Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-01

Sir, there are various questions which art
connected with this question Of equal taxation
| think that there never has been any govern
lnent yet, in which certain branches of indus
try have not received some peculiar advantage
in the shape of exemption from ,nposts, or lr
some other form, for the benefit Of the whole
mass, and for the peculiar advantage Of those
who created the class Of industry which is
thus made tho subject Of the fostering care o
tho Government !. might cite you the de-
psrtmant of ship building, wlich, in all mer
camille countries, is encouraged by some spccia
exemption, ur some peculiar favor. We
! have paid large bountirs for tho fishing
| interests Of tho North, iur the reason thai
we derived most oi tho efficient seaual
in cur naval service irom that source. say
that whilst | don't mean, | wish it distinctly
to be understood, to urge this argument against
the adoption of this principle of equal taxa
ton. state it for the purpose Of showing
! that what [ said has some force il il, and Il
show tina: it ought to be carried out ;n you.
! thcory. \ man who accumulateS $500, Goo
does not add one dollar of material strength
TO the Commonwealth but Il !nan who under
takes 10 raise family Of young negroes, a.
though confess it is a very Improbable and
lahorions bI:mesS to himself and his family,
! Ia adding, bv every slave that he raises to Ire
acc OF rwevc ypars, ono laborer to the latct
resources at Virginia. and to the material
strength uf thr Commonwealth. And nov [
say, tnEt whilst do not urge this argument
against The adoption Of the principle IL: which
the gentleman is coniending, say thai whcu
you adjust The principle, and come 10 t''e SCI.
| tlemcnt of the question, it will be found ;nat
there is no, STAKEHOLDER in Virginia that can
afford .o pay AT I'D calorena tax on his slaves,
old and yonng, il they are as:asseh according
! TO ,ha'Louislinl prices.
Mr. TCnSER. Of Jackson 1T w,J Il! ways dis.
| iinctIy understood that the Slave owner was to
asses: lnc sa!uc Of his slave, Tha comii:ia
! scnvr ni the revenue Was to fiv il where the
owner iii'tt, - .1o 81.
! Mr. SrAwrLi.-HLc~ y"t, titi In II commits.
| sioner to Assess the cash value u! siave he will
! do 50 Al what i; would bring ia the public
! market j family of siaves that will bnrdra
! you annually tc the extent Of hundreds OF ,i;l
! lars. viii hrIrg large sum when put Oh lEs
! block Ii they were valued at that rate, 10
man would be ahe to bear up against such az
| incubus. II some modo OF valuation he fixed
; in which all the charges aad disadvantages Of
the owner should be duiy considered there
would bono i fculty on lhe subject and for
this rcaion hope that this question may not
| be press ii now. III order taat gentlemen may
have some plan matursd Ey waicl, the mode of
valuation could be fixed.
Mr.. WILLEr.--A provision is embodied in
| the report which gives authority TO thn LHSis
| laura lo r-gnlalate the v.lue. The provision
reads, "anl al property snail be taxed in pro.
portion to It's valne, which shall be ascertaiIe1
/! in such manner as inay b. prescribed hy law
So that til: .aluati0n shall DO reguiaici by
/ Law.
| Mr. SEAwrLL-I know would prei,l laa.
the valuation o! subject OF such yalue rs this.
should be 6SsG in the Constitution aad not
left TO the dieting legislation Of the county
Il should be dyed in such manner aS thai
there would he no doubt about il. hold :k.t
this great interest, upon which stands this day
the main prosperity of tie State Of Virginia,
oug:l, not 10 be left at the mercy of ordinary
legislation, but be placed beyond the possibility,
OF detriintilt from incompetent o.? partis' lcgis
laton.
Mr. WiLsoN, of Harrison, offered the follow.
ing amendment to the amendment offered by
Mr.. TEEDwAT:
Resolved, That every slave who has attain.
ed the age CT u years shall be assessed with
| tax eonal TO ard not exceeding inat "n iaun, uf
tho value Of $500, and that each Slave u6dcr
twelve years Of age snail bs assessed with
tax equal to and not exceeding tina! OH land CT
the vanc OF S256.
Mr. Wirn said Snulc such pro-
vision as that would bc acceptable to certain
gentlemen, did not mean TO say that would
adopt that or that any body else would adopt
it. But rereat now that some mode of valu.
aticn should nc fixed sar that if this pro
| position could be allowed 10 !c on the table,
and gentlemen afTprded m opportunity Of
turning their attention TO tic question cf iS-
| ing mode of taxation, il would be much let
ter do not object to the principle, but in
sist that we ought to have some regulation OF
that principle IN the Constitution Itself hy
which to secure justice ard cquaiitf
! shall therefore, oppost BY my Yota, lbc
adoption Of that report ut ,nis time.
MIR. PRICE, OF GreenbTer>--T regret that The
subject OF taxation was hrough: up when it
was, because knew it wond be an exciting
subject, aud, as stated I?inre, | thought We
had a. nnch Iroubie az ne corld get along
WITH in our federal relations Since it has
beef; taken up..I tr'is: i; "iH h acted on
promptly.
regret Ina. t17 friend irolu Pittsvlvania
| (Mr TREDwAYJ has seen proper to offer his
amendment By which this subject is 7ery much
complicated.
Now, ia the principle in ,Ae repart corTcot
principle :
The gentleman !rnm Gloucester Cir. SEA.
II ELI seems 10 doubt its Correctness. Let us
see Iou have $4,000; hare $4,000.
Ion invest your $4,000 in negroes;
invest mine in land. Ii is matter entire
| ly of choice with yui whether your invest
ia slaves or in land. 1t is matter OF choice
with mc whether will invest in land or any
thing else. Il ynH invest yours in slaves, you
must take tho consequences Of the Investment
| if it turns ou: tn be improbable. You are
not rs successful A. | am bat if my lands had
been Improbable aHd your slaves profitable, !,
oe course, must take tho consequences. i
third person has $40, 900, and he loans il cut
1T six per cent. interest. lie may E3t make
more than eiiher Of us. He has his $40 600
of capital You have yours, and you invest it
in slaves have my $40, ,o00, an1 i. is mat
ter OF choice with ua, if We invcet it in any
particular wav, and il ona ii unsuccessful,
there s no person to blame bnt Tia individual
himself
Now, it does not seem to fne tia; because
"a" chooses 10 invest his capital in slaves, he
should BE- taxed less than "B, " vino invests his
/ money in lands. The principle in Tho r"f:''t
is, that ell praparty should be taxed aiil,r.--
! II does not undertake to cay that .la"e:. mould
DC Jared differently from arJ other crt::riptinn
| OF property. The mode CT taxation - It cues.
tion TO be settled by the Legislature, Tho will
10 doubt SEQ that the slave interest suffers no
detrmcnt.
a gentleman here says that according 10 tho
report, it will be ascertained by reference 70 tho
Lor;siara prices do not understand . $50.
The Commissioner of tho Revenue comes TO
your house. He asks you th;: value Of Your
property. You give it. | do not think there
IL Commissioner in Virginia, who Tonld fix
the price Of siaTrs Mt the standard they would
reach if they we're put on the block and sold
to Louisiana planter, | do not think the