Newbern weekly progress., 1860-06-26
coxe-nor Ellis, Letter.

| r. u. IL
We doubt not but Bfr. Foster tried to give a
faithful and truthful report but that it is mpossi
BILE for any newspaper editor to give the exact
| language meaning throughout four hours
discussion such as those that occur at every meet
ing between Governor Ellis and Mr.. Pool, every
one knows who has ever attempted such a task.
Mr.. Fosters report makes the Governor apply to
the West what he evidently meant for Opposition
| politicians, and as confident that the ex-
planation given by Governor Ellis is the meaning
| of what he did say and mean, we give place to a
portion of his letter and regret that our space is
too limited to allow us to copy the whole of it.
| The Governor says
l made no question then, nor do 7 now, of the
& truth fulln ess )" of any l have doubt but
| that the reporters presented my meaning to the
public, upon this point, as they understood it. AT
! the same time it Is not claiming too much for my
SELF that having prepared my argument upon
! important question with some care, I should have
sOme knowledge and recollection of what did mean
| on the occasion referred TO, and of what said
! 1t would be strange indeed rad I applied often
sive epithets to large portion of the voters of the
| State, the support of majority of whom I expect
ed to obtain-and that too, i'll the presence of two
reporters of the Opposition party.
A reference to my notes used at that time enables
nc to give the precise words employed, with their
| proper connection.
| laid down the proposition that the plan of taxa
| ton proposed by the Opposition, would have the
effect to increase the burthen of taxes upon the
Eastern part of the State, as compared with the
West; and a necessary consequence. the West
would lose portion of her representatives in the
Senate taxation there the basis of represent
tati0n; res ut not to be desired by either section
| and one that would work detriment to the general
welfare of the State, by exciting sectional contro
verses and retarding all useful improvements.
Iii the argument used to prove this proposition.
that part of Constitution proposed to be changed
referred to as a compromise between the two
sections. when the following language used:
"Such, Felow-citiZens, was the origin of this
comprise Let us look for moment at its practical
working Like the convenant made between Abra-
ham and bimelech. it brought instantaneous peace
to a distracted people, anal from that day forth we
went forward as one united people III the march of
! prosperity and greatness Now gentlemen you
will mark carefully feature of this comprise. 1t
was not intended melely for day. The taxes of
North Carolina were then only some SS5,GOO, and it
had slave property paid the whole of them. 1t
made for the future-for this our time. when rail
roads to be constructed through the mount aims
| and when public debt must be contracted for that
purpose and public taxes increased to pay the in
terest on that debt-a period and condition of af
fairs then clearly foreseen. Nor was it. on the 9th
hand, intended to prevent the construction of such
works. The people of the East of that day, knew
them to he useful and knew that they ought and
would be built and that increased taxes on that ac
count, would and must follow. Of which they were
willing cheerulv. to pay their Just part. They only
desired to be protected against the payment of
than their just proportions. And now, gentlemen
does not the East pay her just proportion of the
nubic burthens? Let see how the account stands
The 1st Congressional District pays into the public
Treasury, annually. 500 648-whie the 9Th District
where these expenditures are mainly to be made,
paws Sf32 $40.
| The small county Of gates for instarce, where
there is no expenditure of consequence for public
-vorks paws at this time s. 401 while the county of
Burke, larger and more populous, where $500
900 are to be expended on public works pays 81 AZ
NowI submit to you, aye, to all candid men East
and West whether this is not the full measure of
proportion of the public taxes? Yet, there is
an inexorable demand for more. Though you pay
oVer Yet the cry is like the horse eech give give!
like the grave more more!
The argument then goes on to show that this cry for
more Is to be found in this proposition to change
the Constitution and the adoption of the ad vaIorem
system which would necessarily result in increas-
inc the disnroporiOn of taxes paid by the two
ti0ns and thereby disurb the balance Of reprcsen-
tation in the Senate That the East have prop
rtv than the West--a consequence of her superior
mark facilities and being Older settled country
and must necessarily under the al val0re1n system
pay more taxes. In which argument the following
Ian~uarp was used
"Rnt vhv this proposed change? Do the people
ask it No! Why sir, out of 80 Senators. 0ty 10
veted for the proposition at the last legislature
ser asks it. Mr. Pool asks it. the Opposition Conver
tion ask it, they say that system Of equal taxa
tion may be adopted hut as l say and expect to
prove, that Opposition Senator and Governor
and Opposition Judges may be made
The foregoing extracts are the precise words used
bv me in the discussion referred to- They were
written down amOdg my notes Just they given
| here. and I particular to follow my note very
closely. that was the first discussion in the
vass They written at length because of
| the figures apsearng in them, about which wished
be accurate, and because Of the figure of speech
quoted. which was not clearly remembered by me,
and which desired topresent correctly.
In these extracts although inequality of taxes
paid by the two sections is shown and it is repre-
sented there cry for more. yet, nowhere is the
| West represented making that cry. 1t is repre-
sented os coming from the politicians of the Oppo
sion party who were the authors and advocates of
a system Of taxation in which this cry to be
found It was this system that to produce more :"
and herein was the "dem0nd' for more
Indeed, entire speech proceeded upon the
ground that this scheme of taxation was the
mere device of politicians, to subserve party pur-
poses and that the proposition for change did not
West.
In the same speech. distinctly said that I did
not propose to make any change in the present pro
portion Of taxes, paid by the East and West
that necessary public works being costructed
in the West and thesetaxes paid aid in their
construct on. Yet was at the same time opposed
to ince0sang this dsproportion because it would be
unjust within itself, and such an increase would
cite sectional conflicts and ieaOusies, that might
suit in retarding useful works prosperously pro
crossing to completion.
The comments ofthe Opposition papers upon the
reports Of my speech leave to pass tor what they
tensvely in the West for the purpose of prejudicng
me with people in whose cause | have been labor
ing for the past sixteen years, having raised my
voice in their behalf during my first session in the
Legislature IN l844-and having at no period from
that time to this remitted my exertions to promote
their interests And this was done too while some
of those who now holding me up as dereict to
Western interests We're speaking and voting directly
against those interests But two years ago,
of the most prominent papers OF the Opposition,
were dealing heavy blows upon the cause of West
err interests while l, upon every stump from the
ocean to the mountains, was battling IN behalf of
those interest.
Evervwhere nv best ability was empoyedto to con
people of the importance of completing our
Western railroads speedily practicable, and
that it practicable and consistent with the best
interests of the State to complete them speedily
as the work could be accomplished. was often
compelled in this labor, to meet excited preudices
existing in the minds of some of best citizens; at
the risk too, of incurring their displeasure; yet
nenlv and HUithnut enni ton