mortgages and deeds
of trust.
Mr.. Mcdonald, bill to punish thieves.
Mr.. Lane resolutions in favor Of Elisha Holland
and Lib nezer Combs.
Mr.. Pitchford, resolution in favor of VIM. j. W.
Crowder.
Lists of magistrates were received from the House
for the counties of Davidson, Caldwell, Caswell,
Currituck, Johnston, Wayne, Edgecombe, Burke
and Richmond. Concurred in.
BILLS &C., ON SECOND READING
The resolution relative to prison charges for poor
debtors was laid on the table, Provides that where
such debtor declines refuses to be discharged af
ter 30 days, the creditor shall be released from his
support
SINKING FUND.
The bill to increase the sinking fund was next
taken up Provides that on or before the 10th
October, the public treasurer shall pay into the
hands of the commissioners of said fund $3.50, 900,
exclusive of sums already pledged to it. The COM
mittee on finance reported an amendment reducing
the proposed sum to 100000. Subsequently the
committee reconsidefed the matter and authorized
Mr.. Bledsoe to withdraw the amendment which
was done.
Mr. Ashe said it was proposed to raise $3.50, 900
exclusive of the sums subjected to the order Of
the commissioners. The Raleigh and CASTOR road
yielded a handsome sum to this fund and the North
Carolina road it confidently believed would pay
something into the treasury in year or two. 1t
was too much to tax the people to this amount, and
he considered it was unnecessary. The sum pro-
posed, compounded, would pay the State debt long
before it was due. He moved to postpone the mat
ter till Friday.
Mr. Bledsoe said Mr.. Ashe was quite mistaken in
his figures. He (Mr. B. had made the calculation,
and nothing short of $4,000 would meet the debt
If the n. G. road should pay in year two, this
amount could easily be reduced. But it should be
borne in mind that in three four years the State
debt might be expected to amount to eleven or
twelve millions of dollars. This should be provid-
ed for; at no other time would so small sum be
sufficient.
Mr. Thomas said this provision for meeting the
State debt was predicated the idea of total fail
ure of our works of internal improvement. But
the history of all other works of similar kind
showed that this could not be so. When the works
were completed, it might fairly be presumed they
would be worth fifty cents in the dollar, and they
could be sold for that if necessary to pay the
debts of the State.
Mr.. Bleisoe asked if every particle of the States
stock were sold to day. or in four years, would it
pay third of the State debt?
Mr.. Thomas cited figures to prove his answer
The State had now invested about ten millions in
these works If our system of improvements were
connected with the through travel of the country
J,l<
ation Give him an importantly and he would
prove this.
a vote which had been taken on the amendment
of the finance committee reconsdered and the
subject postponed for the special order
On motion of Mr.. Edney the bill to regulate the
militia was made the special order for Thursday
| next
ADvALOREM TAXATION.
The bill to amend the constitution as to estab-
| lish the advalOrcm system of taxation being the
special order for II o'clock, was proceeded WITH
the question being on the amendment of Mr.. Cor
rcll, providing for free and open convention.
| MIR. Gorrell said he desired to arrive at the same
point aimed at by Mr.. Bledsoe in the bill, but by
different means. Mr.. Blcdsoe for lcgslating on
| the constitution and on one point He, (ir Go
thought there were many points equally as impor-
tant as that proposed by the bill and to reach these
he did not desire to travel out of the established
usages Of the great AngoSaxon race The constit,l-
ton of l776 placed restriction on the taxation of
slaves. 1t gave the light to tax them as high as
whites or hgher-to tax them without taxing the
withstand to tax the whites without taxing them.
This bar was established in 1885 He showed by
figures the contrast between the amount of taxation
then and now. And after dwelling on this, he ask
| ell If land was to be loaded down with the heavy
burden of our present debt while slaves were to be
allowed 60 pass with comparatively no taxes on
| them? He used figures again from the Comptrollers
reports to show the number slaves and the amount
of revenue derived from them. He estimated the
value of taxable blacks at $1,000 EACH At that val
uaton this species of property amounted in value to
one hundred millions of dollars. Of the amount of
! taxes this property had paid but 1-2Oth of per
cent, while land had paid fifteen per cent He val
ued the untaxed negroes at sixty-eight millions Of
dollars, and said that since 1885, or before not one
cent Of taxation had been paid on them-that $34,
600 per annum, estimated as above, might have been
realized from this untaxed property.
MIR. Gorrell would like to separation of taxa
ton between whites and blacks. He would 20 far.
ther and would like to see all the tax taken off free
white men. 1t amounted to but So, 900. North
Carolina, he said, stands alone amongst the south
ern States, in imposing capitation tax free white
men-except, perhaps, Alabama. He cited the
States in which the adyalorem system obtained
And even Alabama began to tax negroes at years
old As they increased in value the tax went up
they reached manhood, and then as they de-
creased in value the tax descended as it had ncreas
ed till old age came on, when they we're not taxed
at all. There was something like justice in that, he
thought.
Mr.. G. next alluded to the abuses now growing
out of the constitution, and referred to last amend
ment-frce suffrage. All free white men were al
lowed to vote for Senators, yet the man without
land was not entitled to the floor to which
he had the power to elevate another: and when hi
sent Senator to that hall, the Senator was bount
by his oath to put tax upon the head of the mar
who sent him there and let nearly two hundred mil
lions of property 60 almost untaxed. He contendet
that free and open convention was the proper
means of amending the constitution. He had NJ
doubt but free suffrage had cost much as the con
vcntion of 1885. He regarded such means as EN-
ployed to obtain that as more expensive and mucl
slower The people, too did not elect members t.
the Legislature to alter the constitution They fire
. | ailnntlN tharo 2 IA.