Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-06-29

! each member to Ave minutes in debate Lies over
/ under the rule. >. E -
| A communication from Messrs. B. F. Moore and
| S. F. Phillips accepting the position OF Commls-
! sioners of the Board OF Claims, was read at tne
| clerks desk.
The hour having arrived the order of the day,
| the ad UaLOren 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 for taxing free
| white polls. He quoted from the Constitutions of
several States on the subject, to show that these
authorities are against the practice. He then ar
gued that right and justice against it and cited
facts and figures from the census returns, ana tne
Comptroler's report to show that the subjects OF
this taxation pay than their just proportion OF
the public burden, in military duty, even IN times
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 adop-
ted. He combated the arguments in favor OF ex-
empting free white polls from taxation, adduced oy
Mr. Gorrell and Mr. Woodin. He had always been
in favor of ad UaLOrem taxation, but could not give
in to the idea of exempting the white man from poll
tax-and believed it would be taken as an anronI
by them to pass this measure.
Mr.. Foster of Randolph, replied to the remarks OF
Mr. Leak He believed the friends of adj Udt0ren to
be as honest and free from demagoguism 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 S3OO value OF
land; he thought there was no necessity for any
such regulation and gave notice that he would, at
a 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 on 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 de
was favor Of striking out all OF the ordinance eX
cept the lSt 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 JealOusles that were
ended in the Convention of lS35-that prior to that
Convention there 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
dlS NOlSIS Was ISpSdlSu
Mr. Rulin 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 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 He thought ten years expert
ence was ten hours argument and this ad rHlOrem
system had worked well in all the Southern States,
and had aayed jealouSies in regard to this subject
He then suggested some amendments on the subject
of capitation tax-which he thought would concl-
ate all opinions.
The verbal amendments to the second section Of
Mr.. Ruffn were then adopted.
Mr. Gilmer 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.. GorrellS amend
ment to strike from the section the clause relating
to capitation tax, and 1t was rejected-yeas 81,
nays II.
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