Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-27

30 tnat the upper Country, instead
ofpaying too small, actually pay
too large proportion of the
Land Tax, by 2,511
If we view the subject as relating to the
aggregate taxes, we shall find the Low
Country would have no great reason to
complain. Thus, by the Table, it appears,
That of the general taxes of Virginia,
The first and second classes conlbi-
ned, ought to pay S234,785
And actually pay only 235,239
Leaving in their favor a small def
cit of 1916
On the other hand,
The third and fourth classes COM.
bined, pay about 6O,5se
AND ought Co pay only about 59,116
Making An excess of about 1,443
There being some lathe inaccuracy in the
calculation.
Taking. however, the Blue Ridge as the
dividing line, it appears that of the Taxes
generally,
The country below the Ridge pay 231,7s3
Whereas, they ought only to pay 22S.4I2
Making an excess of 1871
While on the other hand, the Up
per Country ought to pay 7O,3so
Whereas, they actually pay only 62,O18
Leaving defcit of s,371
This is the only view of the subject in
which the grand division Of the State, com
pretending the whole Country below the
Ridge, appears to pay more than it's just
proportion of the public burdens. Let rs
then see to what this excess amounts
From the Synopticsl Table, the
first class appears to be valu-
ed by the u. S. Assessors 1Io.O14,64s
The second class Ss,706.971
The two combined, ct 2O7,72l,6le
Let us, then, take the whole
country below the Ridge at 200 .OcO, 600
The excess of taxes they pay amounts. as
has been shewn, to SIS, S71, which is about
the 230th part OF one cent on each dollar
worth OF property an individual may poss
sesS.
shall neither tax your patience nor init
mate q doubt If your lioeralty. by descant
ig on this unimportant inequality in the
public burdens. 1t is rather matter of
surprise that there should be so little, than
OF complaint that there should be so much
dlsproportion. a just airport onment of
taxes--in all countries an arduous underta-
kings peculiarly difficult in a state whose
different sections are daily varying in their
relative population and value. Frequent
assessments are essential to the preserva-
ton of equality. Though troublesome and
expensive, and therefore to be avoided, vet
we must rccur to them when the dispro-.
portion becomes excessive. Such is at pre-
sent the case as respects particular coun-
ties and sections of country, and such in
few years will be the state of things in re-
I'm he txur, Il, s 1,
however fairly they may at present ap-
pear to participate in the charges of Gov
ernment. Tue valley between the Blue Ridge
and Allegheny. advances in population and
value more rapidly than the Low Country,
g the counties west of the Allegheny are
rising yet more vigorously. While, there
fore, the Low Country, according to the
present assessment, will continue to pay the
same tax, its just PROPORTION will annually
diminish and the Western division, as it
increasesin wealth, will daily experience
an alienation of the burden its ability
augmenting while the weight remains un-
changed.
The same train of reflection. however,
wilt serve to convince us, that for the grea-
ter part of the last forty years, the weight
OF the taxes has pressed too heavily upon
the qocsferH people. They, and not gou,
have had reason to complain. For if the
taxes are now so nearly in just proportion,
we must have paid too large a share when
our lands were worth ten-fold less than at
present. Since the year 1880, one of the
finest tracts of land in Frederick, which
would now command eighty dollars per a.
ere, was purchased for eight The pri(
of lands. w. of the Il. Ridge. has genery
increased-probably in great proper
Lands in Frederick county ought, 4 =.
fore, in the year 1880. to have paid ten
times less tax than at preseDt-And admit
ting (according to the annexed table) that
they ought now to pay f7vicc as much as
they do, it would still seem that in 1880.
they must have paid FIVE times as much as
was equitable.
cannot, from these considerations, but
settle down upon the belief, that the conn
plants of inequality in the land tax, are
without sufficient foundation and that the
al!edged disproportion ought not to be held
up as an answer to our Just circumstances
against your undue weight in the Councils
Of tho GfatA