Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-11-11
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
N. c., MONDAY. NOV. 2, 1859.


the second STAGE that partizan excitement and too
frequently of personal recriminaon when the search
after truth is forgotten in the desire for victory The
third stage is what is commonly called the sober
second thought of the people, when the world tired of
being made to things through spectaces furnished
byexced conroversast8 selfish asprants turns round
and looks at the case for ITSELF with the naked eye OF
plain common sense. This last stage would be sure
eventually to recy all anteceden mistakes but Tor the
fact that in the heat of previous excitement, wounds
NAV have been inflicted that will rankIe inwardly long
after they appear to have been healed on the surface
eaousies may have been aroused that however they may
sumber for tiue the lapse of generations will not sui
fee to cxtnguish; prejudices may have been I'D
planted and taken such root to choke out and prevent
the growth Of better and kinder feelings If these con-
sequences are to be guarded against as too likely to flow
even from that healthfu anagonism of political parties
80 nseparabe from the existence of free governments
how much more are they to be dreaded when IN the
language of an eminent modern writer, the emulation
between parties is exchanged for hostility between
classes or sections and it is no longer the movement OF
health but principle of dissolution and destruction.
In the few remarks that we intend to make, and the
brief statement of facts which wish to present. bear
ing upon the subject which forms the caption OF this ar
ce our object is to contribute small quota towards
keeping the discussion of proposed modification OF this
system and consequent change of our constitution as
much as possible within the range OF facts and as tar as
possible from the dominion of those passions and preu
dices which the necessary concomtants OF all aP
peas to any real supposed antagonlSmS between e
interests of classes or sections.
Mr.. Calhoun's remark that the revenue was the
State although broadly put will not appear, upon re-
70
taxation and the mode and manner of its exercise 1t
involves directly so many of the incidents of sover-
eighty and draws after it many Others that the dis
tncon between it and sovereignty itself is SO slight as
to be regarded as merely nominal What wonder then
that questions of revenue or finance should engage the
most earnest attention of all civilized people, and that
movements tending to any important change should be
ieaIously watched especially when the making OF such
change or innovation involves abrogaon or infringe
ment of the organic law recognized understanding
upon which conflicting interests have heretofore COM
promised their differences and under which they may,
narhans have contracted their obligations, as we all
know to have been the case in n Carolina The organic
law certainly the recognized understanding in this State
has always been that slaves shall be subject to capt.
ation tax as persons and that captaton tax shall be
equal throughout the State, upon all individuals sub
to capitation tax are all free males the age OF
twenty-one years. and under the age of oryfve years
and all slaves over the age OF twelve years. and under
the age of fifty years
The change now advocated in certain quarters and to
which we feel fully justified and in some measure
compelled to REFER contempates such an alteration of
the organic law of the State shall among other things
subject negroes to the rule of ad caoem taxation
Il I biCt
with some of its bearings and connexions order that
we may apply to it the tests of justice good faith and
sound policy Mere sounding generalities are worth
nothing. Good faith and good must go together
We are not beginning anew, and cannot afford to dsre
gard the past history and present situation of the facts
by which we find ourselves surrounded.
Within brief term of years the nett amount collected
from the people of orh Carolina in the shape of taxes
and paid mo the State treasury revenue has increased
from about one hundred thousand dollars to six
hundred thousand dollars. How has this increase OF
taxation been brought about? What has rendered its
imposition and collection necessary? The to
these questions will readily suggest themselves to ALL
The State has incurred debts in the prosecution of works
of Internal improvements and the preservation of the
public faith and the public credit demand that sufficient
should be provided enable the State to meet all
certainly four-hs of the amount collected
by taxation represents debts appropriated to paying
the interest on debt.
When two more parties contract debt for which
they jointly liable must feel that the amount of
their respective liability depends upon the agreement and
understanding in force at the time when such debt
contracted and surely any change made for the express
purpose of throwing upon any party things for which he
did not bargain liabilities he did not assume, debts he
did not contract, must somehow be fatally at variance
with the principles of justice. Now, when during the
year 1848 and different times before and SINCE the
legislature of North Carolina passed acts authorizing
and requiring the issue of bonds pedging the faith of
the State all parties knew and recognized the establish
ed organic law and understanding reference to the
taxation of slave property-the savehOding sections
knew it, and the comparatively nonsavehoding sections
knew tit entered into the very spirit it became part
of the very substance Of their contract of joint liability
Of the spirit and substance of this contract the change
proposed-that aiming to apply the so-caled dd
valorm principle to property in slaves would at this
late stage of the proceedings, be directly volatve.
We will now turn to another feature of this incipent
agitation, not with view of giving it sectional turn,
but the contrary in the hope of doing little to
prevent its taking that direction. We alude now to
some references growing daily frequent by which
it is evidently sought to awaken western sectional feel
ing in favor of this proposed change the Constitution
The impression sought to be made that under existing
circumstances the West very much oppressed by and
for the benefit of the East and the large savehodng
countless that these latter shirk their responsibilities