Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-06-30
Flom the Norfolk Journal.
The New Constitution

NO. VI.-REPRESENTATION AND TAXATION.
The representative arportionment of the new
constitution not only secures for the negro per-
petual ascendaucy, but it arms him with pre-
rogatiye which should startlc the tax payers OF
the State.
1t confers upon the negroes the whole vast
power OF taxation, and the power is lrreversl-
BILE. The white man cannot help himself it he
would. With twenty one negro majority
against him., he is as helpless against negro
rapacity as the infant against the brawny giant S
arm. Whatever burdens the negro chooses to
put upon US white men, we are bound to sub
NIT to on pain OF having our property dis
trained perhaps by negro sheriff, armed, 1t
may be- with posse conitatus of negro militia.
Observe first, that those who are to lay the
taxes on the white man s property have little
or no property themselves. They can tax the
property of the white people ad H6itum, with
out feeling themselves the burdens they put on
the others. They may tax the white man un-
til he groans and writhes under the grievous In
Fiction, and until he trembes lest the wife and
the children 60 half fed and half clothed J
But what of it? His negro superior and tax
master is moved to no sympathy, and surveys
the work OF his exactlons with stole lndlffer-
ence, because he and his class, having little or
no property to have taxes levied upon, is not
common sufferer.
Now, In all good governments, the security
Of the tax paying property-holders against un-
due exactions, is the liability of those who lm-
pose the taxes to pay the like taxes themselves.
When a representative cannot impose tax
upon his constituents without putting 1t upon
himself also, his tax-paying constituents are
safe, never otherwise
But the miserable bungle Of the motley ig-
noramuses that met in Richmond to frame a
form of government for the descendants of
Virginia statesmen, provides no security what
ever for the tax payers Even the pauper
wandering in the streets, or tenant OF the aims
house, may participate ia the laying of taxes
on the merchant, the professional man, the
holder of stocks, the business man OF every
sort, and the landholder. Not solitary intel
lectua or property qualification is required OF
the imposer of taxes. He is not required even
to have exhibited the common interest in the
community of having paid his share OF the
taxes, and not having paid a dollar OF taxes
himself, he may, with impunlty, put what taxes
he pleases On others.
Let us see how the thing works in other
States where negro ascendancy prevails.
The late Constitutional Convention of South
Carolina was composed Of iortysev white
and seventy four colored men. The colored
delegates paid an aggregate tax Of Sill, OF
whom nifty nlno PAID no tax at all VI the
whites more than one-ha had no visible es-
tate but the carpet bags and contents with
which they commenced trade in the Palmetto
State
Now these penniless Africans and these pen
niless white adventurers from afar made a con
stitution, aal Of course provided system OF
taxation for the once rich owners Of the rice
fields and cotton fields of South Carolina, and
the. like classes will preserihe the taxes for them
until by sosue means on other, negro rule shall
be broken.
SO in Virginia. Unless the people avert ne
gro rule by voting down the constitution, they
must subalit ia be ground down by just what
taxation shall be imposed by a totally irrespon
sibe set Of negroes and sGualid rovers from the
North, owning not a dollar beyond the dirty
and tattered wardrobes on their hands. i
White men of the Od Dominion you had
better look to this thing You had better dis
cover, before it is too late, how broad the field
is which is to be traversea By goAr tax layers
END tag sgatherers.
Taxation, under this precious concoction, is
almost illimitable -
An increase of the number of representa-
tives, as already shown will induce a very