Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-12-22
The Sacramento Union OH Our Con-
StitutiOn.

The Sacramento UniOa always takes
deep interest in affairs on this side Of the
mountains, and generally has its finger i'll
whatever pOt-pie is being cooked IN the Ter
ritorv. Concerning the Constitution It says
The new Constitution submitted to the PEP
plc BY the late Convention in Nevada Terri
tory, from present appearances, Is likely to
meet pretty vigorous opposition. An al
dress, quite numcrouSly signed, has been Is
sued bv Il committee of gentlemen, assigning
reasons why the new Constitution should be
defeated before the people. The SigncrS rest
their opposition mainly on the point that 1t
will add greatly 10 the tax burdens Of the
people of Nevada to support State Govern
mcnt. Upon this ground they appeal to the
people 10 vote against the new Constitution.
We supposed that the real opposition would
concentrate upon that portion which author
ICES the Legislature to levy tax on mines as
on other property. And still we do not see
any good reason why this clause should be
objected to, as the power to tax mines has,
from the first, been possessed by Congress
and bv our State Legislature. But no such
tax has ever been levied by order of either
body. Oar Constitution cOntcrS upon the
Legislature the power TO tax all property; the
Constitution proposed for Nevada authorizes
the Legislature to levy tax on all property,
including that in mines. In other words, the
Convention did not insert section pTodlolt-
ing the Legislature from taxing mining
claims, and therefore the position OF things
in Nevada will be, if the Constitution Is
adopted, very much as it is i'll California
The subject will be referred 10 the LcgislG-
turc, and if the mining population IN that
new State vOt, for members who are IN favor
Il k1,n
they elect members to the Legislature who
are opposed TO taxing the mines, no law to
that effect can ever be passed. The whole
question will be in the hands Of the people.
The construction, though, which was given
in the Convention to that clause, by Stewart,
and not diSscntcd from, was, that the La =
gltarc and intention was to have only payu g
claims taxed In that form the Ia wonlu
not be So objectionable. The matter, how
ever, will be completely in the hands OF The
miners of Nevada The objection founded
on the increase of taxes to support State
Government does not strike It's rs entitled to
much weight. 1t is p lrcly an appeal to the
dollar and cent calculation; It places the
cost of the Territorial Government IN one
scale and that of i State Government III the
other, and because the latter Is the heavier
of the two decides i'll favor of the former
No estimate in this selfish calculation Is
made of the vast advantages the people pos
sess under State Government, as compared
with Territorial one. The State of Nevada
is amply able to sustain State Government
without in the least feeling its weight. Her
territory is the richest in the precious metals
Of any in the world, and her citizens bid fair
to rank, in few years, among the weaIthie:t
/ and most prosperous to be found on this
/ continent. And then they have an admlra-
BILE Constitution offered them. Its provisions
generally are as good as were ever engraited
/ into the Fundamental law Of Il State. The
/ Convention which framed it was composed
of dclegates who, for elevation and purity OF
character, honesty Of purpose, experience
and ability, have rarely been equaled IN
similar body either in the old or new States,
on the Atlantic or Pacific"