Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-09
The Staaeato.
For the Standard.
DISCUSSION AT HEREFORD.

f'.F For the Standard.
DISCUSSION AT HEREFORD.
Mr. HoLDENs.=-The candidates for the Governors
office addressed the people of Pcrquimans county at
HEREFORD en- the 9th Of April l suppose one hun
red and Hfty Of the most intelligent citizens Of tho
county were present
M.fPool opened the discussion by some general
len,ssks upon ad ralorsna taxation, and compts,ned
or me very small crossroad politicians belonging
to the Democracy, disappearing the question of
mi palorem taxation and the nature Of its intended
effects upon the people when put into operation by
himself and his friends He spoke as usual, with
many sneers at the Democrats especially those who
viii talk upon public measures with their neighbors.
Re'said they went into the bushes sneaked round
the corners and scratched up leaves under trees,
&c. &c. N the same strain in order to msrcpresent
ana InsHfe him, the favorte cock in the Opposition
,Nsaan he then complained that Gov. Ellis made
speech in the convention Of March 9Th behind his
(Poors) back when he was two hundred miles away,
and when none of his friends could reply; and he
complained that the Governor not only made such
q speech, but that he also "in faith" printed it;
and he denied that the Governor in his convention
speech had stated his record truly either on ad ga
loren, taxation or upon railroads Mr. Pool denied
that he voted against adj caore taxation in the last
lie is ature; and he claimed for himself large
his being opposed to railroads that he voted for cev
en- during the time he was in the Legislature, and
voted appropriations towards building them the sum
of-not one cent. Mr. Pool took good care not vol
unfairly to name the amount Of money he voted
for railroads even before an eastern audience until
the unwelcome confession was torn from him by
Gov. Ellis. Mr.. Pool, think, is willing to begin
name as friend to internal Improvements in these
days, and doubt not he will want that name to
nd lOud md ORC
famous as he travels west In 1856, when he was
elected to the Senate over Mr.. Jordan his chief
charge against Jordan was that he voted for some
appropriations to railroads. Again in 1858, when
he ran against Mr.. Albertson for the Senate, his
whole argument against the Democratic party con-
sisted in charges of extravaganza as witnessed by
the public debt and of appeals to an eastern con-
stituency to vote against the Democrats because they
had built railroads in the west The strongest OBJ
lection urged against his opponent in 1858 was
that he was known to lie a decided friend 10 in
ternal improvements, and defended the appropria-
ton already made for public works. Mr. Pool then
deplored the public debt, and censured the objects
upon which the expenditure was made That course
was successful in 1858; his views the views of
the majority Of the voters before whom he appeared
But Mr.. Pool has changed his notions of 1858 on
this subject and now declares himself good, aye,
o better railroad man than Gov. Ellis He says he
has voted for more railroads than Ellis That's for
the west you know; but he has never voted one
cent of appropriation, nor moved an appropriation,
nor spoke for an appropriation to railroad. That's
for the east you know. Every one ought to be
satisfied with his position this important ques-
ton, for he has record to suit every section.
Mr.. Pools argument in favor Of ad ralorem taxa
ton, if understood him correctly is this: 1st Every
man ought to pay in proportion to the amount of
protection he receives from the government Whe.
ha fho 10 ho 70
lection to life to liberty, to freedom of conscience
and all the civil rights claim as freemen or whe-
Their he intended to conne the protection he named
to property alone, whether he intended to repre-
sent taxation by X or some other algebraic symbol
of an unknown quantity, and make it equal to the
compound result Of protection ascertained by po-
litico-mathematical elimination, l don't know; he
did not explain. But he used the words state, and
repeated them as summing up his idea of correct
taxation, and he called this proposition adj ualorem
taxation
In applying this principle to taxation, he said
that all property should be taxed in proportion to
its value; all property of every description. But
upon being questioned by Gov. Ellis, whether he
was in favor Of levying tax upon every kind of
property Mr.. Pool said he did not intend or desire,
to tax ali property-he would exempt some species
of property. Being asked what property he would
exempt, he did not tell, he was unwilling to name
any particular kinds of property. Ellis asked him
if he would save from taxation bankstock, horses,
CATTLE negroes or land any or all of them Mr.
Pool could not really tell he would leave that to the
Convention which his party wishes to CALL Ellis
asked him still farther whether he would have these
articles exempt from taxation named in his new
Constitution, or whether he would leave the kinds
and the quantity so exempt to the discretion of the
Legislature Mr. Pool would have constitutional
guarantee, he said, but he would not of course,
name each article to be exempt in the Constitution
itself how then, asked Ellis, is it to be protected
by the Constitution? Mr.. Pool finally fixed upon
sum certain in value, and SAID that property, to
that amount, should be protected by his new Con-
stution from taxation but how it was to be ascer-
tanned, and by whom whether by an officer appoin-
ted by law and if so, what officer whether by the
owner himself Mr.. Pool did not state
Gov. Ellis then wished to know what amount Mr..
Pool would exempt. Mr. Pool could not say that
he was in favor of any particular amount. He said
he would exempt at least hundred and fifty dol
lars worth; how much more he was not prepared to
say. Gov. Ellis suggested to him that this amount
to be freed from taxation was very material part
Of the plan, and that the size Of this pile would put
different aspect upon the whole argument, accord
ing as 1t was large or small; and he requested Mr.
Pool, over and again, to fix upon some particular
amount He told Mr.. Pool that if he exempted one
thousand dollars worth of property from taxation
ne would, in many places relieve an entire comrnu
nifty from taxation and thus turn his boosted equal
ity into monstrous injustice. Still Mr.. Pool de-
cilned TO name any amount, and proposed to leave
Z that duty to his Convention.
In this ad oalorem scheme Mr. Pool saw vast
amount OF protection to the slave owner. Suppose
there are 10000 taxable negroes in the State, and
only 20 900 taxable whites, and of this number 80
600 save-owners. And suppose this 10000 white
people should take it into their heads to raise all the
venue OF the State from polls alone in that event
says be, there is nothing to save the negro from ex
Termination so far as taxation is concerned. Wha
Is t. hinder Legislature representing this 70 OO(
white men from levying tax of ten or even twenty
dollars upon the poll and taking away the burden
from all other property. Such is the condition o
the slaveowner, and all there is to accomplish THU
direfal result is that the white people shall som,
iine morning wake up and discover that the Legis
lature has the power to raise the poll-tax Mr. Poo
seemed trembngly alive to this great danger, and
urged the people to call convention latter electin,
MN Governor and adopt constitutional safe guar,
oy putting in the principle of ad valorem taxatio,
against the evil he f0reSeeS and fhic hofnro to ro