Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-01-22


Collector, infhe large counties particular
Is, should be severed, and separate bonds
| given for assessing and collecting taxes
When both Offices are united none indi
yidual, failure to return the assessmen
roll rendersiti difficult to hold the collector
Irresponsible for failing to pay the taxes hi
may collect intO.ihe State Treasury.
1t is deserving of your serious consid
Grafton, whether the embarrassment of the
| public money should not be made felony
and punishable by imPrisOnment in the
State prison. paaa e "a
The law prescribing the dutieso Auc.
tioneers requires amendment--they inter.
fere. with the regular merchant, and the
taxes they are required to pay, from some
cause or other, fail to reach the State Trea.
sury. oa gta lass st.l SIS,
The Report Of the Adiutant General
is, herewith, misunderstanding the last
year most Of the Regiments have been or
ganized-our citizen soldiers are awaken.
ing to the Importance of preparing in
peace for war. The number of yolun.
teer companies have been more than
doubled, and feel confident that by the
close of the present year, / will be enabled
to have every regiment organized and of.
tlcered; ia addition, it is expected that
forty volunteer companies will, by that
time, be armed and equipped, ready to
march, at short notice, to whatever point
danger may threaten. commend these
companies to the special consideration of
the Legislature composed as they are of
young and chivalrous gentlemen, ready to
face any foe and brave any danger, the
country may confidently rely upon them
for protection. The appointment of an
Inspector Generals respectfully recon.
mended, whose duty it shall be, at least
once In every year, to drill the officers of
each regiment. To obtain a competent
officer, liberal salary will be requisite.
Having reviewed portion of the regi.
nlents last fall, | can safely say, that the en-.
tire organization Of the militia is not i'm.
practicable, and that our citizen soldiers
are amply able to protect their homes
against the assaults of any foe, foreign or
domestic. Three hundred and fifty mus.
kets, belonging to the State, were wrecked
in the barque Ella Hand. These guns
were purchased in the spring of 1887,
but in consequence Of the protest of the
check given in payment Of them, they
were not shipped until July. 1898. Under
the act of Congress Of 1908, arms are an.
nuaiIy furnished to the various States of
the Union. Correct returns Of the
strength of the Militia of this State
have been made by the Adjutant General
to the proper department; and, 10 future,
a sufficient quantity of arms will be an
nmally obtained, from the General Govern.
ment, to furnish ten companies. In seve.
raj of the counties the regiments aretoo
large, and some of the brigades could DO
advantageously divided. The existing
militia law is plain and perspicuous--fre.
quent changes in the system are always
injurious, and it perhaps would be well 10
give the ore now in force a fair trial.
twenty-five hundred copies Of the act TO
Regulate the Militia, have teen printed,
and most Of them distributed among the
officers. Books Of discipline are needed,
and cannot be readily obtained. During
the last fall representations were made to
the Executive that the lives of some four
or FIVE individuals were in great danger
that the Indians were resolved to retaliate
on them for killing one of their tribe
that no organized force in that county ex-
listed, to aid the civil officers in preserving
the peace and enforcing the laws. Be.
lieving that neither white men or Indians
should be permitted to take the law in their
own hands and revenge their supposed
wrongs, Iconsidered it my duty to take
precautionary measures, and be prepared
for any contingency. This had the de-
sired effect, and the peace Of the country
was preserved. 81 b
The Report Of the late State Treasurer,
J. Al. Van Hoesen, Esq, and of the
present Treasurer, Gen. Silas Brown,
as well as the Report Of the Auditor Of
Public Accounts, are herewith transmit.
ted. These documents will convince yeu
that the annual expenditures far exceed
the receipts into the State Treasury, and
that retrenchment-impro in the
collection of the revenue or additional
taxation must be reSorted to-
Soon after the appointment of J. A..
Van Hoesen, as State Treasurer, diTec-
ted him to call on the legal representatives
Of James Philips, for all tho books, papers
and money belonging 10 the Office. He
reported to me that he counted the mo-
ney in the iron chest, but that the books Of
/ the Treasurer were not written up, and
time was required to effect that object, and
to ascertain whether all the money
found IN the safe, belonged to tie State,
Having been informed thatno part of the
money found in the safe of the late Trea.
surerhad been paid .oyerto bis successor,
| / felt It my duty to call On the Executriz
! for a report Of the Official acts Of james
/ Philips and the amount af money! found
lin the chest 81 the time of his deathg A
copy Of said communication IS herewith
transmitted. No direct reply has been
slreceived. An evasive reply, ~ an indi'
! vid0al who I conceived was making aE
/ limprOpe Of the money, and bad no
Illegal right % is control, was rendered anr
J rsIuraed q him. The amount retained
] FOR period sc more than three months
T vas fifleen 81 twenty Thousand sd0llafsi
: portion 81 which was paid over 70 q.
J. present treasurer last month. he ~
!. boris IS ne thai &c cannot ascertain th.
true situation 0 the late Treasured
] BOO Al inps legation Of the aih0l.
81 .ls.,slt fIs.s.,S1s q, ~