Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1859-04-01

5TON, NORI'-II- CA II
ma. IF the Institution Of slavery has
suffered in Georgia, Tennessee and fisgzz
da, by being taxed 0I galoroaa, how So
it suffer in North Carolina by being fas
in the same way # the institution g
suffersin IN this State, those alone will BE
sponsible for the injury it sustainss ~
insist upon making distinction betWes
slaves and other propertY-the ineyAa
result Of which will be, the alienatina 4
non-slaveholders from if, and tie passsH
dering Of prejudice IN tlael fn5Ilds Co ~ ]
s.
But, Mr.. Speaker, If slave ownersswon]ef
consult their real interest, or yield to the
impulse Of a generous patrotism rather
than the suggestions OF q blind avarico and
step forward and voluntarily surrender
discrimination, the benefits Of which they
have enjoyed at the expense o. their less
favored neislbors since 1885, the institu
ton ofslavery would be stronger in North
Carolina than it has ever been since the or
ganization Of the government. SlaYe-oWn-
eGs, therefore, should be the most Jealous
advocates Of the passage of this bill: for
as soon as the restriction is removed from
the constitution, and slave property is re-
duced to an equality with all the other
property Of the State, every man who owns
property Of any kind and claims the right
to hold it and the protection OF the gov
ernmcnt over it, becomes Interested IN
slaves as property, and IS bound by self
interest, as well as the law OF the land, to
protect slaves as property under any emer-
gency which may arise. II then, the IN
stitution Of slavery will be strengthened
by making slave property contribute to
the support Of the government, in proper
ton to its value as property, and by inter-
esting In that way every non'sluve holder
in It's protection; aud Il on the other hand
it Will be weakened by their owners claim
ing protection over slaves rs 5}roDelfy and
| insisting Oh taxing them only Us persons,
thereby making q distinction between
slaves and other property, and thus alien
ating from. and prcilldicing aganst i the
entire non-slaveholding population, who /
ask, Mr. Speaker, will prove 70 be the best
friends to the institutions Of the Soath,
those who advocate or those who oppose
the passage of the bill under discussion .
/ charge no North Carolinian with being
=
certainly those who insis that slaves shala
be-taxed as persons only, and aot as prop-
erty, have practically admitted the truth
Of tie Abolition and Black Republican,
doctrine, tha5 slaves are persons and not
| property abandoned fheirserongest ground
OF defence against the assaults OF the Abo-
ligionists and Alack Republicans"
The seventh objection to altering the
/ constitution, Mr.. Speaker, is, that 5he Las5
/ I'll pay too Dlvch tor j. tha Systeua q tat-
| ut<ol aI caz rem Is aa1pted-
Those WHO raise the objection, seem not
10 understand, or fail to appreciate, the
Justice and equality Of the principle. In
| its practical application, no citizen would
| be called upon tc pay tax on more proper
| ty than he owned, and on none over which
| he did not claim the protection Of the gov
ernment. II every man paid tax only on
what he was worth, on the value OF his es-
tate, certainly no one would have just
cause OF complaint; and no liberal or pa
trio5ic citizen would complain, whether lie
was an eastern or western man worth SI0,-
/ 900 each, pay the same amount OF tax
into the public treasury, fer the support Of
| the government and the payment of the
public debt, how can it be made to appear
| that the East viii pay more than IS just
and equitable share OF the expenses OF a
| government atfording equal protection to
the citizens and property of the East and
! the West?
But it is said that the East owns more
| slaves than the West, and therefore, it will
! have to pay more tax under this system
| than it ought to pay. If the East owns
/ more slaves, Mr.. Speaker, it owns. more
| property and if it owns more property,
| it requires more protection; and If It re-
/ qnires more protection, it costs more to
| protect it; and if it costs more to protect
/ It, should it not contribute TO the support
| OF the government in proportion to the pro-
/ lection it enjoys?
The bill under consideration does not
propose or contemplate discrimination
in favor of or against any particular class
] Of citizens or property, or any particular
section of the State in the collection otethe
revenue necessary to support the governs
nlent. But on the contrary proposes to
place all the citizens and all lsections OF the
State upon perfect equality III reference
to taxation,s except such as the General
Assembly may, as q matter OF courtesy or
expedieacy, exempt from taxation. Nov,
it all are placed upon a perfect equality,
who can suffer by the passage Of this
/ bill p
If then, Mr.. Speaker, political equality
be an essential principle Of democratic re-
pulican government, and the revenue laws
framed under the restriction which this
bill proposes to strike from the constifia-
tion, operate uneqnally and 1niustly, are
they not at warsWith the Fundamental pril,-
ciples of our government! And If tise
fs III -