Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-25

Z !
g Ma EDlroR :-1n the discussion at Goldsboroueh
between Mr.. Pool and Gov Ellis published 10 paln-
pallet form by the Opposition party to influence the
election of Governor for North Carolina ] see the
following language, on page Of said pamphlet
3 used by Mr.. Pool: !" The Constitution of North
Carolina permits the Legislature to tax everything
according to value except slaves thatit permits no
tax to be placed on slaves under twelve or over IF
~ years of age.n This assertion is untrue as 1
shall show by copying the articles Of the Consttu
ton that bears upon the subject. 8 =, y a 4
CONSTITUTIONS Of North Carolina, Revised Code,
Article 4 section Sd, cluase Isl, Capitation tax
shall be equal throughout the State upon all indi
viduals subject to the same go y
Clause I'd All free males between the ages of
twenty-one and forty-iye years. and all slaves over
the age of twelve years and under the age of fifty
years shall be subject to captation tax and no other
person shall be subject to such q tax Provided,
nothing herein contained shall prevent exemptions
OF taxable polls, as heretofore prescribed by law, in
cases of bodily infrmity. - 100 - g
Now, every one will observe at a mere glance that
this article refers entirely to capaton tax and has
nothing to do with taxing property other than slaves
between the ages of 12 and so ,years-where is the
prohibiting clause TO taxing slaves under II or
30 years old as property Does Pool and his friends
deny that slaves property and that the egisia-
ture has power to tax all property not prohibited
by the constitution or laws of North Carolina
Now, Mr. Editor, as we have constitution, pub
lished in the Revised Code and elsewhere, called
the Constitution of North Carolina, and think be-
i fore man Of ability and learning, as Mr. Pool is
considered by his friends expects to be elected Gov
ernor Of our good Old North State he should study
and learn it and again, that he might not
be led in hot political excitement to say prohibit
ed things not once mentioned in it. The writer of
this article heard him use the same assertion in the
town Of marlborough. in Randolph county, very
nearly in these words: 1.-THE Constitution of
r. l.. = i
l2 years and over 80 years old property, but per-
mits the taxing Of every thing else, down to tin
cups and martin gourds."
But if the legislature does have power to tax
slaves as property where do they obtain the power
from? From the Bill of Rights, declared part and
parcel Of the Constitution Of North Carolina by our
revolutionary fathers, who framed it in December,
lT76.
Bill Of Rights Sec I'd, That the people of the State
ought to have the sole and exclusive right Of regula
ting the internal government and the policy thereof
Section 10th. That the people Of the State ought
not to be taxed or made subject to any impost or
duty without the consent Of themselves or their rep
resentatives in the General Assembly freely given.
Now, Mr. Editor, here is from whence the legisla-
ture of North Carolina derives its power to tax polls
or property; and when the consent Of the people,
through their representatives is freely given may
not the legislature make them subject to pay tax,
impost or duty anything, when the welfare of the
State demands itl This question would be answer
ed by mere school boy in the affirmative.
Shall we, Mr. Editor for the sake Of party ascen-
dency, alter an article of constitution to get to
tax negroes as property when that article does not
forbid it, but only forbds that all negroes between
II and 80 years. male and female shall not be taxed
higher then white POLL being taxed thirty eight
years instead Of "a years as the white man?
Now, Mr. Editor, let me make calculation: the
negro is taxed from 10 to 30 years. making 80 tax
able years-the white man from 81 to As years. ma
king "a taxable years. Hence the negro is taxed
IA years the longest This is not all the male and
female negroes are taxed, hence, il we would put
them on equality, we must multiply this SO by
two which makes y years if the males alone were
taxed, while the white man remains at "a years,
which makes 81 times long for the negro provid-
ed the males only were taxed. Now let us see, so
cents is State tax, multiply this by 16 for the
negro, and you have the negro to pay 81 531 cts,
while the white man pays just the 80 cents. Be-
sides, the negro is property like horse, OK. or
COW, yet the laws of NorthCarolina say he shall
work the road from 16 years old to 30 years old.
This each year, amounts to not less than four dol
lars add this TO the 81 59t from the poll and we
have just Sc 53k cents that negro man has to pay
to North Carolina during his taxable and roadwork-
ing years. Does this look like screening the slave
holder? And are not negroes between II and 90
years old taxed high enough?
But now to those under IL years old and over 30
years old that are not taxed at ALL and have before
proven that the constitution Of North Carolina does
not forbid their being taxed as property. Now let
valne them and tax them if you please l be-
lieve that it is conceded by all that there about
900 slaves in North-C Carolina; and will say to
take round numbers that there are $4,000 black
polls; this will leave $4,000 slaves under IL and
over 90 years old; we will put these on average
Of $500 piece and they will amount to $61, 200-
900; put them at 20 cents on the hundred collars
valuation and they will raise Sl22 400 revenue this
added to the $l1S,00 negroes already pay, and it
will make them pay without raising the poll, $240,
400, 1.-TWO hundred and forty thousand fonr hundred
dollars, in all conscience would not this be high
enough without tearing up the Constitution Of
North Carolina, the cornerstone of our liberties,
and in all probability getting something worse in
its stead
should have written this article some weeks
ago. but as was then candidate in Randolph coun-
ty and defended it as a measure Of my own, for
which the Democracy, as party, were not respon-
sble concluded that | would not embarrass them
in any way until the election was over, and then
would call the attention of the members elect to the
subject; and see if we could not devise some way
in these. trying times Of government to let our
sacred constitution stand it is, and in my estma-
ton as it should remain.
Yours truly,
TRY AGAIN.