Newbern weekly progress. [volume] (Newbern, N.C.) 1858-1863, 1860-05-08
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 4, 1860.
The Discussion Between Governor ELLIS
and HEr. Pool Newbcrn.
RY y. T.. PENNENGTO

and NEr. Pool at Newbcrn
Yesterday May 3rd, at Ii o'clock very good
crowd. considering the inclemency OF the wealth
or. assembled in the Court House to hear the dis
cnss;on between Governor Ellis and John Pool
Fec rival candidates for Governor. Though the
assemblage was composed principally of persons
belonoing to town, we were pleased to see quite
n numher of our fellow citizens from the country
present.
Governor Ellis led off. He had been laboring
for a day or two under severe cold, and being
ouite hoarse labored under disadvantages still
ne smoke at length and much to the satisfaction of
lis political friends.
He commenced by thanking the people for the
confidence heretofore reposed in hin-had endeav-
ored to administer the affairs of State for the pub
lie pood-had no doubt but he had committed
errors but affirmed that his desire had always
been to do jnstice to the people of every section
of the State. He and his competitor had not dis
cussed federal politics much yet, no Presidell-
tial nominations having been made, but they diff
fered there as well as on State matters. Gov E.
at once took up the change proposed by his com
petitor and his party in the State Constitution
and discussed it at length. Governments should
be charitable--the strong could protect them
selves the weak needed protection.
Gov Ellis argued that the East and Wast had
compromised this matter in the adoption of the
Constitution as it now stood, He showed the
amount OF revenue derived from slaves and the
amount derived from white polls, that the East
already paid her full proportion of the taxes and
argued that it was unjust to call upon her people
to bear a greater portion of the burdens of gov
ernment He insisted that ad ralorem, as pro-
tav tipIa
and species of property now exempt and that it
would operate against the poor instead of reliev-
ing them from any burdens which they were now
called to bear
He alluded to the federal basis as established
pointed out what he conceived would be the bad
effects of any change. He spoke of free suffrage
declared that measure was not embraced in the
compromise entered into in the adoption of the
Constitution, and that its adoption removed an
unjust inequality which existed. He pointed to
the difference between the taxes levied on
articles of luxury and those of prime necessity,
and contended that the proposed change would
tax articles of necessity more while it would tax
luxuries less. lie charged Mr. Pool with not vo-
ting for a proposition made before the last Legis-
ature to reduce the tax on land from 20 to IS
cents on the 800 valuation. Gov. L. deprecated
any attempt to get up III feelings between the
East and West; he knew section in North
Carolina he loved the whole State, and contend
ed for the rights and interests of every section
lie contended that there decided difference
between the ad raIorem of other Southern States
and the ad vaIorem proposed here. The demo-
cratic party were in favor of a certain kind of al
zulore1n, but not that which was proposed by his
fha tov tbo
little which was the poor mans all.
Gov Ellis alluded to the present excited condi
ton of the Countrywide necessity for the protec-
ton of slave property; alluded to the national
struggle which is soon to be met, and that all
men concluded that the fight must be between
the Democratic and Black Republican parties
Everybody knew that the Opposition could make
no show in the race for the Presidency.
He said that the property in slaves tax
ed to educate the children of the poor already.
Id ratOrem and this proposed change was hob
by taken up by politicians-the people did not
want it. The opposition supposed that the dem
ocratic party were divided, they wonld be mista-
ken he stood upon the platform of his party,
but that his competitor could not adhere to
his.
Governor Ellis time having expired he closed
to his remarks, and took his seat. He evidently
labored under disadvantages on account of hoarse-
ness and feebelness, but his speech was clear,
else and unequivocal. He declared his positions
on ad uazoren and other questions, frankly, bold
ly and without equivocation reservation:
MIR POOLS SPEECH
Mr. Pool, without preliminaries, with the sim
pie remark that il the first time he had ever
had the honor of addressing an audience in Cra-
ven, commenced his answers to the arguments of
Governor Ellis. He thought that the Charleston
Convention would hardly make a nomination,
and that consequently his competitors party
would be saved the trouble of saving the Union;
On ad yaIoren Mr.. Pool asserted that Gov Ellis did
not state his position fairly he did not propose,
his party did not propose to incorporate reve-
nue. bill in the State Constitution. They propos-
ed to give the Legislature the power to tax all
property according to value and insisted that
slaves should be taxed as other property. Gov.
Ellis did not stand on the platform constructed
for him He here read portions of the platform
and reviewed it, All citizens should be protected
according to what they have, and slaves should
pay as much according to value as land or any
other property. There were others in North Car
olina besides slave owners. Slave owners were
honest men and were willing to pay their taxes.
His competitor complained that to tax slaves ac-
cording to their value would drive them out OF
the State. Ifslave owners did not love their ma
tive State well enough to pay tax on their prop