The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-02-08
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE GOV12R-
NOR

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE COVER
NOR
rs % ne nanner oCcrecu,itg tie Z" .s,t M
tfo'.%l"s' Il TcgHlar free for thc q fence 81
The Co0'DtpnS0oGktk."
in execution OF the duties devoIved I'm ~
oY the law g authArising a regular { re-. So
rhe defence OF the Commonwealth - ,pb;,{,
prescribes that the Court Martial ,ro,,idef
by the 2nd. section, shall be governed bv euch
instructions as may nc received from me :
invite Your attention 70, and request vorr
o",eFtaace OF me following principles and
rules IN performing the several duties imno-
sed upon the court, by the Sd, A.h and stb
sections of the law.
The first duty to be reformed bv En-.
Co1rt-Martial, is to examine the nnster-
rolls returned by the commanding offcers p,
companies and 70 correct all errors and a.
missions appearing therein, By striking OF
ironi them all who have died, removed. or
become exempt from ace. and nv a.ls,;,..~ =,
them all who have been omitted and All S,bo
havesarTIved, since making The rolls. T. the
age tor performing militia duty. accortlino. 10
the third section of the act :"
he next duty to be performed by tb>
Court-Martial, IS to ascertain the amount az
Uie taHaole properly of every non-comrnis-
s,oned cfhcer' nnnsician and private, within
tn regiment. By taxable prop <rtv ;s nor
meant al property which may be. liable IN
taxation her tter, nor those new subjects ON
Emch the last Legislature has ir1posed taxes.
f'y taXaDe property IS meant that rroDertv
winch appears on the Commissioner, hooks
OF the year 1914 &c be subject 10 taxatiop-
for TINS purpose, the Cours-Martitl rnuSf
PfpCure ron the cisrks Of the Counties and
corporatons,' the commissioners hooks OF
1914, or certified copies thereof thev nrxt
make allowances for such changes of I,ro,,er-
" $ shall appear to them TO have occu,%aJ
since M king out those books. IF the ch.n,n
OF prop 'rty has occurred in const ouencs nf
the de struction Of the property las The death
ol negroes, horses, Stc. or the burning of
houses or lots III town, &c) then IL ought not
to be valued as part of the proDertv of +Lc
peison charged with it on the cJrnrnis,;npr,,s
books II the change Of proDerty has
occurred IN Consequence of.tEe saIe or otbcr
transfer ot Il, in Ike manncr il ou,ht not to
be valued as part Of tho property % the rer.
son charged with it on the comrn,seioba,,,s
oooIs' - the purchaser is a resident within
Ihe oounGS OF the Regiment, then the proler-
~ 50 sold or transferred must be valued a.
his property, but if he be not a resident 49,
no notice needbe taken of il. In estirnatin,,
the Vaia" OF the taxable property. the conrp
W'i DC governed by the commissioners bool,e
III nose cases where valuation cf such ,,ro-
perry has been entered on those books roc
IN ~ the case or cairiag, s. except in regard to
u,s value Of lands. The value of lands and
.. ol any Other taxable property, where from
TIE nature OF the subject, 40 such valret;on
shaii nave been entered on the commission
tr DOCKS, the court must make a reasoeabje
ana uniform estimate thereof this will he
mnch facilitated, while every cause of 70
tionll complaint viii be avoided. bv observe, ~
the following principles
iSI. As to land. The present reasonable
yalne ol eacn tract ofland it should be the
npypot OF the court to ascertain, and to make
that value ohargesble to the proprietor RI
ascertain this value the court IS advised IN
Gx it., ''eN |"
1st AZ the rate at which lands Of the
like quality in the vicinity Of such trart 80,
have recently sold. II no such sale his 49,,
made 50 as - aifOrd' this criterion Of value
then " '@iue'
2ndly. At the medium Of the price which
!.'"y y'.vs Oeen recently offered and asked for
II. railing this evidence Of value, then
3rdly. 81 tbs price at which the nron,;e
tor may hold It. But in each of the r5reeo;nc
cases the prices that may be furnished s6ont1
DC Iaole 70 Change or correction by other =
vidence that may be given to the court snd
winch the court may think entitled to Ire
Confidence and respect.
IL cly. As 90 slaves; the court should in-4J,e
mrs, instance determine What in its opinion i
a reasonable average value Of such slaves a.
arc liihie &C. taxation, that IS. of sl,vss ~
ttwelyeyears ct age and upwards and having
h&ed the average value, is duty viii n,4,ei,,
be to inoitiply the number held by each rrl.
P5irietor respectively by the average vaine.-
ms WI give THAI Uniformity TO their val
ration which the law prescri5es.
'ioy. rs to lcrscs, asses. mares rnrioe p,
colts the Ike course should be e4k.,,
certain their value, as is suggeatcd in remit,
to slaves. ''''''h
r.. IFT1ly. rs t. Stud-Horses p Jsck- fs,-s.
h7 lnlo'0t oi the season, viii be Detia.s
.ne best hides otvai8e, and The count ba,6.