The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-12-18

VI Aliuois, denvered In he House nm tbe
4th instant, on the subject of the cotton tar
and other taxes. which have been BEARING
SO heavily on our industry. Mr.. Baker has
said much on the subject in few words,
Tor which our people thank him. We take
ittor grantedth cotton tax will be repealed.
1t was imposed at q time. and properly i'm,
posed, when the article; on account of the
high price it was fetching, could well bear
1t; but every consideration now urges the
repeal OF the tax. We may also add,
in relation to the article of tobacco.
that the tax should in every case be
0d 0otorem, or according to value. It
is unjust in itself, and injurious to the in
terests of the government in raising revenue,
to tax the coarse article at the same rate
with the fine. But we shall soon have rep
rcsentatives Of our own in Congress, when
these and other matters can be fully and
thoroughly explained, and relief administer
ed by that body from a full knowledge of
our situation and wants. as
MIR. BAKER Mr.. Speaker desire to
state in the bricfest possible form the sever
al considerations which make it entirely
4 clear to me that the tax on cotton ought to
be repealed, and the reasons why l think
the repeal should not apply to the present
crop. oiaFf %
1. 1t appears to me that the power to le-
Wy such tax may not be perfectly clear
The Constitution provides that "no tax or
duty shall be laid on articles exported from
any State" Now, when we reflect that an
immense preponderance of the cotton crop
is exported from the country, and when we
reflect that the object of this provision of
the Constitution was to foster our exports
by relieving them from the burden of tax
or duty" is appears to me. in the absence
of special investigation of the point, that
there is room for possible doubt as to
whether this tax was laid in conformity
with the object and spirit of the Constitu-
ton.
2. 1t is tax upon the production of labor
in its primary form; a species of taxation
which deprcsses labor, which impedcs the
creation of wealth, and which ought never
to be resorted to by any government save on
critical and imperative occasions.
8. 1t is tax which loads our commerce
with dead weight in its attempt to COM
plete with the foreign production and sup
ply of cotton, thus tending to lessen the
gross quantity of our annual exports, and
to increase the balance of trade againt us
and in favor of foreign countries 1t is need
less to say that such a result must be injur-
Gus to our whole people.
10 a TO- .,,,on IN on In
necessary and of universal consumption-an
article which contributes immensely to the
great mass of the people. The production
of no such article should be taxed, except it
may he, on occasions of extreme public ne
cessity. ,ite fsi''a' a'siiih get
g. It is in effect direct tax upon the ag-
ricultursl labor of a poverty-stricken section
of our country. L hear much by way of re-
port, and know something by observation Of
the pitiable poverty of an immense portion
of tile people of the South, whether white OF
black. This tax upon their productive la.
Dor ought to be removed. whether we leok to
considerations of humanity or to considers
tions of sound public policy.
As to the time when the repeal should
take effect think the committee have solv-
ed the problem about as wisely and justly
as possible under all the circumstances of the
case. Not forgetting the interests of capital
as invested in the culture or purchase of the
present crop, look mainly to the great
body of the laborers who have produced the
crop. The latter is the largest fact in the
case, and should exert controlling influence
upon our legislation affecting it. And con-
sidering first that labor has already produ-
ced the present crop for compensation gra-
ded down in reference to the burden of the
tax ; and secondly, that large portion OF
the crop has already found its way in the
hands of purchasers, under purchase prices,
in like manner graded down, agree with
the committee that the existing crop should
not be included in the operation of the pro-
posed repeal. efssi''s ttt
Twill add that in my judgment the re-
moval OF this tax will not draw with it the
necessity of making it up by an increase of
taxation in some other direction. On the
contrary, by proper INSTRUMENTATION
may probably be extended largely to every
branch of the public service-by limiting
taxation to the actual needs of the Govern
ment. including the surplus in the Treasury,
and by looking to the growth of population
and increase of wealth for the future re-
duction and payment of the public debt
we may very materially reduce the general
scale of internal taxation. a,
TRUE. FOR ONCE.-We understand that
the Radical paper in this City charges the
Editors of the Sentinel with having express
ed preference for negro candidate fol
Congress. That is so, under certain circum
stances. If Radical reconstruction prevails
we are for Booker Hutchings against tn,
field, and six Others = of the same sort" from
the remaining Congressional Districts. W.
vastly prefer voting for such to having {
similar number of men with white skins
who consider themselves the equals of th'
negro race.-Sentinet.
The Sentinel says it understands" &C.
Now. every one knows that the Editors sea
with their own eyes the article referred to-
So the Editors have f66ed u -
The Editors Of the Sentinel have no RICH
to reflect ON Booker Hutchings and othe
respectable colored men, by rendering then
such support. To be supported by such
paper for anything, or in any thing, is to b
disgraced. aa3 ni19s.is
But Brother Pell did say it. He wa
either TESTING or in earnest. If the formel
he should remember, with Shakespeare, this
"jests i'll become gray hairs, especially
Minister of the Gospel. If in earnest
he was playing false part-ignoring hi
declarations publicly made in the Sentins
Booker" said he, Seaton and myself hav
been thinking of you for Congress" But