Newspapers / The Little Ad (Greensboro, … / July 21, 1860, edition 1 / Page 1
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j ! " EQUALITY AT THE BALLOT-BOX: EQUALITY AT THE TAX-BOX. By Sherwood & Long. GREENSBO'ROUGH, N. C ., JULY 21, 1860. Number 11. M. 8. SHERWOOD. JAMES A. LONG. SHERWOOD & LONG PUBLISHERS. Published Weekly, and to be Continued Three Months. PBICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. ADDRESS Sherwood & Lonr, Greensboro', N. C. From the Fayetteyille Observer. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. The reader will find below a very plain and truthful discussion of the ad valorem ques tion. Of its merits tho reader will judge for himself; and we think it will ensure his read ing of it to inform him that it is so highly ap preciated that 30,000 -copies of it wero printed at this office some daya ago a larger number, wo suppose', than was ever printed ofanyoth ir pamphlet in North Carolina. Ad Valorem Explained by Questions and Answers. (J. What is the Debt of North Carolina? A. The Stato owes 8$ millions on bonds already issued. It will soon owe over 13 J millions on liabilities already incurred. Tho ordinaryoxponses of the government are on an average over $100,000 yearly. It is cer tain the TAXES MUST SOON BE RAISED to at least 88OO,0OJ to $000,000 annually, Q. Can this amount he equitably raised un der the Democratic system of taxation? A. No. All kinds of property except slaves, household and kitchen furniture, Iioisom, cat tle, hogs, &c, are already taxed as high as they can bear. Slaves hower are but lightly taxed. Q. What! Slaves lightly taxed ? How i!oyou prove that? A. Wh by tho Comptroller's last Report, ?i0:J,D00,0OO of slave property paid only $118, :;:;0, whilo 898,000,000 ot land paid $iM,9S0. While land paid 20 cts. on SlUO value, slaves paid 5 cts. Whilo slaves paid one dollar, land paid three dollars and fifty cents. Q. Do I understand you to say land pays iiear four times as much as slaves? A. Yes, land worth $1500 pays S3. A slave mochanic worth $1500 would be taxed 80 cts. If tho slave is over 50 years or under 12, he WOULD PAY NOTHING. Q. Why doea not the Legislature tax slaves higher? Because the Constitution forbids the taxation ol slaves under 12 years old and over Slavos between 12 and 50 cau only be taxed as high as white men between 21 and 45. Q. What is tho number of slaves in the .State? A. In 1850 there were 288,548; if they in creased between 1850 and 1860 as they in creased between 1840 and 1850 (17.38 per ct.) there must now bo worth $203,000,000. l. What are the number and value of slave polls, i. e. those between 12 and 50. A. The Comptroller's Report has tho num bor 147,913, but omits those ofEdgecombe ; :.dd on these and wc have not less than 152, X)0 worth at least $130,000,000. These one hundred and thirty millions pay only $118,- :.30,-while $98,000,000 ofland pays $191,980. (,. What are tho number and valuo of those aves which cannot be taxed at ail by the i .cgtslaturo I A. There must be 180,000, worth say $73, 'XKKOOO. These seventy-three millions can't i c taxed at all, even if the State should bo in olved in an expensive war. But why not raise tho tax on slaves be tween 12 and 50. so as to make up for this tCMS? A. Because tho Constitution does not allow that id be done without raising the tax on the while man. White men are obliged to leave their business to servo as jurors, as .witnesses, to light our battles and for other pubiic du ties. The poll tax is high enough already, perhaps too high. Q. But possibly slaves pay enough for county taxes to make up this inequality. A. No, Land is taxed for county purposes so are white men. In Wake county, land worth a little over $3,000,005 pays to County and Stato $13,611, while slaves worth over $6,000,000 pay only $7,474. Land in Wake pays 43 cents on the $100, slaves 11 cents. A nogro fellow worth $1500 pays $1 53 ; land worth $1500 pays $6 45 cents ; over four times as Mucn ! I 1 Q. Land pays four times as much as slaves ! but then, slaves get sick and die; does land get sick and die ? A. Yes ; land gets overflowed, wears out, is attacked with drought, with worms and rust. Houses and turpentine trees aud fen cos aro burnt. If land is not physicked with manure it soon dies. Q. But young slaves can't work, don't pro duce anything : ought they be taxed ? A. Why not? There were in the Stato in 1850, 5,453;975 acres of land improved, and 15,543,008 acres unimproved. In Wake, 161, 091 improved, and 352,178 unimproved; vet all the nnimproved land is taxed 20 cents on $100 value. Besides, little negroes increase nore rapidly invaluethan any other investment. Q. What is the valuo of land and slaves combined, and what do thev pay into the Treasurv ? A. The valuo is in round numbers $300,- 000,000, and they paid $305,880. An ad va lorem tax of a little over 10 