The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-09-20
SIDE IN THE
REVOLUTION
CONTINUED from page seven.)

gress have advised a specific tax. ana
no other measure will, in my opinion
be adequate to the consumption OF
the army. nor will this be sufficient
for the present demand, for at tins
time our treasury is exhausted. and
we ave no magazine OF provisions
laid up. I don't know that there IS
three days bread that can be depend
ed on for the troops here. 1t is evil
dent. therefore. that some further
immediate supply should be sought
for, whereby the army ma be sup
piled, whilst the provision tax is col
Letting. A fund, gentlemen, is in your
hands and necessity. in my opinion
calls loudly for the immediate appro-
priation of it for the defense Of our
lives, liberties and fortunes Not
withstanding the additional levies Of
taxes, the treasury is in the same
deplOra bic condition that it was at the
beginning Of the war: it is empty.
Another of the State or
North Carolina besides the issue or
paper money and the revenues arising
from taxes was the proceeds arising
from the cO~nfiscatcd estates OF the
Tories. In November, Of 1777, the
Continental Congress recommended to
the States that the Oper OF all per
sons who had gone over to the enemy
should be considered as forfeited by
such action: that it should be taken
POSSESSION OIL DN llP CldIt ana SO1u
and all profits arising therefrom were
to be invested in the certificates Of
the Continental Loan Office. The
recommendation was acted upon by
the Provincial Congress of North
Carolina the following month, and as
there was an unusually large numbe
of. LOyaliStS in the State in proper
ton to the population the income
from this source was considerable.
The money arising from the sale OF
confiscated estates was not invested
as recommended by Congress, but was
paid directly into the treasury. While
the money realized from this source
was no doubt large in amount and
met very many pressing needs at the
time, the thing that was particularly
calling to the people of all the col
onies was the stipulation in the def
nitive treaty of peace which provided
for the restoration of all confiscated
property which formerly was in the
possession Of British subjects.
In 1875 the first land office was Tes-
tabIished in North Carolina. Accord
ing to the report Of the subcommittee
of finance in 1872 ove f33O,0O0 was
realized from this source. The pur-
pose for which the land office was
opened was to effect the redemption
Of certificates and specie, and to pay
off the arrearage due to the soldiers.
In 1775 Congress passed a resolu-
ton which had for it's object the en-
enlargement of trade with the West
Indies, and it appears that 50 far as
was possible North Carolina followed
out the recommendation. for at the
end of 1885 the State was buying up
produce to discharge her obligations
to the government Of Martinique.
There was also some privateering
carried on by the enterprising mer-
chants OF the seaboard towns. This
vocation proved very remunerative to
them, and indirectly was beneficial to
the State. In addition the enemy was
very considerably harassed.
While the means for raising revenue
had greatly increased since the be-
ginning Of the war, there was also a
corresponding increase in govern
mental activities which greatly aug
mented the expenditures. In 1878
Congress made the representation to
the States that some provisions should
be made for the soldiers and sailors
who had been disabled in the war,
This, in substance, was the pension
system and its burdens were promptly
assumed by North Carolina The pen
sions were not large, but they were
sufficient to keep the bene1ciaries free
from immediate want. The widows
and children of officers who had been
killed or had died while serving their
country We're also provided for.
1t was during the war that the first
steps were taken by the State in the
Inauguration of a system of charities.
The most pressing demand upon the
Provincial Congress Of a charita BILE ma
ture was the care of the poor. Seven
freeholders were elected in each
county for a term Of three years, who
were to act in the capacity of over
seers Of the poor. AS the war pro-
crossed many of the poorer classes
especially became INDECENT and pow
erty-stricken, which made it neces-
sary for them to throw themselves
upon the public for subsistence. No
poor-houses were built until after the
war. but those who were declared By
the State Legislature to be objects of
charity were allowed a certain amount
either in money or in provisions,
which were distributed by the county
commissioners.
In addition to these regular charges
upon the State there were many mis-