Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-07-03
go, mamie, to Eve minutes in deb.t. Lies over

The hour having arrived, the order of the day,
the ad pniorem ordinance, was taken up.
Mr. Woodin took the floor in defence OF the
amendment exemptng free white polls from taxa
ton. He said that no other State, except Iennes-
see who got her notions on the subject from TINS
State has Constitutional provision tor taxing ree
white polls. He quoted fro,p the Constitutions OF
several States on the subject to show that lhese
authorities are against the practice. He then ar.
gued that right and Justice are against it, and cited
facts and figures from the census returns, and the
Comptrollers report to show that the subjects OF
this taxation pay more than their just proportion OF
the public bur len in military duty, even IN tunes
of peace, and in other public duties.
Mr. Leak, of Richmond, was of opinion that the
ordinance reported by the committee. was, under
all the circumstances, the best that could be aoop-
ted He comba.ed the arguments in favor OF ex-
emptng free white polls FROM taxation, adduced oy
Mr. Gorrell and Mr.. Woodin. He had always been
in favor of ad ralorem taxation, but could not give
in to the idea of exempting the white man IRON poii
tax-and believed it would be taken as an afffont
by them to pass this measure
Mr.. Foster of Randolph, replied to the remarks OF
Mr.. Leak He believed the friends OF I'D ralorena to
be as honest and as free from demagogulsm as those
on the opposite side. He was opposed to that por.
ton of the ordinance which says that the white poll
tax shall not be less than the tax on $500 value OF
such regulation, and gave notice that he would at
proper time, move to strike that clause from the
ordinance.
Mr. Rufin again defended the ordinance, and op-
posed the proposed amendments
Mr.. Brown had intended to make few remarks
on this subject but he believed the subject had been
sufficiently discussed, and he therefore hoped vote
would now be had Oh the ordinance and amend
ments.
Mr., Satterthwaite and Mr. Venable seconded the
suggestion.
Mr.. Gorrell again made some remarks IN answer
to Mr. Leak, and in defence Of his amendment
Mr. Headen did not intend to make speech, but
would merely state his views on the subject. lie
was in favor of striking out all of the ordinance ex-
cept the LIST section which strikes the restriction on
slaves from the Constitution.
Mr. Graham was opposed to restrictions on the
Legislature in regard to the subject Of taxation on
any species of property-that all these restrictions
are the remnants of sectional Jealouses that were
ended in the Convention Of 1S35-that prior to that
Convention there was no restriction on the taxation
| Of slaves He referred to the compromises Of that
Convention and said that those compromises were
abandoned when the property qualification for Sen.
ate voters was repealed
Mr.. Rufin proposed some verbal amendments to
the second section and some desultory discussion
sprung up as to whether the amendments were in
order.
The Chair decided that it was in order, that the
friends of the ordinance had right to make it as
perfect as possible before the question of striking it
out should be put
Mr. Gilmer was glad to hear the gentleman from
! Hartford say he would vote for this measure, al
though his whole argument of three quarters of an
hour was against it. lie thought ten years expert
! ence was ten hours argument and this cd ral0rem
system had worked we'll in all the Southern States,
and had allayed jeaouses in regard to this subject
lie then suggested some amendments on the subject
! of capitation tax-which he thought would conc-
ate all opinions.
| The verbal amendments to the second section Of
| Mr.. Ruffin we're then adopted
| Mr. G,lmer then moved to amend by striking from
the second section the word "less" and it was not
adopted.
The question was then put on Mr.. Gorrell's amend
ment to strike from the section the clause relating
! to capitation tax, and 1t was rejected-yeas 81,
! nays n.
I Mr. Barnes then moved to strike out the whole of
! the second section, and insert the amendment of
! which he gave notice yesterday.
/ Mr.. Sanders raised point of order, but before it
(! was stated,
! The Convention took a recess.
; AFTERNOON SESSION.
:; The Convention was called TO order at o'clock.
tomorrow, move to rescind the resolution for ad-
journng at o'clock to morrow evening.
Sundry communications were received from the
Adjutant Generals Office in relation to contracts
for equipments-read and laid ON the table and or
dered to be printed.
The consideration of the al ral0ren, ordinance
was resumed.
Mr. Wilson offered an amendment allowing the
Legislature to provide for taxing slaves their in
divdual value
Mr. Rufin opposed the amendment, and explain.
ed the reasons winch influenced the committee on
this point
Mr.. Wilson defended the amendment.
Mr. Speed objected to that clause in the ordinance
which connects the tax on white polls and on land
and also to the limitation Of the State debt
The question was put on Mr.. Wilson's amend.
ment and it was rejected, yeas SO, nays So.
Mr.. Foster of Randolph moved to strike out the
clause which makes the capitation tax equal to that
on 5000 value of land
Mr.. Osborne said he had voted to strike out the
section relating to captaton tax, not that he was
opposed to the principle, but he thought the laying
of this tax ought to be left to the Legislature bu,
if the restriction is to be incorporated in the Const
tuition, there should be maximum as well
minimum. He Thought the present ordinance nc
better than the old constitution, because it ties the
white poll to the land and the land to the negro
and thus makes the whole public tax depend on the
white poll, at last
Mr.. Dick said, it was evident that more money
must be raised by taxation than heretofore, and
public opinion said it must be raised on slaves bu
this ordinance places the white poll and land both
between taxation and the negro; he thought he
would prefer the old Constitution to this in its pre-
sent shape.
Mr.. Rulfn made some remarks in reply to Mr.
Dick.
Mr.. Thomas of Jackson said he had been opposed
to disturbing the compromise Of 1885, but if cas-
tern men asked change he was willing to grant it
but he would warn gentlemen that change of basis
would inevitably follow change of the mode o
taxation.
Mr. Howard moved to strike out of the secont
section the words mot less than and insert "eoua
| to,"-rejected.
The question was then on Mr.. Fosters amend
ment and it was rejected, yeas ~, nays TO-
MIR. Sanders then moved to strike out the who'll
ordinance and insert the substitute offered by him