Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-07-05
Whit It VIII Cost to Work the Roads.


In issue of yesterday Tuesday we took the posi-
ton that negroes, being taxed property only would
of necessity be exempted from performing pubic duties
ana especially be exempted from working the pubic
roads. We contend that this position is most legt-
mate deduction from the proposed system OF taxation OF
the Opposition party and basing the argument upon It,
we shall now show by facts and figures that if dd
TG0Ten system of taxation adopted the white OF
the State will be compelled 10 keep the roads in order
or will be necessary to levy tax to pay hired hands
for that purpose.
AS we stated yesterday, it was wise provision in
our Constitution to recognize negroes persons, be-
of the public services they render, and especially
because they swell our population in making up the
Federal ratio and enable the South to bear some pro-
portion to the population of the North. But, if this
provision IS to be stricken from organic law then
we can no longer impose upon negroes public duty,
tUr as we stated yesterday they at once placed up
made to work the public roads, and the consequence will
be- the entire burden will fall upon the white of the
State.
There are l47 ,9l3 black poll in the State. Surprising
one halt of that number are females who not requr
ed, under the present constitution to work the public
roads, there would remain 10 $50 males between the
ages of and 60 years. Then supposing that 10000
OF this number are between the ages of IL and years,
and, therefore, not road hands, there would sill!
main 10000 negro who by the proposed I'D raiOcm
system of Mr. Bedsoe and the Opposition party would
be taken of of the public roads, the labor OF whom
would fall upon the shoulders OF the poor white Of
the country while those same negroes, against whom
there is such hue and cry would be Quietly working
III their masters fields. But great as might be the
hardShlps, the white man, III the country, who ayOrS
this 0d ualorem humbug, now cannot complain he
joined lin the Pedagogical cry OF equal taxation"
and he should quietly submit to its consequences though
instead Of five days, he be compelled to work on the
roads five weeks during the year
#Under the present arrangement, suppose there
about l25 900 road hands in The State take away the
negroes as must be done under Hd ruIo'cfn system,
and we leave only 81 500 white 10 perform the la
bors OF the l25000. Surprising that each man now
works the road five days in each year. (which is low
estimate for, many work their roads al least
TOUR different times each year and as many Us two or
three days at each tme) by taking of The 10000 ne
grOC5 who work the road, the labor i TIC white
men will be doubled and those who only i've
Gays in the year must Of necessity in order 10 keep the
roads in order, work ten days imposing upon themselves
annual tax OF five dollars, the way OF public labor
above what they already perform. The roads must be
kept IN 0rCer and that work must then ho done cXcu
siyely by white men.
Mr.. Bedsoe VIC learu, in his speeches Sometimes tells
the poor man that under the present system he the
poor is obliged to work the road while the rich man
sends his negroes, and he the rich man sets back in The
shade" The next time Mr.. Bedsoc and the opposition
aude to this matter they should be asked this question:
which is the oppressive to the poor man, for
few rich to fail to work the road by paying their
fines or giving US ad Uaorcm, and thereby taking off
of the road list upwards of 10000 able bodied negroes
Now %e contend THAT AID vALOREM will relieve every
negro in North Carolina from road duties just so soon
as that species of property is taxed according to value
and the reason for this conclusion obvious it is
this IF one mans lands taxed according to their
value and another mans negroes taxed according
their value, it would be the greatest hardship the
owner to require his negroes work the roads, for the
plain and simple reason, that his neighbours land
which is only taxed according to its value cannot per-
form its corresponding pubic duty, it would be heap
burdens Shareholder ZVh hay tn
tax according to the value of his negroes would still be
obliged pay additional tax Of five or six dollars on
each per annu1n. Then, we regard the proposition as
just and fair that, il I'd ral0rem be adopted by which
every species of property s taxed according value,
necessary consequence will be the freeing OF negroes from
road duties. his will throw the whole burden OF work
ing the roads upon the white of tie State or else
the people must be taxed to keep up the highways 10
do this what will it cost the State?
10 be brlc we say that it takes 100000 men, work
ing five days each, to keep them up Supposing .
that it would require the labor then as now and
allowing each man dollar per day, it at once seen
that tax of fUc hundred thousand dollars will have to
be raised in addition to the $65OOOO we now raise for
The simple purpose OF keeping up the highways. There
be lodging OF this result unless the friends of ad
Daorem say that the poor white snail do the whole
work. Ii that be their object I'D val0rem will turn out
to be the most oppressive burden the people OF any
State have had to bear and the sooner the people
begin to understand the real object Of the leaders 10 this
nd r0l0re humbug the better it will be for the masses
Raleigh Da1P Press.
GARIBALDIs SUCCESS IN SIcHY.-Thc London ,
[imes referring to the late accounts of Garihas sue
ess in Sicily, says u
"Garibald with the capital OF the island in his huus
nd with people at his back flushed with victory may 8
ow bid defiance to any efforts of the Neapoltan court
'erhaps such capituation is the happies mode of III
the struggle We do not doubt that Carl u
ald is willing to hurt little as possible the feelings d
the Kings troops. Those who were the enemies ~
yesterday may be the friends of tomorrow. One Id
ccount says that during the battle in the town three
egiments went over, and it may be- that the army 81
hich was employed to keep down the Siclians s
i'll shortly endanger its masters throne After 81
j. Neapotans Italians, soldiers are men, and there t
lnnot be highsprted officer in the Kings service o.
no does not look with sympathy on Garibaldi Gil
ian on LAMA Salzano. We may conclude that Up
far regards Sicily, the contest is nearly at an end
essna must fall and then the island placed under 1t
provisional government, with Garhald at its head tx
i'll be independent Power in Europe What will be an
acts of the Dictator, have yet to learn but il is pc
It likely that he will sit down in quiet think anything h
ne while anything remains to do The who, like La
orman adventurer OF old, made bis descent with two
pulls Of followers and conquered kingdom ID three TIC
eks is hardly likely to settle down that he rules q
puation Of than 100000 and has the spois of OF
Neapotan arsenas with which to equip The leyes I'LL
10 will join him. We may certainly look for stir pa
events on the main land Italy in such state that GOV