Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-03-29

AID vaIOrern-Our Constitution and Revenue System.
Prior to the meeting of either the Democratic or OPP
position State Conventions, paid some attention to
the agitation then existing in certain quarters looking
to an alteration in the Constitution Of the State as one
of the steps towards an important change in the basis
upon which cur revenue is raised Our position with
regard to this matter is not any respect different from
what it had previously been the recipients OF no
new inspiration-We are converts to newanged ideas
of mere availability. We simply resume the discussion
of this question at the point where left it of few
weeks since. We may regret that some of those who
cordially agreed with in regarding this movement as
dangerous and mpoitc during the last session of the
Legislature have SINCE at the beck of party lead
ers and in the vain hope of Office been content to eat
their own words and fasy their votes as recorded
on the Journals of that Legislature We may look with
amazement upon the spectacle of leading and central
Opposition party organ at the seat Of Government per
forming political summerset worthy of the most &C
complished acrobat but must regard with more than
amazement the spectacle of Gubernatoral candidate of
the party entering upon the coming canvass with
such record must create suspicion of the sincerity
of bis present professions, grave doubts of his sabi
ty and trustworhiness in any political position he may
assume, or any OPINION ne may express.
With these gyrations and tergiversations however,
have little to do and present object in call
ing attention to them is simply that readers may
judge of the character of the movement by which this
exciting topic was introduced at this time and none
other into the Of political discussion in State
introduced precisely at the time, when, if ever
anything calculated to disturb the existing harmony
between classes and sections in North Carolina ought
TO have been seduously avoided. For contend that
the time was of all others, the most singuary inoppor
tune 1t though nation threatened with foreign
invasion should instead of posponing her internal dis
putes and concentrating her Forces voluntarily choose
to weaken herself with intestine bros 1t is strange too
that this dangerous agitation should have been made
party issue by class of politicians who are fond of talk
ing of conservatism. To such conservatism the Demo-
cratic party lays no claims. AS little does that party
desire to evnce its sincerity and consistency by sending
FORTH the apostle Of any such revelation, gen
teman whose eyes were closed to it's beauties until en-
abed to discern them by the strong light cast upon them
by the resolutions Of the opposition Convention to say
nothing Of his nomination for the office of Governor
1t might be suggested and we must confess the sug
geston would neither be very unchartable devoid
Of strong appearance of reason, that the action of the
opposition leaders had its motive in the desire to take
advantage of some peculiar circumstances apparently al
ecng the unity of the Democratic party at the centre
1t might be thought and it thought, that but for the
hope held out OF slipping into office through the help Of
Democratic difficulties upon this question of change of
the constitutional basis of taxation the opposition lead
would not have had their eyes opened to the beauties
of Uaorm or hereafter We trust that Democrats
and others will understand this matter and not fall blind
dupes into this most transparent snare.
An adroit lawyer will seldom be found without some
plausible escape from such dilemma as that in which
MIR. Pool is placed, but there is secret consciousness
both the part of the speaker and of his auditors that
must render such special pleading he must use, up
hill business. With Governor Ellis the case is different.
He will have no new doctrines to advance-he will
speak his Vews-vews deliberately entertained and
not suddeny-almost acknowledgements by the
magic of nomination.
1t may be as well, before going farther into the con.
sderaton of this matter that should devote brief
space to examination and statement of the position
Of the Democratic party upon this subject of taxation
1t is misrepresentation or misrepresentation of that po
Bion to say that the Democratic party proposes to ap
ply the system of uniform ad Ualorem to every
class of persons or property and except negroes
The object of the Democratic party to equaze as far
may be- the burdens of taxation and all experience
has shown that no unbending rule will ever effect that
object Necessaries are, under no wise government,
taxed luxures neither does any prudent government
fail to recognize the wisdom of that policy which, in
adjusting taxation, avoids, far as possible anything
calculated to clog the productive energies of the State
arrest the Development of its We ask any
person to go upon the line of any of roads in
Of construction and see for himself what labor is en-
pOyed in that construction-wha labor is loudly de-
manded for our deveopement We ask any man to take
walk along our wharves and see the products arriving
there for exportaton and then enquire where these pro-
ducts came from, and by what labor they were mainly
made the naval stores, the cotton, the rice the pea
nuts the timber and lumber etc. which 60 to make up
the six millions or more of exports from Wilmington,
and the other millions from Newbern and the North
Counties He will find that slave labor is not merely
capital but great active, productive element sending
produce to our marts finding cargoes for our shipping
giving employment to merchants and vitality to our
business communities.
In illustration of this we quote from our annual table
the following statement of the exports of the principal
articles shipped from the port of Wilmington during the
year ending Dec 3lst 1859 We do not say that these
articles are exclusively slave products but every person
who knows anything about the matter, knows to how
great an extent they are so -
Articles. Coastwise FOREIGN
Spirits Turpentne bbls 1877 40 947l
Crude do. do .........,. 66 1917 127l7
ROsin, do ........... .555, 1886. ...... 22,8
Pitch do ......, 49,. 7I74...:.::, logs
Timber P P, feet, 1Oi i63 80 500
IL