Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-04-14

To the Editor Of the Standard:


readers generally are DESTROYS of learning the po-
stons of the candidates of the respective parties
have concluded to give you and them brief and
condensed summary of the main points assumefby
Gov. Ellis and Mr.. Pool at this place yesterday
Gov. Ellis opened the discussion by an allusion to
the honor which had been conferred upon him by
the people at the last gubernatorial election and by
the late Democratic State Convention in again ma
king him their standard-bearer in the pending
test for the Office Of Governor He then proceeded
to discuss the nd ralOrem question; and in the out
set | will say of the speech, Ito which was pleas
ed listener from beginning to cnd) that it was an
effort of great abty-it the speech of states
man who had the capacity to comprehend the inter-
ests of all sections and all classes of the State and
the spirit to do justice to all.
The Governor was opposed to the proposition o.
an open Convention-waS opposed to the I'D Udt0rem
doctrines of the Opposition. This new issue was
the offspring of party fruitful of new devices, and
movement of opposition politicians to get into
power. Had the people demanded n change of the
Constitution on this subject? Had the question
ever been moOted among the masses? No! 1t was
the work of opposition politicians and he had less,
far less confidence in them than he had in the people
of the State. 1t was cvclcd at slaves. Disguise it
as they would :hc event would prove, Cf the Oppo-
stion suCCeeded) that the tax on slaves would be
increased and the intention of the getters-up of the
movement to make this species of property pay
more taxes. He admitted that if the nd rdLOrem
principle of taxation WAS applied to GU property, it
would not work injustice 10 the slave owner. But
his competitor would ercept certain articles from
taxation. What were those erceptiOnS? He had
called upon Mr.. Pool to name them but that gentle
man had declined to accommodate him. The plat
form of the Opposition had specified nonc-had al
luded to none; but Mr. Pool interpreted it different
ly and insisted that it intended 20 make certain
demonstrating very good care not to name
them. If it was not intended to increase the tax
slaves why the call for Convention? They already
had the power to tax every other species of proper
ty, and change of the Constitution would not en-
large the power of taxation except to slaves he
the constitutional restriction as to slaves did
not apply to other species of property Whv then
this cry for Convention He was for equality in
the bUrthcHs of taxation, hut that was very differ
ent thing from this boosted e1Wdl tdr1fOa of the OPP
position politicians. lie would lay a higher tax up
on the thousand dollars worth of gold and silver
plate of man than he would upon the thousand
dollars worth of land. The JHrtIen would not he
great upon the of the plate as it would be
upon the of the land who TILED the soil for
subsistence. lie would levy higher tax upon the
billiard table than upon the thrcSh!ng machne,-he
would lay higher tax upon all articles of mere lux
ury and vice than he would upon the everyday
ncccSSarieS of life because they could better afford
To pay IT, and would not greatly feel the burthen
Of the tax. But the Opposition proposed to levy
one uniform system Of per cent0GC upon all proper
" alike: thus, SuppoSing billiard table to cost
$3.50, and thrcShing machine to cost $3.50, they
would make the tErcShing marhine pay the same
tax the billiard table and call it c9gal arntiOn
1t might be equal taxation" but it was a very
unequal burthem of taxation, from which he prayed
tina, the people Of this State might he delivered
Under the broad proposition of the Opposition plat
form to levy uniform dd ralorn rate of taxation
upon every species of property, much that is now
exempt would he taxed Your vessels boats, me
chanical and agricultural implements would be tax
cd; the bacon in your smoke houscS, and the corn
i'll your barnS-yOur horses and cattc-E fact
CrDgthjEg would DC brought under the memorable
hand Of the tax assessor and the tax collector! Gov
Ellis was opposed to this-the Opposition platform
in favor of it-thcre was the difference. That
the issue, and he was ready to meet it boldly
At present, the State derived large revenue from
the tax on crcuSes, shows, billiard tables playing
cards, bowie knives, pistols, liquor selling, &c. but
if the "d rdiorcm principle were adopted, the tax
upon these things would DC reduced to a level with
that upon agricultural and mechanical implements,
vessels horses, &c Luxury and vice would be put
upon equal footing with industry and virtue. A
vessel worth $500 would be taxed as high a bill
lard table worth S50D-and so of all the rest
The Governor Solcmnly warned the people of the
Fast against the inevitable consequences of their
ton at the ballot box. If they wanted a COnvon-
ton they had but to indicate it by their votes. and
the people Of the West would accommodate them.
Il You will not fight your OWE battles, YOU cannot
expect Western men to fight them for you. Andi
you once get into an open Convention. what them
Who will have the power? The West. Where
will this all end? lie would not ask the East to
place themselves in the power of the West. Heidi
not charge that the West would use that power to
the injury of the East hut man should place his
liberty or property at the mercy of another. HUI
man nature was the same every where. The West
ern penpc were as honest as any people; but like
all other men, their own interests claimed their frs
attention. Eastern people would 90 as :hev would
under similar circumstances.
Moreover regard should be had to e9UaI erpendi
tire, we'll as to equal burthcnS Western men
would not object to increasing the taxes if all the
money raised by taxation was to be spent in West
crn improvements. The East already pays a heavy
tax for the building up Of improvements in the West.
Pa$Tuoank COUNTY Comparatively small county,
paid IS, Goa into the treasury. and had pu3
REINFORCEMENT. Burke county, with much large
population, paid less than $4,000. and had received
half million in appropriations. The First Congress
sional District paid upwards of 5000 taxes Will
the Mountain District paid only about half tina
amount. The Fast had been lihcral-hc approved
of these approprations-but he would not ask the
East to increase her rate of taxation. The West
ought to be satisfied with the liberal spirit of the
East. lie was for completing works already begun;
but he opposed to nStituting mode of taxation
by which the West would have the power of making
appropriations nd H6itulR, and then of making the
East pay for them.
Mr. Pool, in his turn, took the ground that h
was in favor of equal taXation-that he wanted
equality at the baotbox and equality at the ax-box.
He declared that change of the Constitution
necessary in order to project slave property from
undue taxation-that, as the Constitution now stood,
the Legislature could levy as high a tax as they
pleased on slave property and he wanted to
it, beyond contingency, against the cncroachment
of taxation. Par parenthese, they have been SOM
time in finding this out! And Gov Ellis in his
jonder, told Mr. p that the present Constitution
gave sufficient check upon that score, the whit.
folks had to be taxed pari Passu with the black.
lie wanted the thing fixed beyond dspute-and s
fixed by the Constitution that Slave property woul
be equally protected with all property; that it
Just that slaves should pay their due proportion
the taxes, according to their Udlue. Was it right
just fair or honest, that man owning a slave wortl
a. nn. nAnrL l,.rn