Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-04-18
The Standard.
For the Standard.
AID vALoREM AND THE OPPOSITION.

For the Standard. <
AID vALOREM AND THE OPPOSITION
Mr. EDITOR Sihce the adjournment Of the cele-
brated America Wing Constitutional Union party
Convention that met at Raleigh lately, for the pur-
pose of framing bill Of indictment against the Dem
ocraticf party and so apportionng the spolls I'm ex-
pectancy as to reconcile conflicting claims, we have
been waiting patiently for them to make up their
issues that the record may show where they stand
BY degrees the truth has leaked out-so much at
least as was intended for Arson and counties west
of it. -.
This axtkropv.,oological "happy family" with
venerable Ex-senator at its head, after execrating
the Democratic party, and casting out as evil the
names of the only men North who respect our
rights-much less defend them-put forth the fol-
lowing manifesto on which they hope the coming
State elections will turn and somebody be enabled to
put somebody else out of Office and themselves in:
"Resolced, That we recommend Convention OF
the people of the State be called the federal asls
as early possible for the purpose of so modifying
the State Constitution that every species of property
may be taxed according to its value with power to
discriminate only in favor of the native products OF
the State and the industrial pursuits of her cit-
zens."
As soon as it was known that Mr. Pool would
mount the hobby, notwithstanding his political life
had been at war with it. Democratic papers charged
that under the system proposed, ("strict, unbend-
ing ad ratsrem, " certain property OF the poor man,
his horse and cow, his pigs and household furniture
and the widow with her Unite" the contents of her
cupboard, her LOOM &C., which the Legislature here
.ofcre has wisely exempted from taxation, would
come in for their quota. 1t was charged that, in
stead of equazing the burdens of taxation, it would
Cypress class of people of all others most lily able
to bear it And is not this the only logical concu-
sion sensible man can come to? The party rec
ommends that "every species of property be taxed
according to its value" Will any opoositionst say
that the articles mentioned above not property?
imagine not
But the Fayetteville Observer contends (and the
argus here does not deny it, that the object of the
proposed Convention is solely to compel the slave
holder to pay ad ualorem on his negroes! lfso
round about way to come at it, truly A Conven-
ton of the poole to be called and the constitution
modified that erery species of property may he taxed
according to its value order that negroes shall pay
ad valorem!
Why did not the patriotic gentlemen who concoct
ed the platform, and who had the interests of the
"dear people" so much at heart sag what they
meant instead of thus leaving the public blunder-
ing in darkness and uncertainty?' Have we not
the secret of their tender manipuatons in the fact
that they knew they were handling sectional ques
ton which in times gone BY threatened seriously to
disturb the quiet of our people from the mountains
to the sea shore! They knew of course for some
of them were present. that the Convention of 1885,
was called for the purpose of adjusting this very
matter, and that sacred compact was entered into
by the high contracting parties that thereafter poll
tax should be equal Throughout the State"
1t was very we'll for the Opposition that they COW
cred up their design in of verbiage calculat-
ed to deceive the unwary. It we'll for their party
in the East, where the negro is more popular, be-
cause more productive than here, that their presses
and stump-speakers " go the whole hog" and clamor
for an ad oalorem tax upon all property owned by
man. woman or child among them. And they no doubt
fattcr themselves that the O6serrer-negro-ralo-
rem will be good card for them in the West. But
let them look to their laurcls Democrats in the
habit Of "hearing both sides" and coming to none
other than honest conclusions. The Obserrer's very
taking title take in would be more fitting orthog-
raphy,) of equal taxation, will seducc no Democrat
or antKnow Nothing to the support of Pool, who
will read further than the captions of its articles.
What say the shareholders of Anson? Are they
prepared to support party that would discriminate
against their negro property, under the guise of
equal taxation? Are they willing to be subjected
to a practical working of the Helper doctrine to
"tax slavery, make it Improbable, and drive it from
among themy"
But suppose the Obssruer does not "speak by the
book" and that the Echo here as matter of course
is misleading u.s. will the Opposition stand any fairer
with the class of people whom they most desire to
concate? Let us see whether they should Un-
der the system of every species of property bearing
its equal burden of taxation the poor mans plough
horse, worth $780, will pay as much as the rich
mans buggy worth the same amount There car
be no specific tax on Injuries and lower one on
the necessaries Of life has always been the policy
Of the Democratic party but erery thing must be
taxed according to its value Pleasure carriages
vr,ho oh ,oIoc
per cent, or S. each under the nd ralorem system
will pay at most but 81. The same rule will apply
to pianos, silver plate, pistols swordcanes bowie
knives, &c. The four-ffths land even morc) reduc-
ton in the revenue now derived from these articles
must be raised some where else. Part of it, as VIC
have shown, will come from the poor laboring man,
as tribute to the government for protecting his horse
his COW and calf his pigs, his poultry and the ef
fecs Of his household and this in addition to his poll
and land tax
But say the Opposition, the aggregate increase of
taxes on negroes under IL and 50 years of age
(now untaxed) will quite compensate for the dimi-
mutton the system may work in other articles
Grant, for the sake of argument that it will Does
not your principle of equal taxation on all kinds of
property compel you to impose part of the burden
on the poor mans live stock and other things so
necessary to his comfort? II, then, this "windall"
from niger babies and their grand daddes is likely
" supply ueuclenceS ELSEWHERE you must tighten
up a little on this kind Of property and bear down
somewhere else in proportion. If you don't do this
your equal taxation" is naisnomer and your par
ty cheat-undeserving the confidence Of honest
men.
Again, are you very sure, gentlemen, that under
the system you propose, the revenue from negro
property will be permanently increased? MAY not
the broad cotton fields and high prices of the South
west disappoint you? To what do you attribute the
present unparalleled high rates at which negroes
are selling among us2 Is it because their produc-
veness has increased at the rate Of 100 per cent in
ten years? Do Shareholders realize twice as much
on negro worth $1,000 now as they did on one of
the same quality ten years ago worth in the market
only $500? Do they realize any moreg Do they
in fact realize as much, considering the increased
cost of living and the worn out condition of our cot
ton lands !? With the exception of occasional local
demands of Railroad companies for laborcrs, ven.
ture the assertion the owners of negroes in North
Carolina clear no more money with them now than
they did few years ago when they were not worth
IN .s tne market half so much And yet we heard no.
thing Of this inequality of taxation, and probably
never should Lave heard oft but for the high prices