Wilmington journal., 1860-06-14
Discussion.

awaits us-without eXerton party, however strong
can be regarded as secure.
Discussion.
Last evening very respectable audience gathered in
the Town Hall to listen to the discussion between
Messrs Waddel and Brown, on the question of ad "a
Iore For some reasons which we did not learn the Hall
did not open until haltpast eight Mr. Waddell, who
led off, commenced his remarks some twenty minutes be-
fore nine and continued speaking until ten o'clock
Mr. Waddel stated that this discussion the result
of mutual agreement between Mr.. Brown and himself
at their last previous meeting, by which agreement
was further understood that their remarks should be con
fined to the subject of ad ralOrem taxation.
We understood Mr.. Wad3eIl to characterize the pres
ent constitutional restriction upon the taxing power
the Legislature negro property iniquious and
unjust" Mr.. Waddell might well have paused for q
moment and REQUIRED to the memory Of the great and
good men who imposed that restriction like Gaston
Macon Daniel and others whose fame restsss upon their
reputation for ability than for the reverence in which
the purity of their characters is held They did
not impose this restriction without just cause did
they believe it to be inquitous" 1t has been reserved
for the apostles of the gospel Of I'D Valorem to
find all that out. Believe US, the men, who, in 1885
adopted the amendments to present constitution had
good and satisfactory reasons for so doing.
Mr.. Wadde contended that slave property did not
pay its due proportion Of the Of the State al
though it received its full share Of the benefits arising
from the expenditure Of that He contended
that negro property much enhanced in value by
the construction of the works for which debt has
been incurred and taxes rendered necessary any
other class of property Now, the fact is that negro
property has not been enhanced by these works at ALL
The rise in the value of negro property in North Caro-
lima has come from without. The rise in the price Of
negroes elsewhere south of has always preceded and
occasioned that here "a negro is not like real estate
dependent upon local causes. The labor market
of the country is open for his employment.
Mr.. Waddel contended that there value in the
argument that the debt of the State having been already
contracted under one system and understanding il
would be to make those who agreed tc its being
contracted under that system pay proportions for which
they did not bargain He said that legislatures
stanty changed taxation and tax-bis and why woulc
this change be unjust than the other changes Mr.
W., seemed to forget the distinction between a solemn
constitutional guarantee and mere legislative act which
had no such guarantee or sanction.
But we have not time to notice all Mr. Waddell'
points, all of which ngeniously made while his de
livery was clear and distinct.
Mr.. Brown, on getting up to reply, remarked that il
appeared strange indeed that the gentlemen of the Op
position party who proessed to be anxious have
this specific amendment passed abOlishng the constitu
tiona provision by which negroes taxed partly al
persons and not simply property should not have
commended the mode of affecting such specific amend
ment provided in the constitution ITSELF rather than tina
of Convention tie dangers of which he pointed out by
reference to the Western Address, which took ground il
favor of the white basis of representation which would
deliver the East bound hand and foot into the hands O
the West to be taxed just much and for all sucl
purposes as the West might deem proper. Under NJ
circumstances could they hope to get Convention
called. This proved their sincerity. C0
Mr.. Brown referred to Mr.. Waddes argument abou
negro being benefited by Railroads, etc. con
tending that such argument futile. He referred tt
the fact that the weight of taxation is already collected
from the East and that the inequality of burdens he
tween that section and the West would be rendered still
greater by the passage of this ad Uaoren amendment
He also showed that while the weight of taxes was pa
at the East the weight of expenditure was at the West
the responsibilities for works of internal improvement
present and prospective, West of Raleigh, were NOR
than twice as great they for works East of tha
point.
1t might be that the on-saveholders exceeded tn
shareholders in number, but it did not follow that
interested in the workings of this species of labor
save the actual owner of the slave. The merchant
gagged in trading upon the products of slaveabor tn
shipping merchant, the store keeper, the mechanic,
interested in the permanency of species of abo
which lay at the base of our social pyramid and whic
contributed largely to the prosperity of our
to the credit of currency and the improvement
our soil.
Mr. Brown thought it strange, indeed that this grea
injustice before impressed itself upon the senstiv
minds of the leaders of the Opposition party that the
had remained quiet for years waited until debts ha
been contracted and engagements made, and only no
made up their minds to the agitation of this question
an agitation in reference to which the Raleigh RegS
the organ of the Opposition party in this state had said
"Abolitonss would make capital of the discussion whic
the dd UGOTe1 proposition Cc0Od eGCe and if they cou
do at time, is argument to show that
long the products of slave labor constitute the prncp
wealth of North Carolina, the proposition should not
brought up in the State."-
And this of all others was the worst time that coul
have been selected.