Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-03-17
NEVADA AS A STATE.

. short space OF lew months cast TWO almost
unanimous votes which were directly antago-
nis,ic to each other. They first elected dele
gates to 4 convention to form constitution,
and next they voted down the constitution
which those delegates had framed. This is a
great deal like boys setting up the snow hgure
of Il man to peh it down with snow balls, only
it is a little more expensive. Why the con-
stitution was voted down, no one seems exact
lv to know. But about the time the vote was
taken on il, there was cry made against IN
discriminate taxation Of the mines, and IN
the excitement the new constitution was over
thrown. But since the excitement has sub
sided and people have come TO look calmly at
the question, they no more see the spectre
which then seemed TO threaten their ruin.
The mode of taxation which the proposed
constitution would have established was SINH
lar to the law of taxation Of this Territory,
as it now exists, and as it must continue TO
exist, as long as we remain Territory under
the organic act. Article Ten OF the proposed
constitution read as follows: ''Sec. |. The
Legislature shall provide BY law for uniform
and equal rule OF assessment and taxation,
and shall prescribe such regulations as shall
secure just valuation for taxation OF all
property, both real and personal, including
mines and mining property, excepting such
property only as may be exempted by law for
municipal, educational, literary, scientific,
religious or charitable purposes" The organ
ic &C; differs nothing from this in fact 1t
reads as follows: "Sec. s. And be it further
. enacted, that the Legislative power of the
! Territory shall extend to all rightful subjects
of legislation consistent with the Constitution
OF the United States and the provisions OF
this act; but no law shall be passed interior
ing with the primary disposal of the soil, nor
shall any discrimination be made in taxing
different kinds of property, but al property
subject to taxation shall be in proportion to
the value Of the property taxed" This pro-
vision of the organic act has been carried
out. The Territorial Legislature has all
along taxed the mines. The laws stand on
the statute book, under the provisions OF
which the mines are to be taxedi in the future
II was not the fear Of taxation of mines that
defeated the constitution. Nor was II the
danger of mourning a great State debt, or OF
becoming bankrupt, for the expense OF our
Territorial government is nearly as great
as the expense Of State government would
be, as all the officers who draw salaries from the
General Government, also receive additional
pay from this Territory. The real source OF
dissatisfaction was with certain disappointed
politicians, who managed to raise an excite
ment and blind the people to their best III
terests and TO overthrow the work which the
ablest talent of our Territory had united in
forming. The rejection of the Constitution
was through an oversight Of the people. II
was not only detriment TO Nevada, but it was
loss to the people of the Union generally. l,
gave fresh courage to the rebels through
whose presses it was represented as Union
loss. II leaves the Union without one strong
support, which it might have had, and makes
the possibility of adopting any amendment
to the Constitution, which in these extraor-
binary times. may become exceedingly I'M
portant to the loyal States, much more
doubtful. The wish OF Congress that the
Territory of Nevada should throw off her
garb of infancy, and come forward as free
and independent State, is well known. Dur
ing this present session bill has been intro
duced in Congress to allow Nevada to come
into the Union as State during the recess.
The benefits we would derive, and the assist
ance we could render to the General Govern
ment by so doing, recommends to the people
a careful consideration OF its propriety.
While we remain Territory, We cannot ex-
pect to have reputation abroad better than
that Of 4 new, unsettled wilderness; and
without any one to vote for US in Congress,
we may expect but few favors from that body
We have now as great population as the
State Of Delaware, and ia few months we
will have great many more. People are
. locking into Nevada from California at the
rate of many hundreds day. We have as
| much wealth in the Comstock Lead as would
| buy the State of Delaware, and yet she has
two Senators sitting in the United States
Senate to assist in debating laws which we
are compelled 10 abide by, as we are too poor
| or too penurious 10 maintain State organi.
sation Nevada as State would be bright
star on our country's banner. She would be
honored abroad and respected at home
With one strong hand she could bring forth
her hidden riches, and with the other assist il
striking down a traitorous foe.