Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-12-13

zen of the County of Orange, in the State OF
North Carolina, humbly sheweth, that the
Revenue officers of the Government are en-
tering upon the collection of the tax impos-
ed upon lands for the year 1862, and claim
the right to collect so cent on the $1O0 val
ne as assessed for State taxation in 1860,
that the rate per cent claimed is four times
as great as the highest, and more than ten
times the average rate levied, by the State
since the adoption of the Constitution in
1776. That in the village of Chapel Hill,
in which he resides. this disproportion is
greatly increased by the diminujion III
value of real estate, by effects of the war,
and will increase the rate per cent upon
the lowest estimate to 81 upon the 500
value, or 80 times the amount ordina-
rily levied by the State Government, and
that in other sections, by the devastation
which followed in the wake of the armies,
still greater inequality has been produced
Your petitioner supposed it not impossi-
bic, that the rate per cent. proposed to be
collected may be occasloned to some extent
by an erroneous construction OF the law or
the difficulty in the disordered state Of the
times, IN obtaining the necessary informa-
ton to enable the fiscal agents Of the gov
eminent TO carry it into execution according
to its true intent. The fact that, in the adj
joining State of Virginia, the rate per cent
is but q cents on the 500 value, gives
colour to such a conclusion.
g Your petitioner begs leave 10 intimate to
your honorable body, that if it shall be
found that there is 40 mistake on the part
Of the collecting officers, but that the in
equality arises from the tax having been
imposed according to tie 1ltle Of 0pp0rii0n-
n2ent, that very strong reasons exist for the
relief which Congress, and Congress only,
off, 10 41,o,,
to the censcs bureau, the average value of
land in North Carolina is S., in Maryland
$50, and New Jersey $50 per acre.
EAT the time the tax was imposed, the
species OF property upon which the ru}e Of
0ppO7tiOnn22H was founded had ceased to
exist, and North Carolina. then, us now, had
no representation III either House OF Con-
gress under that, any other rule.
''The entire property, real and personal,
of the State Of North taroiDa in 1860, did
not exceed in value 500 millions Of dollars.
1t is largely estimated at the present time
at half that amount. By the reputation
Of the war debt every dollar Of banking
capital in the State was annihilated, and
the loss thus sustained has fallen most
heavily Oh widows and orphans, and on
literary and charitable institutions whose
entire means Of support, III many III
stances, were vested ill., and dependent upon,
these institutions.
''Your petitioner, during Il long course Of
life, has enjoyed more than ordinary OPP
pOrtunitie# for acquiring correct intOrma-
ton with respect to the condition and re-
sources Of the State Of North Carolina and
begs leave to assure Jour honorable body
that there is no fact stated Ill relation to
the oppression likely to be produced by
this law, or the enormous disproportion of
IL rlI,, Il,
other States, which is not susceptible OF the
clearest proof, and he therefore humbly
prays that it may be repealed"
This tax Of twenty millions, annually
levied upon the United States" from the
gross inequality of It's operation, even when
confined to the non slaveholding States, was
levied for a single year only. 1t has been
carried into effect in North Carolina, in
some instances, most oppreasvely.
The average value of lands per acre in
this State, is estimated by the Census Blu
reau at one tenth of those of New Jersey,
but the poorest district in North Carolina
pays the same tax as the richest in New
York Or Boston. Nay, more, three-ffths of
the slaves are computed iii the apportion-
ment, and the number of whites, on whom
the tax falls, is consequently diminished in
proportion. The Revenue officers in the
first district, for example. where an invad-
ing army, preceding the taN-collector, laid
Plymouth, like COlHD35iU, in ashes, manumlt |
ted the slaves, fora ed in town and country, |
under a most unwarrantabie construction
Of an act of Congress, wreSts from the i'm |
poverished owners the rate upon the value |
OF their lots and houses, as assessed |
for State taxation in 1860. The
best house III the county in which I reside
was burned by accident in May 1861, and
under the act Of August, 1861, the owner
WAS, in 1866, required to pay tax according
to the valuation of 1860.
So much in relation to taxation. Let us
now see what the right of representation
amounts to at present and in prospective.
In May, 1864, President johnson invited
William ". Holden, Esq, to visit Wash
ington, and bring with him such gentle
men as he might select to confer with him
in relation to a reorganization of the State
Government. He went on promptly, &C
companied by Robert P. Dick, William S.
Mason, ". K. Richardson, j. 2. FL. Russ,
and John G. Williams, Esqs Two days
thereafter, the President instructed Gen1
Schofeld - to permit Ex-Governor Swain,
B. f. Moore and William Eaton, and such
others as are unquestiOnably loyal, and de-
sire to confer with me as to the organiza-
ton of the State, TIC visit Washington and
TO furnish them with passes and Govern
ment transportation.
The nine gentlemen above named, had
repeated conferences with the President,
at the conclusion Of which Mr.. Holden was
appointed Provisional Governor, Robert 2.
Dick, District Judge, q third member of
Governor Holden's delegation, District At
torney, fourth, Marshal, and fifth, Post
master of the city of Raleigh. No one Of
these gentlemen could take the test oath.
Mr.. Dick, who was in all other respects
worthy and we'll qualified, was, together
with the Provisional Governor, member
of the seeding Convention, and voted
for the ordinance of secession. He was,
nevertheless, throughout the session, the
earnest and eloquent advocate of civil lib
erty-voted and spoke against the propos-
ed ordinance TO punish sedition and exact
test oaths, and insisted that the proceedings
of the Convention should not take effect,
until, and unless, sanctioned by q popular
vote
I trust I may be permitted, without Of
fence to delicacy, to refer specifically to the
personal history Of the second gentleman
named in the telegram from the President
to Gen. Schotield. He stands in relation to