Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-14


causes Of one kind contributed to enhance the market
value OF lands east of the Aeghany extrancous eau.
SEES OF another kind consprcd 70 deprccat the mark
Ell valuc oftac lands of that mountain should
have Inferred, therefore, that the assessment of
which the law required To be made according to the
market value, would have ovcrratod the lands on ia,
eastern waters and moderated those on the western
They all knew that the lands on the eastern waters
assessed too high, and am informed that those
on the western waters were IN truth assessed too low
Looking at a statement made from the assessors In
bes, we ind that while the average value of the
hndS IN the western waters was but 90 cents pei
acre, those OF the Valley were seven dollars and
CENTS those of the Midland district SO 20
and those VI the eastern district So 4S per acre
These added TO the great Increase OF pupua-
tou IN the western district since the assessment leave
no reasonable doubt that new assessment would re-
duo the average of all the lands of the three districts
upon the eastern waters, especially ofhe Underwater
dlstrct-would raise the average OF the lands IN the
western district, and would place the undtax of that
district nearly upon n ground of equality wthkl he
land tax Of the other districts OF The State
II does not follow, Mr.. Chairman, from the inc
qualities contribution IN the different districts that
there Is any Injustice IN the measure oftaXes imposed
that those who paw least best bear the bUrthcn
imposed on them II taxes are imposed on the pro-
pery OF the country, Ill the proportion of the ability
oil lis owners to pay, those who haye property,
and therefore pay more taxes, have usually no cause
To complain. With equal prudeuce, economy, and
good management, the rich VIII be always able tn
pay their contributions to the government with more
than the poor. The Contributions OF the rich
man Is paid from his abundance, aud If they restrain
has enloyments at all, IN cUrta only his luXurcs.-
while the poor man wItIdraws bis nlodIcllm from a
bare competency. leaving scarcely enough behind tor
the necesSaneS aud the ordinary comforts of life. IL
a- been the oblec laws TO distribute the taxes
among the people III proportion to the value of their
property, assuming that he best criterion of their
,.ty 10 pay, anu adopting such general rules 10 eff
:cl ,ncr OBJECT rs were louud by experience to be
as Convenient practcc. Ii they have failed m
this onlect, doubt n some dcgrcc they nave the
failure has not been greater than was TO have been
anticipated tom the intrinsic difficulty vi the subject.
you vail measure the ability ot the several districts
., tie amount OF their labor, and allow the whole
Jnoer OF their inhabitants respectively, to be atr
a.dard Ui their comparative laOOr,-yu have test
~ when to try this question. do not vouch tor
accuracy vi TINS test, though better one does
Low occur TO me;-and # YOU Will apply II, bv
Ill, INT the Whole amount II taxes IN each district,
he whole number D., Its inhabitants, you viii find
-,rr4ge per CAPITA not very unequal IN the seve
al ..y,s east OF the AeghIny.--and unequal m
The western district, doubt, because inc acclder
tai uIIervalue Ol It's lands already explained. The
ot The several districts the year 1922 dlsrl-
Iited among All me inhabitants Ot each, yves an
T4ge, per lop,tG, nearly follows: In tie first
u. &c nteen CcMs; ~ thu second tWeHty-nne GEMS:
n the th5d thirty cvuts ana III the fourth thlr-
+
NV Teen thus particular in examining the man
W. len the taxes are distributed amour the dit
erenL ustiIcts OF the commonwealth not because II
ds ,ssenua TO the merits of the question now be-
re nc Cpmmtlee, out because thought 1t would
move from oar minds the alarming spectacle CT No.
~ making var upon wealtll,-and would satisfy
imp rial men mat each district pays, as nearly as
l. operation oi laws always imperfect could be ex-
ed produce, Just contribution to the rovcrn.
msA. that no d'slict IS IN state oi peuperlsl-
in situation 10 Ue tempted TO seize unlawfllly
III nighbors prOperty,-dnd that IN all human
obaOity, when hereafter western man shall vote
from The pocket oil as eastern brother one dollar IN
tn form Il taxes. .c VIII vote iTonn bis own rocket
lne same time, nearly equivalent sam, one AZ
least, which cin "a Ill spare, and NIL be as httl p.
ole 20 pay Regretted very n-ch 10 hear tha, part
& b. T-mzfss Of Ire gentleman from Accomac NJ
lJ.--s' N s.ru be- eadeaVo-cd 10 show thai the
gss c-I1.ry -cst e The ue Ridge did not Dav IN
- - -f-l-- sgIH sufficient 70 de.lay the exsen.
80 q rs q -s--,l - ne general assembly. aud OF
80 a. -----5- - -I=.--s within Us Own hints =
= -t'ts ------g . -1=...-le Oc.Jus comparisons
IL - exc 60 ez-z-t sensation, coming INN a
-z--ls--t-- III 80 rz-lis=-ed ~ much hDeuI'v
H. 80 ID go11 tsslng. are accordingly 10 be
rzzre ts---aa1 -. then the more. because ,hev
49, if-- ~. pan o. tae STATE. the extreme FAST
:s- - % .)-C.e- occzslons. nave % sftea heard
-ss-1E -~zc-ry - c1ilzoE as8 S,gttgyersy betyser
80 Il r-rs p" 81 aud =9Ct-erne Fast winch reori,
2. the n-eTp s..ion Il moderate men % commas
haze Dpt examined the ge1,!emans calculations Z
sscer-sl vbethe! bis CONCLUSION IS right or wrong
After having sscerta med the precse amount oCsye.
PAID by each district af-cr asceraiuing tue aye,arf
l-mJun per capita. paid each,-what posrIbIe
influence, On the question before us can = have 49,
% know whether the taxes 10 any one district arc
adequate 10 that par Of the expenses Of the g,ye,n
/ rnent, which the calculations Of gentlemen mn,
choose to assign to ~ Surely the expenses Of h.
gislauon and Of the administration Of Justice sr,
not local ~ their character, pertain 10 10 district
and can be- charged % nOne.-fhey are # any car
be- the expenses Of the whole commonwealth. IN
Cured for the common veal aid Justly payabc from
the common purse-Such impuia,iUns as these ir II
were proper 10 rcpcl them would lead ~ the rnpea
SAINT ana Improbable enquiry, into the objects r.
winch the public revenue applied; the district
iH winch q was expended; the local causes which iu
creased tho expense Of government, and Woudimpos,
on Us the irWdIous Guty, which certainly sha1 NO
pcHorm,o OIL indicating the various counties In ia,
Eastern district Uhch do not contribute their sbar
/ OF the czpenscs Of Government Bot we ronst for
bear iro" such topics. they do not become the occa
I sion.