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tax would be grievous and oppressive be true or false?
To tax every man according to his actual worth is, un-
doubtedly, the true principle. If this be so, then a poll-
tax must be wrong. The poll-tax must necessarily be a
tax on all persons alike, and thus cause each to pay the
same amount. This is not just or right.
It is said, however, that the poll-tax will not be the
only tax, and that it will be an addition to taxes on prop-
erty, and that the man who has no property will pay a
poll-tax alone, and the man who has property will pay as
well the property tax as the poll-tax. It is also said that
every one who enjoys the benefit of a government,
whether he does or does not own property, ought to pay
taxes to the government. It is conceded, however, that
a pauper should not pay, and no one contends that women
or children should pay a poll-tax, and yet they enjoy the
benefits. It is also said that no one should be permitted
to vote unless he pays a poll-tax. This proposition seems
to have been seriously made, but he believed will have
but little support in this body. His answer to all this is,
that each person should pay taxes according to his actual
worth in property. It is the only sound principle, and
hence the declaration in the Bill of Rights is true as a
general principle. In conclusion, Mr. G. expressed the
opinion that a poll-tax levied for educational purposes
would fail to accomplish any good. He was in favor of
educating the children, both black and white; but while
the schools should be kept separately he hoped we would
not hesitate to have them and to support them, but would
be unwilling to jeopardize the system of connecting it in
any way with a tax so odious as he feared the poll-tax
would be. The black man was among us and would re-
main with us, and was in no way responsible for the re-
sults which have taken place. Their conduct for the most
part has been remarkable for forbearance and manifesta-
tion of feelings highly creditable to them. If we be the
superior race, our duty to be liberal, kind and just to
them is only the more manifest and certain. He referred
to the views last expressed to say that they rather for-
tified than weakened his unwillingness to authorize a
poll-tax.
Mr. Ritchie regretted to differ with his colleague, who
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