cents on $10O would bring the same amount, by which the LAND TAX WOULD BE DIMINISHED ONE-HALF and slave of the average value of $600 would pay about 60. Q. Do the Constitutions of other South- ern states contain restrictions on taxing slaves? - A. Only two. In Tcnncsse, nono except those between 12 and 50 can be taxed, but they must be taxed ad valorem. In Virginia all property except slaves must be taxed accor ding to value. Slaves over 12 vcars must be taxed as high as $300 worth of land, and not 338,548 at $600 each $0 57$ 80 2 00 II 40 5 00 15 00 10 00 7 50 10 00 100 00 50 00 40 00 10 00 higher. Q. Aro there any other inequalities un der the last revenue bill? A. Yes, many. The following table will show some : Slaves on $1000 value, paid Taxable slfves, ' Land, " " Money at interest, stocks, &c. Goods bought, " " Clothing, " Watches, " Pianos, " " Buggies, Carryalls, &c. " " Liquors bought out of the State, " bought in the State, ' Studs and Jacks, (say) Meehankt, &c, on thctr labor, Mr. Holden, in the N. C. Standard of 20th June, says it was necessary for the Demo cratic rARTY TO PASS THIS VERY LAW. Q. What mechanics, overseers, &c. pay a heavy tax on their wages? A. Yes; a machanic making $5O0pays $5 on his wages and 80 cents on his poll. A slavo mechanic working at the same bench, making $500, would pay 80 cents only. If tho slave is over 50, he pays nothing. Q. I suppose, then, the white mechanic is free from all other taxes ? A. You aro mistaken. Every honest mer chant will admit that he charges his tax to his customers. That tax must bo paid wheth er tho goods rot On his shelves or are burnt. Q. Does that make tho priceof sugar cof fee, SALT, CALICO, and OTHER NECESSARIES HIGHER ? A. Certainly. Sugar, for cxamnlc. cort m j "..vww ing in Petersburg 7 or 8 cents, will be sold in Wake or Orange for 10 or 12 cents. Part of this high price is the tax. Q. Has the Democratic party provided a remedy for this unjust system of taxation ? A. None at all. In their platform they say "tney deem it the duty ot the Legisla ture, in passing acts for raising revenue, so to adjust taxation that it shall bear equally as practicable, within the limits of tho Con stitution, on the various interests and clas ses of property in all Sections of tho State." Does this Democratic platform go for taxing hogs, duck' chicken &c? A. It does. Hogs are "classes of proper ty," so are chickens; and the platform says it is the duty of the Legislature to "bear upon them." Q. What is the meaning of the expression "within the limits of the Constitution ?" A. That taxation shall bear equally on all classes except on slaves ; but taxation must not bear equally on slaves because they say it is,, premature, impolitic, dangerous and u n just" to alter the Constitution. Q. What remedy does the Constitutional Union Party propose ? A. They say the first thing to be done is to alter the Constitution so as to give the Legisla ture the same power to tax slaves that they have to tax other property , and then to adopt the principle of ad valorem taxation, with proper discrimination. Q. Does their Platform advocate the taxa ation of all property, such as hogs, ducks, chickens, &c? A. No: this charge is brought to turn away the attention of tho people from the two hun dred millions worth of slave property. The Legislature cantax these things now if they want to, but do not. They will never tax things so small in value that the expenses of collection will be more than tho tax. Q, But the Democrats say you intend to abolish and increase the tax on tho circus, on exhibitions, on pedlars on licenses to re tail and such things ; is that true ? A. That is not true. Such things are not taxed as property but as privileges, or li censes ; the Legislature will still have full power over these things. Just so all copora TioNs,as banks might be taxed for the exclu sive privileges granted them. Q, Will the tax on billiard tables, play ing, cards, bowling, alleys, dirks, and pis tols and su h articles bo necessarily reduced? A. By no means. The tax on such things is in the nature of a police regulation for the suppression of vice or tor promoting Jio good order of the community. The tax, is a PEn alty. In Tennessee it is a crime to wear dirks, bowie knives an J pistols at all wo on imposo a high tax U. Would the tax on money bo lowered necessarily ? A. No, if money is made to pay county, taxes, it would not be lowered. Q,. Does the Constitutional Union Plat form allow of discrimination? A. Y'es, in favor of tho national pro ducts of the State and the industrial pur suits, of her citizens. a. What is the effect of this ? A. The Legislature may favor ourown productions, and the industry of our people, byexoropting some articles and by laying higher taxes on foreign products and luxur ies, such as Champagne, French brandies &c. It may be very proper and