Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-02
Fpm the Daily Rough Notes. I
DISCUSSION AT .GOLDSBORO.

Ftpm the Daily Rough Note1 $50
DISCUSSION AT GOLDSBORO.
Governor Ellis opened the debate with short
appropriate exirdum, and proceeded at once to the
discussion Of tie great question of ad cesorers-A
question in which all parties are vitality interested
1t is proposed by respectable party ostrike out
from the Constitution an important guarantee for
the protection of certain species Of property,
All slaves over the age of twelve and under fifty
years, are:pow taxed
OF the tax on slaves, $4,000 is paid annually
into the State and $l47, 900 goes into the county
treasures; making an aggregate of 1856, 600, tax
on slaves -
annually. of which $51 900 goes into the State and
about $4,000 into the county treasures.
The slaves pay q times as much as the whole
white population of tile State and nearly six times
as much as the same number of whites.
The I'd Congressional District pays 100000
yearly into the State Treasury the Mountain Dis
trict only $4,000 OF the 100000 paid by the
second district, about $4,000 is applied to defray
the expenses of the State Government, and $4,000
to the construction of railroads in the west The
annual interest on the money which has been and
will be spent in Burke county alone say $5OO,0oo,
is $50 600, while the whole of the 9Th Congressional
District pays only about $4,000
This the Governor did not bring forward as a
subject OF complaint, but simply to show the
inequality that exists, and that the west ought to
be, as he thinks she is perfectly satisfied and
tent with the present basis of
as sectional contest, on qestion of this sort
might tend to delay the completion of her railroads.
My competitor complains that the taxes on land
are too high, and those on negroes too low; yet,
when it was in his power to vote for reduction on
the land tax from 20 to Is cents on the $780, he
lodged the question altogether and refused to vote.
There are two ways to make taxes equal-if the
foy mil and fpn srrh he 70
Treasury can we'll admit of it. But, in order to
equaze taxation, my competitor favors the calling
of an open convention simply to effect one object
and that object the increase of taxes the negro.
Now my competitor admits that convention,
such as he favors and asks for will cost at least
$4,000; and, if under the control of the OPPOSE
ton party, there is no telling what it will cost, nor
how many negroes would have to be taxed to dcfray
those expenses. Again.
Representation in the House of Commons is upon
the federal basis which gives that branch of the
government to the West The east on the present
basis, which is taxation has the Senate, and no
law can pass without the consent of both
houses, both sections stand ON an equality. But
call Convention and adopt the white the federal
basis, and the power Of the west in the Senate, be-
comes irresstible-she can't tax the east at her
pleasure-a power, which, as he thinks the west
does not covet and which ought not to exist in any
section either east or west.
Again It has been said that !. (the Governor)
represented the West crying like the horse leach,
"givc, give" In this was misrepresented or mis-.
understood What did say. was, that this cry of
'give, give" came not from the West, but from the
agitation introduced by the opposition convention,
at Raleigh not from the people but from the politi
clans. He, the Governor,) is Western man. is
known to, and knows, the West and he entertains
too high opinion of the sense of Justice and equal
ity for which the West is distinguished to attempt
to make others believe that the West will, now or
hereafter ask any thing but her rights. And in
vain will be the attempt, by whomsoever uade, that
seeks TO impress those people with the belief that he
would represent them otherwise.
The Governor took up, what seemed to him, the
inconsistencies Of his competitor. His competitor
was now for an open convention and an ad valorem
system of taxation But while in the legislature
his competitor had voted three times against ad va
loren, and tacice against convention.
The platform on which the opposition convention
placed his 1.-THE Governor's) competitor advocates a
general system of ad valorem matchmaking
whatever to be excepted. Itenters the smoke-house
and the corn crib, taxes the bacon and corn-nay,
nothing whatever, however inconsiderable in value
escape its operation. But his competitor Jumps
clean off the platform which his party placed him.
and now goes for discriminating tax-the very
thing the identical system hitherto advocated by
the Democratic party.
The Opposition party goes for taxing everything
according to its value. 1t places high per cent
age on sugar and coffee, as it does on whiskey and
brandy; it taxes molasses just as high as it does
champaigne the road wagon, as high as the billiard
table, the spade and the axe rs high as the pack of
cards and the gold watch.
Is such system of taxation fair system? Isit
fair is it right to tax the poor mans necessares as
high as the rich mans luxuries9
But my competitor says he would discriminate!
In, hat ho Rxy of
discrimination, he would tax everything and exempt
nothing. So his platform says, and so says the Ra-
leigh iegister and other papers in his interest.
Mr. POOLS exordum was short chaste and appro-
pirate He thought that his competitor had the ad-
vantage over him, being among his friends whereas
he, Mr. p, had never before addressed any audience
in this section
platform unfairly-neither himself nor any member
of his party had ever intimacd that he was in favor
of taxing tin cups, &c. lie had no idea of pass ng
revenue bill and putting it in the Constitution-hc
proposes to insert in the Constitution principle of
Justice and equality As the Constitution now
stands negroes under r. and over 80 years. cannot
be taxed all others taxed whereas all negroes,
whatever their age, ought to be taxed according to
their value.
Every NAN ought to contribute to the expenses of
the government, in proportion to the protection he
receives.
Mr.. p would tax nothing-t is the province of
the Legislature to impose taxes; and the Constitu-
ton ought to be so amended as to bind up the Leg
islature in such way to guarantee equality Of
taxation. He proposes to amend the Constitution
that every species of property may be taxed-not
shall be understanding to value.
Mr. P. confesses that the Legislature would have
no power to discriminate in favor of land but his
platform says the Legislature would have the power
to discriminate in favor of the industrial pursuits
and the native products Of the country. It would
be wrong to tax the products Of the soil, when you
| tax the soil.
Mr.. P would now vote against Mr.. Turner's
amendment, whereby tin cups &C., should be ex-
empted because it would be absurd to place such a
provision in the constitution. He (Gov. Ellis) is
the man that wants to tax tin cups &c. if he stands
on the Democratic platform.