Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-02-20
NICHOLAS P. TRlsr.
REMARKS OF MR. RUSS,
Or WAKE,


Delivered in the House Of Commons Feb. I, 1861.
On an amendment of the gentleman from Ashe,
Mr. Crunper to tax State bonds hereafter to be is
sued, Mr.. Russ made the following remarks:
Mr.. Speaker approve most heartily Of the
amendment from the gentleman from Ashe. shall
not attempt to discuss the legal question involved
in this controversy, but will say that the State
bonds hereafter to be taken by the citizens Of North
Carolina are legitimate subjects of taxation. The
citizens Of this State owning State bonds ought to
be put upon terms of equality with citizens Of the
same State owning bonds Of equal amounts of diff
ferent character. do not say do believe that
we have the right to tax non residents nor do be-
ieve it is prudent and wise to lax the bonds of the
State offered in market, for the tax would have to
out of the bonds and thereby lessen their value
to that amount, but do say that the citizens of
North-C Carolina ought to be taxed equally, in pro-
portion to their ability to pay. The present rcvepue
law is unequal and unjust, and the tendency, if not
the intent is to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer If his fortune consists in State bonds, thcn
under the present law, he does not pay cent in
to the treasury of NorthC carolina, though he owns
one hundred thousand dollars; but his poor neigh.
Dor, who has accumulated one or two hundred dol
lars and lends it to his neighbors and friends has
to pay upon every dime he has, Is this rghte Is
it just? Is it that equality which should exist be-
tween freemen in North. Carolina? To make the
case stronger, sir, if own fifty thousand dollars in
State bonds, don't pay one cent Of taxes upon it;
but if my less fortunate neighbor has but hun
dred dollars, he is taxed upon every dollar Of it
Sir, equality and justice demand that we be taxed,
and taxed in proportion to our ability to pay.
Mr.. Speaker, men Of wealth will always make in
vestments where they can save their money from
taxation. | know, sir, instances during the last
year where individuals went to work in the shortest
and most expeditions way to collect all the money
loaned to their neighboIs for the purpose of invest
ing the same in State bonds, to avoid the tax upon
money at interest. 60.
Mr. Speaker do hope the amendment will pass,
that the furthens of State will bear more equally
upon all classes of our people. % 90
FoRr SUNrER-South- Carolina has now become q
part Of the Southern Confederacy, and as such she
will not act, in regard to Fort SUMTER without con-
sulaton with the other States with whom she is as
socated. 1t may be that if the Provisional Govern
ment Of the South makes demand on the President
Of the United States for the property situate in the
States composing the government, he or Congress
may see the matter in different light from that in
which it was viewed when the demand was made
by South Carolina alone They may, and probably
will make such demand, and it is possible it may
be complied with. At any rate We think it fair to
presume that no attack will be made upon Fort
Sumter until such demand is made, and we regard
the request made by the Senators Of the seeding
States Of. Col Hayne while In Washington as indi-
cative. of such course. But no one can nov. tell
WHAT day, or an hour may bring forth.sn.ss 1s1t,