Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-06-06
For the Standard.

Mr. HOLDEN: 1t appears from my previous COM
munications that in 1885, when the Convention met
for revising the Constitution, we then had sixty
counties in the State; that each county had one
Senator and two Commoners, which gave to the
East large majority in both branches of the Legis
lature. That from the growing white population in
the West, this county representation became so
grossly unequal that the East forced by sense
Of Justice 20 consent to a change. That at that
time the thirty-six Eastern counties had 156 905
slaves-the West, in her twenty four counties, had
but sS 675 That as the East was about to surren-
der her control over the Legislature, she had the
right to have some guarantee against taxation
on her slaves. The West admitted the justice of
this and agreed to the provision in the Constitution
as to the equality Of pol, tax. This the COM
promise. 1t is true, at that time there was no Con-
sttutional restriction, but the East had the control
of the Legislature and the power of protecting her.
self Besides, the method Of taxing both white and
black polls was then we'll established, and had been
so long understood as to have become the well set
tied rule of taxation-quite much so if it had
been fixed by the Constitution As early as 1854,
all free males Of twenty-one years and upwards
slaves male and female between the ages of twelve
and fifty, were subject to public tax. At that time
land taxed by the number of acres-the only re-
sriction was that the poll tax should be equal to
300 acres Of land. Thus continued the law until
1914, when radical change took place in sys-
TEN of taxation, LANDS being then changed from
tax on the quantity to tax according to value.
That year it was fixed at cents the 500 value,
and 80 cents the poll-free males, twenty one and
fifty,-slaves, male and female, twelve and fifty;
and not until 1919 was the free poll fixed at twenty
one and forty-fve. It is thus we'll established
fact that the Convention, in fixing the Constitution
al restriction at twentyone and fortyive whites,
and twelve and fifty on slaves, was only carrying
out the we'll established system of our forefathers,
founded in justice and humanity; the poll paying
about three times as much as 500 value of land,
and black poll at least three times as much the
free poll. Gov. Reid in his message of 1854, says
ait is obvious that in proportion to the whole num-
Der of each race the poll tax paid slaves is three
times as much that paid on the white population
So it will be found this provision Of the Constitution
has imposed tax on slaves in the twofold charac-
ter of persons and property, and that ad Vaorem
tax cannot be imposed that species of property"
We think Gov. Reds estimate too low; that our
slave tax is four times great the free polls.-
For it Is truth that any may test that twelve
and fifty, on both male and female will include
half of as many slaves; whereas, twenty-one and
forty-ive, on males alone, will not include more
than one-fourth of the whites In my next it is
proposed to answer some Of the opposition argu-
ments in favor of their adj ualorem system.
..-.-.. :: MACON.