Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-02-01
Vol. XVI. No. 5.

it, as in this way only can they see the extent Of
the grievance complained Of Will the list be forth
coming?'
We most humbly ask, if the doctrine distinctly
enunciated in the above that "the ertent of the
grieuaace only measured by the of tares
paid" is to be the platform of those opposed to ad
ratorem t&rataon,-does the Register and the Prexs
OF this city, in copying the article with SPECIAL COM
mendation, endorse it! Our only answer to such
an antt-repu6licdR sentiment-worthy Of the min
listers Of Charles in their most violent assaults
upon the rights and liberties of the peope-s the
following extract from the message of Gov. Swain
to the Legislature in 1884:
THE poll tax on the day laborer and the capital
ist is precisely the same; and it sometimes happens
that the latter like the former is subject to other
species Of contribution In the ore case it is an
onerous imposition in the other, tax thousand
fold greater might occasion no sensible inconven
iencc.' f@It - -
Sec of our Declaration Of Rights, which We
commend to the special attention Of those who have
so far forgotten the principles of our government
to advocate the doctrine above quoted reads thus
That all political power is vested in and derived
from the people only" Yet we are told because
they pay but small portion of the taxes they
have no ight to complain as to the manner in which
that portion is assessed
The Banner further says:
This Address assails violently both of the last
Revenue Laws-both of them being the work of the
Democratic party, and for which that party is
sponsibe to the public. On this account We defend
them. They not perfect, it is true, such laws
rarely are-but perhaps they the best that could
be formed under the circumstances They do not,
however, contain the garng defects charged by the
working Mems" Address"
! This We deny positively In the Address occurs
the following paragraph, and every one who has
read it, knows that there is not one word in the
whole of it. inconsistent with the declarations
:ained in this paragraph.
st is not Our object to cal in question the inten
tions of those who first gave NorihCarolina her
| present revenue system nor to arragn before the
public tbese who, adhering to the unjust principles
! upon which that system is founded, without mate
rial notifications in the several tax bills heretofore
passed, hare;inconsideratcly we willing to al
low Srievousy oppressed large class of their fe-
low-cHizens. The former we shall ever vcncratc
for their patriatiSD, their many sacrifices, and their
unseysh devotion to their country's good. Nor is
our respect for their wisdom lesSened in the small
est degree by desire to reform financial policy
which, to say the fathers of our State intended to
be ror aU time and the same unter all circum
stances would detract much from that foresight and
wisdom we have been taught to believe peculiarly
characterized their acts of legislation. The deter
mnation of our legislators in the recent sessions Of
the General Assembly, to preserve the faith and
Ol tle all circumstances anu AT
all hazards we cannot too much admire however
widely we may differ to the sources and the man.
ner from and in which the necessary revenue for
| that object can be best and most easily raised"
1t is shown in that Address, that our present sys-
TEN commenced in 1874, and it is against the sys-
TEN entirely that any complaints are made. Now
If gentlemen desire to defend the system, let them
do so and in so doing, there is in impugning
the motives of those who think the system opprcss-
| i've.
Mr.. HOLDEN: Your readers we'll know that in
the whole of this matter We have endeavored to dis
cuss this subject upon ITS merits. Our motives have
been called in queStion-our position misrcpresent-
ed-our fealty to the land of our birth questioned.
and our honest poverty rdiculed We care for none
Of this, because it satisfies that those engaged
in it have no other arguments in favor of the posi-
ton they occupy. Free speech is not yet so tram
necd by party associations, to prevent citizen
from saying what he thinks any subject. When
attacked we shall defend ourselves, prorided We
consider it necessary to do so.
| A NATIVE
Raleigh, Jan. &c, 1860