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

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saternents which have been submitted 70 us Geduca
from the tables i7rnished by tho Auditor and to MAXI
such corrcctiPGs MS they may be found to require.
The tables Of population shcw us that there are
probably IN the commonwealth at this time, about
632 000 white persons end about iI3 900 slaves, thus
distributed amongst the different disirctS-in the LIST
tr western district, about Is 900 whites and 1000
Enves, more than 10 whites for each Slsrc:-in the
2nd, or Valley district about $4,000 whtcs and 35
900 slaves. little more than whites to save-in
the 3rd or middle district, about 900 whites end
OBJ 900 slaves the slaves exceeding the whites by
bout "a OOO nearly egih of the white population:
prdin tho eastern district, about los 900 whites
and ITO 600 slaves,-the slaves there also exceeding
the whites about l0,5O0, about sixteenth of the
white population. Thus II appears that the aggre-
late OF slaves the east of the Blue Ridge is about
397 900, while the aggregate the west is about
50,5OO--neariy by l-while the aggregate of white
population the east of the mountain about &C.,
500 and that on the west $40 00O--he difference on
" about IS, 500 IL is therefore true Il stated on
the other side that the slave population is very une
qually distributed ut this time, and Is Of present es
sentIally an eastern interest
From the tables Of taxation, the gentleman from
Chesterfield deduced, that the people of the first dis
trct paid OF the whole taxes land and personal pro
perty an average per capita, of % cents mills: and
the people OF the second district - cents mills Will
tire people Of the 3rd district paid - cents mills
aud those of the fourth 63 cents mls-makinp a
average for the people the west of the Blue RIDGE
of 81 ceats mlS; for the people on the east o.
GS cents mills He selected individual nieirber ~:
the different districts, between which there was still
more striking inequality, and Showed that the average
contribution of the slave tax per capita, in the seve
raj districts was the most unequal of all
That there inequalities the contributions of
revenues from the different districts OF the State ow.
ing TO the unequal distribution OF wealth, no one
doubts. 1t is cerulnly so, country as il is in
all countries and must be, so lonr as taxes are
laid upon property and not on polls so onr as The n
Tn al he r. oS
terion OF the amount vi contribution. But the state
which have been exhibited 10 you arc calculai
ed to deceive-Thcy make the impression that il
several sum, stated shew tue ayerag re per ca1ita .
tualiy assessed on tue taX-paylng inhabitants or d.
several dstrcts--thIs however Is not the case: TN
calculations are made by distributing the who'll.
mount OF taxes assessed, IN each district on the wh
number of free persons III the district or whom
land tax could be assessed, wbether black or win
male or female, infant adult. | have made al O.
innate OF the average per capita, actually nSs,..
OIL the tax paying inhabitants ot the several dl.lr
and The result Is materially dfferent-shev.np H.
qualities 1t is true, mus have been an,lcII
but inequalities less glariHg, and less calcnla T.,
eXcIe alarm, or TO countenance the extrayapa,,
larm tor power which has been founded upon Them
Inc committee will remark that nave made ~
estimate from the Auditor tables OF the taxes assess
ed for the year 1923, and lists of persons CHARGE
With taxes on land or otcr property, IN the sev al
counties and corporations In the commonwealth
the land tax, resulting from the circumstance an
TINS list excludes all those charged with tax on
GELS OF land IN the Country, less than % acres l.
this lnaccuiacy cannot materially vary tive result
Calculating upon these data find the ayerap,. f.,
PereaPIG as toIows:--ln the first district land ia,
gu cents, tax on other properly SO cents-totai 80
in the second district land tax 81 30 tax on other
property SLIP, total SJ,42-in the third district
land tax S&,3l,-taX on other property S243-in.,,,
S47l-and IN the fourth district, LAM tax S287 tan
on other property S2'A3--tota $3.50 We thus g
that the average landtax OF the VALLEY district - III
20 the average laid taz otthe middle d,--ric o-r,
one cent, and IS superior TO tile ave-a re I'M ,zT
the eastern district, twenty three cs--sz. - .4z-
rage total tax, IS less than The z.e-a-z -.ta q 10.
middle district tax ,52-itz, g --..r. - .r- 81
ana less than TIE a'ersZs, r-z q --s aa4s-1 .--.
oy Sl-OG-ihat e about = - -=i--S.. -i,. ~.
on slaves, have been fzl--e. err ~. .,s ,ss.-
year, and tins redlc-.s- E.st .sstsz .e f.r.-trz
the several ds.Tlc.s ~ s-9-r .-.-s- az . -.~ -.
second dIstrlc. f3-54,-.--c clsr-..- e e.s-.--
sistnct S+Is, 5rllZ-sZ --s Fl-eT .s--.1 r..---
the eastsrn--lt rl-s. - tss.s- -e-4-.s.. 80 =
these estimates he -.E--s 2: k.---.-< ps.e-.---
and Freoerlcks5grg have ~. .-e.-Ssc or.-, 80
tlce-"ater c-stfari.-NoT sl-t1 n TIE t.-1s srs
situated a. W. head y tce Sz,sr te~ {. NJ ~ zr-
OF the puFpcEes y This argument. cegrg n the s~s
water dlstuct. Their yyr1Jzt1es tsel, Inta-a..a -,
with the country that le4 above them which frnEe,
them, supplies their trade and furnishes ,her wealth
WIthdra" them from that district and you ciminisf
very materially It's average tsx.-We have not tbr
means Of estimating the taxes paid in fredericksburg
our tables containing no separate return for tha
town-SuostTacing Richmond and PETERSBURG only
Tor which we have separate returns and then The ~
crage OF the eastern district will be- Of land e1a3 nj
tax on other property s212 total s3,96;-Thus re.
duclng its average land tax 40 cents below that OF
the Valley, and eaving total average only cents
above IT,
In all these estimates It will be Observed fla, ,le
contributions OF the trans Allegheny ds,rc, are .ery
mucn below par 1t Is easy 10 understand gLy tho
average tax on personal property much lower ihere
thon IN the other districts, Of the small M M
per OF It's slayesbut why the aycrocc land tax should
DC So - an enquiry the answer 10 which does not Ie
on the surface il is propsbly 10 be found n two con
Gaeratons-fIrst, very large quantities of land. II
different parts ofthat district on Which aroe arrear,
1l are Due Lave been vested in the literary fund
10y the operations Of Lo tax law OF 1914 and are no.,
sIckeh irom the tax books, because the lands be
longing to that fund pay no toSes-secoudy 90 chef
YIN the year 1917, when adj the lard, Of the COM