Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-03-16
Sriginal a9isreIIanp.
Democratic Valuation.

The constitution Of the state provides
that while the charges Of government, or
any part thereof, shall be assessed on polls
and estates in the manner that has hitherto
been practised in order that such assess
ments may be made zgtfh equality, there shall
be a valuation Of estates within the Com
mOnwealth taken anew once in every ten
years, It least, and as much 0ftener IS The
General Court shall order" Pursuant 10
TINS constitutional provision, an ORDER pas
sed the last session Ct the Legislature, ap-
pointing committee Of both branches con.
sIstlng OF 81 Members, who were directed
70 SIT on the first Wednesday of November
las, and were empowered to receive, ex
anime, correct and equ.lizc, the returns
made BY the assessors Of the respective
towns, Districts and plantations in this
Commonwealth ;--and IN the event Of anv
town, district or plantation, refusing or ne
glecting to make the returns reGNired by
law, the committee, IN that case were di.
rected to doom such delinquent town, dis.
trict OF plan alton, according TO Their best
ski| and judgment and then add thereto
twenty five per cent The committee
were also directed to estimate the polls at
The rate Of t7vO mills on the $1,000
In obedience to this authority the com.
mlttee met at Boston, at the time appoint.
ed, and commenced their labors. The
Hon. .Tohr Woodmdn, of York county. was
Chairman oflhe committee and il was .
mong some Of their first acts TO apDoint j
subcommittee for the purpose of obtaining
information Of the quantity and value Of wild
land, not within any town, district or plan.
tation, OF which the Hon. William King was
Chairman. While this subcommittee was
engaged IN the exercise Of its duties, the
General Committee was divided into sub
committees, and charged with the exami-
nation and correction OF the Assessors re.
turns. This duty engrossed their attention
tor nearly three weeks-when the s1iH land
committee made { report, which the Hon.
WIN. King urged very Strenuously to have
accep'ed or otherwise disposed of bythe
General Committee. To this it WIS an.
swered in substance that the valuation Com.
mittee had nothing to do with the subject,
and, that if they had, il would be extreme
ly improper, to accept Of report Of this
nature, without giving moments time to
inform themselves, SIS TO its accuracy
With view, that opportunity might be gi.
ven, 1t was proposed to let the report lay on
The table for the inspection of the members
this proposal after some debate was adop-
ted.-The business being thus disposed Of.
and the reports Of all the subcommittee,
twho were charged with the examination
and correction of the assessors returns)
having been made, the General Committee
proceeded 10 the appointment of the taxable
articles in one t0zJn IN each county IN The Com
nl9nveaih. This subject opened a wide
held Of debate II Is unnecessary, and en-
tlrely useless 10 detail the particulars; but
i n y Dc observed, generally, that LANGUAGE
did not seem to have force enough 10 des-
crIbe interms sufficiently impressive habov.
erty and niSe,2 ofthe different sections of
the country, as they passed in review,
before the committee
Ii may be proper here 10 observe for the
information Of those who are not acqu i1ted
with the subject, that the assessors, are not
required by law, 10 affiX any particular
price, or value, upon the different articles
OF taXstion.-These articles are very numer.
Gus, as Will be seen BY the law of Feb. 1911
directing the assessors how they are 10
take the valuation 1t is no easy matter.
tJr any number Of men entirely devested Cf
self interest, satisfactorily aRpraise for
the purpose q taxation such an immense
mass ~ property especially when Il is
considered, tnst from local situation and a
variety OF other causes, property Of The same
KIND, must have very different value in
different places.
Ia order however 10 adjust this point in
NE most satisfactory manner, tie same
course was taken BY this committee, as had
been taken on former occasions One town
was appraised ia detail, in each county, b.
me general committee. by which sample
tom, thus app aised, he committee frUm
the respective counties we're directed 10
apprsjse all tha other towns. This i I'm
dDuh'tdy the bcst method which can Dc =
doPted end Il taNatle artIcles in lie sam
ME- towns m c01nyare fairly and justly