Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-15

value of lands east OF the Aerlany extrancoIs ..u
ses OF another h conspircd to deprcciate the mark
ct value OF tne lands wcs of that mountain. should
have inferred, therefore, that the assessment of 1917
which the law required TO be made ACCORDING to the
market value, would have overrated the lands OIL the
eastern waters and moderated those the western.
Ihcy al Knew that the lands the eastern waters
we're assessed Too hgh, and am informed that those
on the western waters i'll truth assessed too low
Looking at statement made from the assessors ia
bles, we find that while the average value of the
lands in the western waters was but % cents per
acre, those OF the Valley were seven dollars and
thrty-thrce cents; those OF the Midland district So 90
and those of the eastern district So 43 per acre
These causes, added to the great increase OF popua-
ton Ill the western district the assessment leave
no reasonable doubt that assessment would re-
ducc The average OF all the lands OF the three districts
upon the eastern waters, especially of the tide
distrct-Wouid raise the average OF the lands III tue
western district, and would place the a1ld-taX of that
district NEARLY upon ground OF equality with the
land tax OF the other districts Of the State.
1t does not follow, Mr.. Chairman from the inc
qualities otcontrbution in the different districts, that
there any Injustice the measure ottaXes imposed
that those who pny lcust best bear tho burthu
imposed OH them II taxes are imposed on the pro-
perry OF the country, IN the proportion of the ability
OF lis owGrS TO pay, those who have property,
aud therefore pay taxes have usually 10 cause
to complain. With equal prudence, economy, ana
good management, the rich viii be always able to
pay their contributions TO the government with more
case than the poor. The contributions OF the rich
man is PAID from his abundance and If they restrain
his cn)oynitss at all, til curta only his luaurcs-
while the poor man wIthrdws his nlodcunl from a
bare competency leaving scarccy enough behind for
the necessaries and the ordinary comforts OF hf1. It
has been The object OF our laws dist rbutc the taxes
among the people III proportion the value OF iher
property assuming that as the best criterion Of their
ability to pay, aud adopting such general rules to eff
feet their object found by experience 10 be
most convenient III prdctICc il they have tailed in
this object, as no doubt i'll degree they have the
future has bccI grcGtcr than vas TO have been
Ip,,nf CI tho, fri,
Ii you will measure the ability or tic several districts
by the amount OF their labor, and ao!r the whole
number OF their mlabtauts respectively, to be fair
standard Of their comparative aoor-yuu have a tos
by which 20 Try this question. / 90 hot voucb for
the accuracy 81 this test, though better one does
not now occur to Ine;-and If yau will apply it. by
dividing the whole ituctlt CT taxes in each district
Uy the whole number OF its Iaoitar;s YOU vii! fund
the average per copG very unequal in the se1
raj districts east of the Alcgay and UNEQUAL in
the district, doubt because OF the accldcu
tai undervaue OF lis luuds already explained The
of the several districts tor the wear 1899 ,str
butcd among all the inhabltens of each nives an
average per caplt0, near follows: LII tue first
district fifteen III the second twentv-n.ne cents
III Tie third, thirty one cents and in the fourth tr-
ty cents.
l have been thus particular in cxannin,r tho man
Rcr in which tic taxes distributed amonr the dit
tcrent districts OF the Commonw cati, not because
was essontla to the merits OF the question nov be-
lore the COMMITTEE, but because thought it would
remove from our minds the alarming spectacle Of no
verify making war upon wealth-und would satisn.
impartial men that each district pays, as nearly us
the operation OF laws always imperfect could be ex-
ptctcd 10 produce, Just contribution to the Govern
nent,-that no district is in Il state of uatIpcrsm-
none Ill situation TO be tempted to seize unlawfuly
on ITS ne1ghbors propcrty-und that i'll ali human
probability, when hereafter western man shall vote
from the pocket Of hs eastern brother, one dollar IN
the form of taXcs, he will vote from his own pnclpt
at the same time, nearly an equivalent sum- one a
least, which he i'll spare, and will b.. as li,tla
Ihi o a l rprrrpt t1y
ofthc remarks OF the gentleman from Acconac Mr.
Joynes) III which he cndeavored TO show that fIa
whole country west Of the Blue Ridge did not nav in
to the treasury sufficient to Cefrav tho e,nen
se5 OF It's delegation TO the general assembly and of
the administration of justice within its own Gn,its
Re marks tending TO Institute odious COMPARISONS
and to excite unpleasant sensation, Coming from
gentleman, who has manifested so much IiberaI,,-
much kind and good feeling, are accordnoI,, 20 h.
regretted;-and felt them the more, because thev
came from that part of the State the extreme Easf
from which on former occasions have SO often heard
remarks leading to collision and CONTROVERSY bntoor
the extreme West and extreme Fast. which ronU;r
cd the lnterp0stion Of moderate men TO comDosr
have not examined the gcn,leman's calculpijons TO
ascertain whether bis conclusion is right or wronr
After having ascertaned the precise amount ofa vcs
paid by each district after ascertainnr the avcraCi
lcmoiin per capita, paid each,--,hat nasgibI,
influence, on the question before US can il have =
10 Know whether the taxes in any one district are
adequate to that part Of the expenses of the rovcrn
ment, which the calculations of reutInn,on n,ay |
choose to assign to 1t? Surely the expenses of Ie
gi.9lion, and OF the administration of justice, are
not local III thor character, pertain TO no district
and can be charged to nonc.-Tl,ev arc If INV 49,
be- the expenses Of the whole commonwealth. in.
currcd Tor the common veal and Justly payable from
Inc common purse--Such imputa.ions as these r if
were proper TO Tepci Them would lead 10 the ,nnao !
SAINT and Improbable enquiry, into the oIiects 70
which the public revenue was applied; the district
Ill which 1t was expended the local causes which I'M
creased the expense Of government aad ouljjrnnose
perform, of indicating The various countiSs IN .bn
EastoF: district whca do not contribute their shave
OF the expenses of Government But we must for
pear from such topics they DO not become the occa-
II will be proper Mr.. Chairman, to disarn tI,;s
question OF some of its tcrrors TO one party disrobo
it Of some OF H. charms for the other, by cxa,ninin
VIII care IT'S effects on The distribution Of power, a.
nOng tho different districts Of the cC,,r.,,,.I,I