Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-04

with the other, The following results would be
found
:! ! i! :
W '.,;,s2a DIST ss. 70 4 81 s3sf
This exhibition he said, would show that the la
Dor Of the west higher taxed than hat of the cast
IN relation to two out ofthrcc Of the subjects of taxa
ton, and differs inconsderablv in the aynoun of tax
paid per head IN the different quarters Of the State
That difference, he slid owing TO the apparent
y diminished amount paid TN land by the extreme
western district and which he thought might be fully
and satisfactorily accoune cd for by reference to 1re-
sent and past systems of taxation anil their influence
on that part OF the COMMONWEALTH.
Before the year 1917 the tax on land yas assessed
upon an arbitrarily assumed average of the value in
the several districts of the State BY the operation
OF this rrilo the interior lands OF the west were taxed
beyond any just regard their annual product whe-
Their from cultivation or appreciation in the market
and the consequence has been that vast quantity of
the western lands have become forfeited for the non
payment OF taxes and vested in the President
ond Directors of the Literary Fund. No MEANS he
said now offered for aseertanng the number of acres
which had been transferred by this process from the
assessment lists of the amount of taxes and dar,a
gcS now due, annually aceruing lands so situa-
ted or of the amount annually pnd into the treasury
for the redemption of lands in this condition Mr. s.
Auditor office had furnished him with statement
OF the forfeited lands in of the western counties
only. From this statement it appeared that there
was forfeited TO the Literary Fund in the county of
CabelI, 3l3O,5s2 acres charged with taxes and da
rnGSgsSS s ,. IN I'll" vas nc e
! fary our land laws of l7s9-under the onarntion
OF whch, land to nearly double the area of the eoun
~ had been sold by the Commonwealth and the evi,
wSs daily increasing by new grants from the land
office.
Mr.. S. remarked that he had, however, attemp, ed
10 ascertain what ought to be the probable product of
the lend tax in the county of Cabel under system
winch assessed the tax upon the lund and not upon
tho pretended titles which The Commonwealth Iyas
daily furnishing. He found the area of that county
to be l,o33 square miles, equal to 661 100 acres;
f54 DOB acres only of which nov to be found on
the land lists for TAXATION and Which PRODUCED re
venue of 1854.
Mr.. s. then entered into q calculation showinn
that If the residue Of the land actually found in that
county amounting to 5o7,17 acres was restored 10
the tax lists, and charged at the same ratio with that
already on the Commissioners books, that it would
augment the land-tax OF the county of Cabell S15s-
giving an amount of revenue from land in that county
beyond the sum derived from the same source, and
the large popuious county of Accomsc to whose re-
preventative the Convention had been indebted for go
much statistical information.
MIR. s. remarked, that he did not mean 70 no into
the questions OF revenue presented by that geneman
but that he would take occasion to romind him that IL
the eastern peninsula OF Virginia contributed moro N
the treasury than sone of the western Counties il
vas more than UNIDENTIFIED in its proportion of the OK.
Penditure for the support Of the judiciary. Mr. S.
said, that he satisfied that whenever the paterna
care of the government should give quiet and rcpose
to the western States, that they would no, be found
deficient ~ contributions either TO the treasury or to
the defence of the country
Mr. y. said that on examining tho relative ,narit
OF the propositions before the Convention, IL mpht
not be Improbable to look into some Of those which
mad been heretoiors pressed upon s consideration
IL would be recoected, that eastern gentlemen had
"A fIOnt ,icb
white population and taxation the basis of reprc-
sentation. He said that he was accustomed to re-
gard himself as not understanding that, of the results
OF which he ignorant. He had therefore nut
into requisitioH his own arithmeical skill aided Inv
TWO gentlemen particularly versed in calculations
One ofi"em furnished hin with the combinations Ms
follows:
Western Distric, 81
Valley District %
Midland %
Underwater .,
In House Of Delegates composed Of 90 members
IN th5 computation men 0nd dollars were reGa rdcd
as units OF ths value, producing about III Dele.
gates from the white population, and 10 from the tax
cd property It's application to the extreme western
anu eastern districts, was found 10 place the inhab-
ants OF each 10 the following relations TO the other
In the western district, 557 white PERSONS p-yinu
taxes to the amount Of J07 dollars would be entitled
to one delegate, while in the eastern district 200
white inhabitants paying 2G dollars, would be emit
tied 10 the same representation. by this political n
rtlmeuc, an excess ia taxation Of 2,710 dollars was
to be computed, by excess in persons, equal TO
1851, which balances NJ the of % t. per head.
This combination, although it rated orr western Oh
tzens at five franc pieces and their eastern brethren
rs Loulsdo rs, found more favorable to western
equality than was admissible by the principles Of COM
bnation avOwcd and explained by tho authors Of that
notable project. Thor principles Of combination re-
lulred that TO ascertain the number Of delegates 10
which any particular district would be entitled IL
was first necessary 10 find what number would bc !
givon by white populations and. secondly, what num- |
Der the tax paid by the district would entite il 10
The combined results divided, averaged was then
assumed M the proper representations The appca- !
ton Of mo RIO nrr modified. ,yss iSrnd ~ 1--WE 10
~