Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-08-15
Reported for the Journal.
TAXPAYERS MEETING.
Stirring Speeches-The Spirit Of the
PcOpfe-Facts and Figures Sub
mitted-A General Uprising.

burned IN Wilmington on the 4th
instant, met at Cedar Grove, in Lin
colin Township, ON the 9th. Though
the meeting assembled calmly and har (
yet there was n manifest
spirit of condemnation upon the pres
emit excessive and discriminative tax
It was a meeting not of
politicians, not of a certain race or
sect of men, but n meeting of oppres-
sed taxpayers, in which all partici-
pated as wronged and oppressed peo-
pie.
After the meeting was organized,
the Chairman, Owen Alderman, Esq,
called upon Dr. Sat<hwell to explain
the object of the meeting. DIR. Satch-
well very forcibly explained the object
of the meeting, and showed conclu-
slvely how the people were wrOnged |
and imposed upon. He dwelt at length
upon the astounding developments of |
the census returns, as applicable in the |
way of taxation to New Hanover coun- |
ty. He fortified at every step by facts |
and figures no less extraordinary than |
incontroveTtible in the way of showing
the intoler;lble burdens of our people |
in way of taxation; and showed how
such injurious influences operated not
alone as oppression upon the tax-pay-
crs and In preventing emigration here,
but in causing many of our present
inhabitants to become dissatisfied with
their pre- sent residence in this county.
Our interests and rights in this respect
are not properly considered by our
officials, and the general opinion pre-
walls that our County Commissioners
| are mainly responsible for this painful
excess and inequality of assessments
! in this county. In the course of his
| argument as to the necessity of re-
| trenchment and reform, the speaker
said that he would do no injustice to
| the Board of Commissioners.
| He was on good terms with them all,
| but as a friend of the county rather
| than party, he considered it the duty
| of ccely man to rise above the lnf1u-
| ence of party ties and personal feeling
i'll these important public matters of
local policy, and to maintain para
mount allegiance to law and justice as
| well rs to true progress and the best
good Of the greatest number. No coun-
ty in the State seems SO Overburdened
with taxation as New Hanover, and the
people are rising in the majesty of
their power to resist the oppression.
Was it good economy, under existing
circumstances, for the Board, who rent
out, as is stated, the Court House for
public meetings at three dollars per
night, and who seemed to haggle, last
Monday night, upon the payment of
just amounts for the support of de-
serving paupers, backed up by reliable
evidence OF their inability to support
themselves, to have erected, out of the
peoples money, at heavy cost of
| ~ Ill, a.
editice in which to hold their meetings,
doubt be also costly?
The poverty-stricken taxpayers OF
the county can barely maintain them.
selves and pay their debts, besides
paying just and reasonable tax.
He hoped if any gentleman of the
/ Board did not deem himself RESPONSE
bic for these acts of the Board, that he
would disclaim it.
{ He continued in his statements o.
interesting facts and figures for over al
hour, and produced marked impress
| sion upon the large and attentive audi
ence.
After the conclusion of DIR. Satch
Well S address, committee of nine wa
| appointed to draft resolutions and tC
express the sense of the people therein
The following are the members Of tn,
. committee: William J. Bivins, A Gam
: burg, Israel Keith. Dr. Simpson, Z. L
: | Robinson, John Bell, Dr. Satchwell
Caesar Dudley ana Capias Bordeaux
! During the absence of the committee
Mr.. Bruce Williams was called to TIL
, stand and made a speech of SOM
L length He spoke of the rlnnecessar,
expenditures of the county authorize
in the way Of cOnveniences, clerks, &c
He dwelt particularly upon the import
ance of the people taking into cousid
~ Grafton the past acts of their represent
"" atives-the County Commissioners.
He appealed to the people to arous
from their lethargy and stand by til
Executive Committee of the taX-pay
ers III their attempt to saddle upol
g the proper parties the present unjust
unfair and discIihiiadtirc system O
> taxation. He has evidently given thes
+ wrongs complained Of much study an
/, very forcihly laid them befor" the peo
$ pie. All present We're impressed wit
the able manner in which he deliver
ed himself
After Mr.. Williams concluded, DR.
It Simpson, of Point Caswell, addreSse,
the meeting with becoming warmth
against the present excessive systel
of taxation.
After DIR. Simpson had finished hi
remarks, the committee appointe
from the four townships represented
submitted the following report whic
was unanimously adopted.
:, WHEREAS, In the declaration @
Il right in the Constitution of Mort
+ Carolina, it is expressly declared thai
n ''The people have right to assembl
!, together to consult for their commo
good, to instruct their representatives
and to apply to the Legislature 20
redress and grievances" In the sam
# chart for the guidance of our law
n makers, as well as for those who III
~ terpret and execute the laws, it i
l. asserted as Il fundamental rule of gov
eminent that ga frequent recuranc
ly necessary to preserve the blessing
), of liberty" It was the exercise q
this great birth right of America
freemen, constituting that bloc
bought privilege and principle, in
IS stinctivc in American manhood, an
,, Evolutionary from 1776, which nerve
the hearts and strengthened the arm
of our revolutionary forefathers, i
= their successful resistance of the ell
[ croachments of Great Britain upo
the rights and liberties of the Amor
,s can colonies, at time when systeI
of unjust, unequal and onerous tax
IS alton was tyranically sought to b
imposed upon them. This intolerabl
" usurpation of power. and grindin
N exaction of tax laws, had much to d
q in causing the American Revolutio
of 1776: and now, with our Oppressiv
and intolerable burden of high taxes
imposed in SO many instances, in
;, or 9 townships of the county, withou
uniformity and fairness, and in viola
ton, as we hold, of right, Justice, an
the Constitution, the hearts of the pee
tt pie of New Hanover, without distinctiO
of party, color, class, or condition, ar
fined as surely before, with protes
II and indignation. and with an homes
. and patriotic determination to resis
with all the available means of law
constitutional rights, and other appro
y, pirate agencies, i'll their power to use