Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-11-02
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DsA. S1s: Circumstances oves which ! hate had
no control have prevented ne nom replying at an
sasl;e, day r. yoar asepnd article addressed to inc
b u SissdarI of The 18th VII And, although
uyssply has isea delayed, It would be discourteo1s
. Yoa and unjust to mysR - let pass urnot,ced'
ed b believe that Lshal Be excused for tie "resre
unwiIlingy eaueab By "imposing upon you inc
necessity of giving to the public over
yovf sown signature opinions and explanations
On subjects which you say it il to he presumed
yot,r constituents and yourself "oniy are interest
ed" when assure 700 / thought the subjects IN
yoiyed interests affecting every free man lnoas!avc
holder Is well - the "owncr OF slave properly !
in,the State aN6 that it never occurred to me that
Won did not want your opinions on these subjects
published beyond your own county, As Was under
The immersion YOU had heretofore taken some pains
n .ecd vour views on State al ralorem taxation
abroad" The Language employed in my first article
addressed to you, and only portion Of winch 20"
thought proper quote will bear no such constrnc'
ton Is YOU have given to it. and no such construction
q that which you deem dssirous the public should
give to it. It is . perversion Of my language for
which was, not at all prepared. and rs am IN
willing to believe that your design was w'faiy to
misrepresent me, shall attribute it. at least for the
present To 4 misunderstanding of my meaning, re
sulS.e, not from ignorance Of the import Of the
phraseology employed, or a design to pervcrt its
meaning, but from the casual manner in which you
must have read 1t.
The public would judge from your article that !
had said that my constituents and myself only"
are interested in the subje.. of al catorsSa, land
its probabls incidental or collateral consequences
whereas, have At no time, nor under any circun,-
stances, either orally or in writing said any such
thing; but on the contrary have not only said, but
had printed; and have "takcn some pains to send"
to YOU and .abroad" that it is great question Of
State policy, involving not only great cardinal
principle Of the government but the financial inter-
est of every section and of the whole State"
have never said that my constituents and my
self onlv were interested in the subject of al raor
On taxation, but did say, and now repeat, that my
constituents alone have right to demand my opin-
ions and explanations of my course as their repre-
sentative '.and it is to be presumed that they and
only are interested" in those opinions and expla-
nati6ns This is the obvious meaning Of my Ian
guage to you. and you must excuse me for express
ing my surprise that You and Others could have
given to it different construction.
In reply to the position which think establish
ed in my first articles that there is no connection
between the basis of representation and revenue
laws of State you "slmply say that there is not
the slightest conceivable connection between light
and darkness, yet when the light is withdrawn dark
ness Is probable, nay, certain consequence. 1t
is therefore, as clear light that it does not follow
that because two objects have no immediate connec-
ton that the one may not be produced by the tie
strnction Of the other" Now, while do not intend to
beaured into the mazes metaphysical dsquisitior,
that you have been peculiarly unfortunate in your
tho If for nj.
though you say that there is not the slightest con-
eeivable connection between light and darkness"
yet you say that "when the light is withdrawn
darkness IS probable nay, . certain consequence.
Hence conclude that darkness depends for its exis-
tenoe upon the absence of light that darkness and
light cannot exist at the same time in the same
place. that they are incompatible, the one with the
other that the existence of each is entirely depen-
dent upon the absence Of the other; and as the
one Is produced by the destruction of the other"
there must Of necessity, he some connection BE-
tween them. e.
But whether there is any connection between
darkness and light or not, your reasoning utterly
fails to prove that the white basis of representation
will follow as probable incidental or collateral
consequence" Of the adoption of . general system
Of ad calorem taxation in North Carolina for the
connection between darkness and light does not
bear the "slghest conceivable" analogy to the re-
lation which Gd raloren taxation sustains to the
federal or white basis Of representation. Darkness
depends upon the absence Of light; al ralorem
taxation does not depend upon the absence of either
the federal or white basis Of representation Dark
ness and light cannot exist at the same time at the
same place; ad ralorem taxation, and either the
federal or white basis can and does exist at the same
time and IN the same State. Darkness and light are
each dependent for their existence upon the absence
OF the other I'D eaLosem taxation il compatible
with both the federal and white basis but is not de-
pendent upon the absence or presence of one more
than the other, and therefore, the adoption Of
TEN Of taxation lad ralorem) will not be destructive
OF the federal basis nor will the adoption Of white
basis be "prObable, incidental or collateral conse-
quenoe of it, 1t were Just as reasonable to suppose
that white basis Of representation would follow the
adoption of free suffrage as consequence, as it is
to suppose that it will follow as q consequence the
adoption of Gd pal0rep taxation and vet no one
contends that because free suffrage was adopted
that therefore, the basis of representation ought to
be changed
Permit me, in conclusion, to say that regard the
effort which has been made to connect ad ralorem
taxation with the basis of representation as exceed
ingiy impolitic, especially for eastern gentlemen
whose interest it Is to preserve the federal basis
NY humble opinion is that the less they say abou,
the basas OF representation the better It will be 70,
them. but if they think differently they have DER
feet right to agitate the question as much as the,
choose Let ad rntorcm taxation stand or fall upor
lts own merits or cemerits. disconnected at leas
tor the present with every other question.
Let facts. figures and arguments 20 before tn,
people, let them investigate it fully and fairly, ant
then decide it and there will be no appeal from the
decision Those who oppose ad eaiorem taxation
had q well understand 1t once that it involves til,
question Of political equality between the free whit
men at North Carolina. It is contended that politi
ca equality 10 the great fundamental principle o
free goysnnent and that ad oDlorem taxation il 4,
essential element Of practical political equality; an
hence, those who are opposed to ad ralorem taxa
ton as principle are Of necessity opposed to polii
zeal equality, and if opposed to political equality
they are Of course opposed to the principles Of gu
government For, il you concede that polit H.
equality is right then you must concede that ad m
1'rem taxation is right and If you concede that o.
sasorsm taxation is right then you must conced
NAV me present revenue system is wrong; and
you eoncede that the present revenue system
wrong. then you must concede that il OUGHT tn
abandoned; and if you contede that It ought to
abandoned, then you must adopt nd calorem .
suggest some better system of taxstion tf.t :, -,