The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-01-24
From the Wilmington Journal.
THE REVENUE LAW.


During the last session of the Legislature o.
North Carolina, movement made to change
the Constitution of the State SO as to alter the ba
sis of taxation, far at least as negro property is
concerned. That movement, whether emanating
from Mr. Bledsoe or Mr. Turner, fell dead, fat and
dead and fiat it ought to have been permitted to
rest, at least until the debt contracted upon the
present basis should have been discharged.
| Such is not the case, however. The agitation
has been renewed, and during the week of the
State Fair, it assumed substantive form, although
that form did very inadequately shadow forth the
scope and aims of the movement. Said to be a
local. Wake County movement, it was really a
movement to initiate fresh agitation throughout
the State, to awaken controversies local ieaouses
and to give force to all the fanced anita gonisms of
class or occupation. That such would be the course
Of events felt convinced at the time, as we also
felt that the time selected perhaps the most
inappropriate one that the Investigations of the
highest ingenuity could have discovered That such
was the opinion of the most thoughtful and con-
sentative Democrats, we know, for we had album
dant means of ascertaining this fact, also that
they deprecated this agitation much we
could do, and that they foresaw, as we did, the
proportions it might possibly assume.
| Without now going into examination of the
address put forth in the name of the Working
Men of Wake County, say, with all due respect
to the Revenue Committee of the last Legislature,
as we'll as to the writer of the Address in ques-
| ton, that in our humble opinion there are some
items in the present tax bill that might very well
be dispensed with, and still get along without ad-
ding any thing to existing rates. even for the pur-
pose OF meeting any amount of debt likely to be
incurred for the completion of works to which the
State is committed The tax on salaries is one Of
these items which might be struck out, and some
other matters might be modified, and we think
will be.
Upon the basis of the new assessment, now be-
ing made, the present rates of taxation, together
with the returns from the public works will be
sufficient to pay all necessary interests and provide
sinking fund, while at the same time permitting
the removal Of some obnoxious features from the
tax book With debt contracted or agreed to be
contradIcted under one system and in pursuance Of
one definite understanding, the attempt. to make
such a radical change in the revenue system as
would saddle section with an undue and I'M
bar2ained for amount of responsibility would be
such an injustice as would Justify reputation, if
anything could.
We do not wish to impugn motives nor indeed,
do we wish to add much to what we have already
said upon the subject of cd r"iorena, so far as
change in the constitution is concerned. But
whether we wish it or not, the option of permit
ing the discussion to pass by, is longer with
The speech made by Mr. Bledsoe in advocacy of his
plan, has been thrown broadcast over the State
The address Of the Working Mems Association, of
Wake County, after appearing in the columns of
the metropolitan organ of the dominant party has
been also scattered over the State in phamphlet
form, while a Native, also, through the col
umns of the Standard carries the war, his sigma
ture being adopted apparently in contradstinc-
ton from and by the way of reflection upon some
Of the opponents of oI ra11'rn. understood 10y
" A Native,' and who have not the advantage of
being ''natves."
We do not care to copy articles from'the COL
umns OF antSouthern papers, IN which this aglta
ton is referred to as an evidence of branch of
the 'rrepressbe conflict" in a Southern State
and we only refer to them as illustrating previ-
Gus remark about the peculiar appropriateness Of
the time selected, while every mail eagerly
expected to bring more news from Harper's Ferry
for the 1arper's Ferry outrage took place the
Sunday preceding the movement and meeting in
Raleigh Understand us plainly-far be it from
us in thought to connect any respectable
body of citizens OF North Carolina with the raid of
John Brownie doubt the members ofthe Work
ing Mems Association of Wake County, if called
upon, would have rallied as promptly to the defence
Of the South as any South of the Potomac.
We speak of the unfortunately inappropriate
uncture of time and circumstances existing at the
period selected to initiate this agitation in regular
FORM
We do not pretend to assert that per sc there is
any infdety to the South in the proposition to
change the basis of taxation so far as negroes are
concerned, because We know that similar basis to
that contemplated exists already in more than one
Southern State, but the circumstances in the States
referred to essentially different from those in
which we are placed-what works we'll and fairly
with them, would with us result in saddng
one section with nearly ali the burdens of al
ready contracted debt, and all the responsibility for
debts to be hereafter contracted
So apparent is the fact that the change in the
Constitution would throw nearly all the burdens
of the State upon the East, that an intelligent
correspondent Of the Asheville News, while advoca
ting it, insists upon another change being stimuli
taneously made. He insists upon the basis of
representation in the Senate being also changed
for the that upon the basis Of taxation the
East paying all or nearly all the taxes, would have
all the power III that bUdy. we 60 for something
like justice-something like plighted faith.
Twenty six persons aged one HUNDRED years and
over, have died. in the United Staes in 1859
The oldest was Caesar, colored mai in Louisiana
aged 1873