Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-12-28
r.. r.-e.,..s nf ne Sutc.

1 The Perenues Of Tic STATE.
,,.,-e indebted to Delegate in the General As
.r A. The following extract of letter he has re
'tm' +,r, one Of his constituents. The whole ex
CIV ee3en:jy bears The stamp Of strong and en-
d Hsa'A'' "nAL,rAx, Nov. 80, 1912.
a .,yb., proposed the day last saw You, to iur
81 49,, van with my views III relation TO the emoarfas'
,,.: Of our State, and TO suggest some remedy uh
J.,.sok tax OF easy accomplishment: ANY 'e
a s.ks which | may now make must lie OF genera
rr, IN the absence Of statistical information, "tci
c,n only be procured from the Auditor oiiice.
,Gsr State debt may be set down in round huinoe !,
...eyen millions Of dollars; that is, Gt millions OF iuno
- debt and abou, 325 thousand due TO the banks ~
Ems TINT the present rate OF taxation VIII uf'S ms
re Treasury money enough, with The ard OF UanS u.'
nfs ard other resources OF the State, TO pay the cV
and interest ON The State debt, leaving The ceo 10
hanks Of 1850 0o0 10 lie otherwise PROVIDED Tor ne
,,cn for The conside ration of the Assembly is, no"
his ;}5o. coo 10 be raised In the present distress
~ condition Of the country, 10 increase Inc taxes 10
omo,ut Of $3.50 eco IN a single year, would be an
,r.,~Yof,aLc burthen industry, and even II that
s-, t,a. the money would not come into tie Urea
sr.y m tine to meet the present e1lgency. 10 make
,s. loan would be as inexpedent as II is improcti'
c,5,s When Won cannot pay creditor you must
,osse terms with him. iou can make no terms with
COM foreign creditors your domestic private ones,
,o ia speak lleir wishes II terms are therefore TO
- .ced let il be 10 the banks They are the crea-
,,.'s Gf The Legislature, have been much favored by
H. are duty interested in preserving the credit OF the
s,s,e. aad IN all enl ehteusd countries, are used IN
s.cn emergencies as the present.
~ efooose ,.en that all the banks in the Common
wealth drlce tins deb; among them in proportion 10
,bs, capital The State issue lis bonds, payable IN
oue two and three years, with per cent interest 10
p!ad.e the dividends Tor the redemption OF The money,
and that bc insufficient, lis bank stock and ITS faith
md honor TIE banks should not hesitate about this,
as they Will Get per cent for their money, whereby
ibsr tlyd.n Gs would not be impaired their line OF
discounts would be shortened, but If any was injured
thereby II would he the State at large-a buTtben un-
ogscnably smaller than the only alternative, increased
taxation.
Il s,y that al OF the banks should divide this debt
ecr.lY among them, because at present it is very IN
equally div,ded-.ome banks having none Of the debt
and others an undue portion.
This IS temporary e5pedent for answering the
immediate demands Of the Treasury Now for per
naaen; system 10 pay of this deficit the interest OF
our State debt, and at last the principal.
Before touching this branch Of the question, take
leave 10 call your particular attention TO the import.
Of thorough investigation and sitting OF the
lu.ns Of the Commissioners of The Rerenue. canno,
help believing this branch of The public service
badly executed No tax can be productive where this
duty is carelessly discharged
Il am told, that many persons value their plate d:
bullion, aud ALLOW nothing for the workmanship.
take It for granted That s tax will be continued; arc
Lecllra;ory &C; should be passed. LAYING one per cent
the value Of the plate including material ard work
manshp. would urge on you 10 include all plate ant
pifed ware. II IS unw Use and dangerous principle o
legislation 10 exempt all plate under 100 dollars, aro
cuts Of tie most productive part Of the tax. | have
n hesitation ia believing that tax Of enc per cent or
oil flate and plated used in kitchen and house
- n IL,
aad pianos would produce from IL 10 $50 900 more
maSrs IN all from 10 to 10000 dollars.
commissioners of the Revenue should swear every
NON IN the Holy Evanges.s touching the quantity
and value oil lis taxable property. failure to do thu
IS productive Of ncalcuable loss to the Commonwealth
neither IN any cases there is collision between tn,
shc5H ind commissioner, ] have means of ascer
,1nng FIT be practicable, it doubtless exists in
Instances These subjects we'll worthy of search
Ing examination; and hope you will spare no labor II
,hei7 ev:scerailon. The taxes of the people, Co
Knows, are onerous enough, and surely nothing ough
10 be lost ~ the frauds ineiciency of their officers
= ! ahe 1t the opinion of ell, that more revenu
must oone in,o the Treasury; and thus can only b.
r aHced by increased TAXATION the question IA, uPo
whom or upon hat must II fal' But first, as TO tn
AGoun, OF increase. II | ain correct in assuming tn
present. sufficient 10 pay the civil list, com
mani5us aRn'S and the interest OF the State debt,
follows ,h:. 1t must be increased TO the amount neces
60"
t2o, winch would make yearly average of Sll66G
:o' the three years. After the expiration of the three
Tears, you would have surplus from the same take
ot SllO Oo6, which could be appropriated as sinkin
fund TO pay the principal Of the debt
''But how is this SllG,G66 10 be raised: AS hav
before said, one per cent. all plated ware and plat
row un,axcd, would, with the present tax on watches
cocks end pianos, bring into The Treasury ,O0i
which would he nett increase Of $4,000; but call
S:0,1o0 lend my life it, il is not overrated0 an
have $4,000 TO be raised from other sources
revenue tax in this country is ont of the question
No man knows what his revenue is. We are in I'll
man an agricultural people, own the soil, have OF
incomes and expenditures blended in such manner
10 defy separation, have rent rolls, and but lie
certificates OF funded debt A per centum tax on III
value of each individuals property, real personal an
inxcd though less Objectionable, should not be resorte
10 hut IN The last extremity. II would be nquisori
ard unequal. Yet even this expedent should be er
Traced rather than the honor of the State should be
The slightest degree furnished. But think that there
10 present occasion for so extreme measure. wou
SIMPLY add such per cent on the present taxable pr
P'r'r as would in all probability, yield $4,000; an
"e'e cannot enter into particulars for want of tn
statistics showing the relative amount and productive
ss OF the different species of property in the Sta
have, however doubt hut that much of this go 0C
collars could be saved BY udcious system Of reform
through the different branches of the public service.
he long sessions Of the Legislature are an ntolerab
grievance, aud much money could be judiciously save
BY shortening them.
II must postpone any further consideration of the,
subjects until you will have the goodness to send n,
documents, Tor which shall be much indebted to yot
showing The value, and produc,veness and present la
N The great sources Of public revenue-lands nerroe
horses, carr ages, &c. If by what have said, sha
,Sceoed in causing your mind 10 bear Oh this subec
S"aN be more than compensated for the hasiy labor
y n'e" hive filed up snowy morning in the countr,
earnestly hope that this question, which SO neari
concerns ,he honor of the State, will not be touched
Tue unsallowed hand of party. | hope it will dra
and The practical business sense of the Legislature"
SOUTH NAR'LiSA-The Legislature of this State
on Tuesday last, after having n,ssed Resolutions re-
commencing that the fine imposed by Judge Hall upo
General Jackson be refunded hin, BY the Congres
q. the L. S. with full legal interest. -. ~. .Le