Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-11-29

This the first intmaon have heard that the line was
not aeay distinctly marked in other parts than those de-
signaed in Act
important location of the line should be clear
y understood by the people of the States which
reason would respectfully suggest the adoption of such e
gsaon as may be thought necessary to accomplish that
Since the last adjournment of the Legislature, the Hon
Court in consequence his heahs failing to such an ex
tent as to conflict in his opinion with efficient discharge
of his duties The retirement of this able and faithful officer
furnishes suitable occasion for public acknowledgment
OF the lnestlmabe value of his services to the State
Inc vacancy thus caused was temporarily filled by the
Matthias E. Maney that office, upon the acceptance of
which be resigned his Office of Judge of the Superior Courts
and the Hon. George Howard was appointed to fill the
| cancy.
The Hon. David F. Caldwell and the Hon. Jesse G. sbep-
herd also resigned their Offices Judges of the Superior
Courts. The Hon. James W. Osborne appointed to fill
the vacancy caused by the resignation of the former and
the Hon. Robert S. French that of the latter.
IL Will devoVe upon at your present session. to fill
these vacancies by permanent appointments.
TAXATION REVENUE
During the present the question of taxation and the
principles upon which should be imposed have
cupled to very considerable extent the attention of the
people Propositions have been presented in the public
discussions of the day. favorng the mode of taxing prop
power in the Legislature of Discrimination and Others
without the power of discriminating either " in favor Of
or against any particular class of persons any particular
species of property All of these propositions involve
as an incident such alteration of the Constitution of the
state as to require of the Legislature to tax slaves
cordng to value instead Of by enumeration present
The principle of taxing property according to value may
|
IN every revenue system; and could imagine condition
of society where the circumstances of men, their mode
OF life were the same and the property owned by them of
like nature and kind might be introduced generally
with equity and justice. But it is apprehended that such
state OF society Wno be found anywhere to exist and
tainly not i'll North Carolina.
The kind of property owned by people, and the
to which applied, widely variant in their character. &c.
too with their mo lie of life, their occupations and pursuits
some own property eta useful and necessary kind and
which tends IN its use, to increase the public wealth and
the general comforts of fe Others such not necessary
and which in its employments, fosters the growth Of
luxury ministers merely to the pleasures and oen to
the vicious propensities Of our nature.
Now to act the general principle of taxing all prop
ef UNIFORM percentage upon the value, without regard to
its character or kind and the which may be ap-
Pied whether be employed in creating and multiplying
lie enerVa9n OF the vital powers OF man. by ehor11'"S
nAuTlonS ndplgHno'9o "oreI III tne encouragement OF
or the growth OF and deness that weaken BOTH u.s. to
my mind to violate the plainest principles of political
economy to disregard the intelligent experience of
kind and to sacrifice the best interests of society the de-
lusive teachings of false philosophy
principle OF equality 1t certainly does, and therein lies
the argument against it. 1t would treat equal those
pubc welfare requires should not be treated with equal
favor by the government. 1t would impose equal
given amount invested by the merchant in sugar and
Coffee which among the necessares of lfe and the
amount invested by the retailer of ardent Spirits
the merchandise pertaining to his VOCATION equal
upon books of useful Instruction. and others of like value
that tend to the cultivation of vitiaed aste in fine
would obterate the ordinary distinctions between virtue
and vice, which moral people should keep constantly in
| view, in every branch of legislation
|
plan, that property when employed in way to lead to
vice and dleness should be taxed at higher rate than
when otherwise used, and that this may be done by
curing persons thus employing it to pay for the
license OF the privilege of SO using their property
This certainly would be an ingenious mode OF escaping
from ofthe evil of practical application
of this principle and carries with it the admission that it
! limited and qualified employment.
further examination of the subject, will discover still
other considerations that will require departure from this
principle.
According to present law of the bank
irg capital bears of 10 the share $780, in
addition to amount paid upon the profits of banking
equal to the a upon the profits of money loaned at in
tees The business of banking, is well known, usual
y yields, with clear profit of from eight to twelve per
cent annually while persons having at interest
prohibited by law, from receiving than six per cent
Now, here instance of Discrimination betW
perty employed in different ways, which it is believed, will
generally be conceded to be just 1t is distinction found
ed in the fact that though both modes of employment may
be equally useful to the public the yields larger profit
than the other, and consequently Is capable OF bearing
heavier tax.
discrimination should be made it submitted, between
the different KINDS OF property with reference 10 their re
tive advantages to the public at large For instance by
law tax of dollar the hundred dollars
plate, jewcry and luxures of the like kind while tax
but twenty cents is imposed hundred dollars worth
land And this because Of the fact that the one
luxury while the other necessity; the diminshe
the public wealth. the other increases it. Yet the princi
pie of I'D cdoren taxation would make distinction be
hem but place equal amount of taxes upon equa
values of each A1d shall it be said that land upon which
human habitaon are built and bread is made for the sus
of life, and from the productions Of which com
and manufactures and indeed all the occupations
men, derive vitality and support shall be placed upon
footing of equality regards taxation with pleasure
rages gold and silver plate and the like articles of proper
ty minister merely luxurious aste and WITHDRAW
from useful employmens the amount of capital invested
| them!
There still other considerations that should be kept
view, in the shaping of proper system of revenue who'll
inconsistent with the idea of making no discrimination be
+ | tween different kinds of prOperty
very considerable number of citizens, make
plus from the employment OF their property beyond tn
bare support of their families and law that would mpos
upon every article OF property without dlstnctIol
would have the effect to deprive them of some OF the prlm
of life The interests of the people of this Stat
require my opinion that many articles of property shou
6 be entirely exempt from taxation.
Thus far the principle which it is proposed to cole
the of the State has been considered with ree
application to the various objects of property
the different modes of their employment 1t propose
now consider the rule applicable to persons in the
several occupations requiring the employment OF the ment
% and physical powers alone
The proposition that in the collection of it
Just and 6expeden discriminate in favor of again
10 any particular class of persons is submitted will
found equally as alacous, as that winch would 1orold
10 discrimination between the different kinds OF property
, The injustice and inexpedency OF such rule cannot
clearly lusraed than by citing an instance OF its
T. plcaton present revenue law One OF the proVso
a of that law imposes tax of per cent the ncon
from the various learned professions the salaries OF sta
County officers, OF the officers of corporations and nt
n vual empoyments when the amount received Dy any
at person exceeds S5OO.
D. Here there discrimination made between the la
yer and the mechanic the physician and the overseer
State or county officer, whose labor performed with
doors and the Railroad engineer who in conducting the
comoye exposed the ncemencies of the weather
many dangers incident to his profession; they are
a. treated alike under this rule of equal taxation.
IN Such rule, maintain, is in its application
n persons that eminently just and proper In the imp
ston of taxes discriminate favor of particular class
OF persons engaged in certain pursuits While regard
as altogether proper to impose tax upon the income
saared officers of the State and counties, and OF some
n poratio1s consider inexpedent to impose any tax