necessary to tax more heavily articles made abroad, where the money is spent out of the State, than ar ticles made here, where the money would be spent among North Carolina workmen. Q,. Have other Southern States adopted ad valorem in practice ? A. Yes, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. So have Ar kansas and Missouri, though the Legislature of Arkansas exempts slaves under 5 and over 60 years old; that of Missouri exempts those under three. Theprovissions of the constitu tions of Tennessee and Virginia have been mentioned. Except in these two States the Legislature of all the States but North Caro lina have power to tax all sla ves. Shameful Dishonorable. The Democratic papers in their despera tion, are endeavoring to make the impression that Peter Adams, Esq., of Guilford, is an ab olitionist. Will not the Whigs pf Guilford, on the day of the election, show that they know how to resent such a gratuitous insult upon one of their fellow-citizens. Because Mr. Adms is for Pool, and lives in Guilford, orders have gone forth from head quarters, j that ho must be hunted down. Whigs of ; Guilford, to your posts. Dffluclty Between Messrs. Pool and Ellis. The Raleigh Register publishes the follow ing card in explanation of a difficulty which occured at Hendersonville between Messrs. Pool and Ellis : We were present at the discussion at Hen dersonville on this day, between Gov Ellis and Mr. Pool, in which a personal difficulty occured; to prevent misrepresentation of the circumstances, we deem it a duty to the pub lic to make a brief statement of the facts. Mr. Pool in his opening speech stated, that it had been reported that he was in favor of taxing tverthing, tin cupsy &c. That his competitor did not say so himself, but only argued so, from the platform of Mr. Pool's party and Mr. Pool went on to remark, that anybody who charged him with being in favor or of advo cating this thing, told a lie and he authori zed every person presont to say that hot said so. Governor Ellis, when ho came to reply to this part of Mr. Pool's address, charged Mr. Pool with using such language as he would not have used in a rich man's parlor. Mr. Pool, in his rejoinder to this remark, said he did not know any other language which should bo used, when such a charge was made, and he would not hesitate to use such lan guage in a rich man's parlor or any where else if it became necessary. Governor Ellis arose from his seat in an excited and menacing manner and said Mr. Pool was using language unbecoming a gentleman. Mr. Pool repliod you are no gentleman, whereupon Gov. Ellis made at him, with his right hand extended, which Mr. Pool caught with his left hand and drew back his right hand to strike when a gentleman caught Mr. Pool's right arm and prevented tho bbw Mr. Pool being at the time standing at the judge's seat, and Gov. liillis standing below at tue clerk s desk, with the judge's bench, (three feet high) between when friends interposed and Mr. Pool went on with his remarks and repeated tho same thing in the same language as before, and said tbatGovofnor Ellis's conduct was unbe coming tho Governor of tho State of North Carolina. That if he felt f grieved at any re mark of his, this was not the place or tho time or the manner to adjust such difficulties. That Governor Ellis knew who ho was and that he was responsible to him or any other gentle man for any offence and was ready to settle such matters at any time and in any way. That the Governor had not chosen the, usual mode recognized by gentleman to settle such matters. Mr. Pool remarked that he did not wish his friends to become excited or take any E art in the matter; that he could settle it imself. Gov. Ellis said Mr. Pool's remark to his friends was gratutions, and that he was Governor of the State and could not fight, Mr. Pool replied that the law forbid every bo dy from fighting, and the matter closed. JOHN McLiAlN, WILLIAM PATTON, A. MILLER, A.H.JONES, A..J McBRYER, T. W . TAYLOR, L. S. GASH, H.D.LEE, F. C.BYERS, SAM'L C. BRYSON, S. P. BRITTAIN, " J.Y. BRYSON, Hendersonville, July 2, 1860. Out for Ad Valorem. The Standard in its last issue, accounting for the fact that Avery received a larger vote than he did, as a delegate to the Charleston Convention, gives as a reason, that Avery Lad just made a violent speech against ad valorem, and the altering of the Constitution so as to tax negroes, whreas it was known that he (Holden) was in favor of said alteration. So the Standard has as at last, come out for ad valorem. If the Standard was in favor of ad valorcniat tho State Convention, why is it, that he has been saying that it is "premature' "unjust and "laugfrou$,.", JC See prospectus of tho 4i Times."
The Little Ad (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 21, 1860, edition 1
1
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