Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-12-15

" tndt Can DC zone only Dy giving 10 TIE
world practical evidence tina. the Legisla.
turo will do oil it can to place the State
|, 10 the condition Of one determinedto be
honest, have 10 recommend to your con-
sideration, the policy and propriety of in-
creaslng the taxes, so as TO cause the supply
Of funds TO the Treasury TO be certain and
equal TO the demands upon it. Tbs will
only require a very small increase upon
The presen, taxes. The receipts into the
Treasury from taxes are now six hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, independent of
dividends upon stocks.
The regular demands upon the Tres.
sury for all purposes, during the present
, fiscal year, will not be more than about
nine hundred Ind six thousand dollars,
exclusive Of tie sum ofthree hundred and
sixty thousand dollars, loan which was
made IN der the authority Of law Of the
last Legislature, to meet tie demands up
upoa the Treasury. would suggest the
,roprety of creating loan, for few
. years, for the sum Of four hundred thou.
sand dollars, which will be sufficient to
supply the Present deficiency in the reve-
nue.. The revenue of the State has hiih-
eTto consisted Of taxes, licenses, militia
lines, &C., and dividends upon bank and
other stocks owned by the State. The
dividends upon stock are too uncertain
TO be relied upon as permanent source
, of revenue; by relying upon 1t the tempo
rary debt Of the States has been Great
cd ,Nf 4 ka hat ba
! banks were IN a suspended condition they
were TO certain extent, tax upon the
, Treasury. The revenue of the State is
receivable in the notes OF the banks, and
the interest on the debts Of the State is
, payable at lis Treasury in specie or its e.
quvalent. The difference between the
value of bank notes and specie had to be
borne by the people.
In order TO pay off the debts oil the
State, would recommend that the divi-
bends, to De received from all stocks be
first appropriated to the payment of the
four hundred thousand dollars, which may
be borrowed TO supply the present DE- fcI-
ency in the revenue, and then.set apart as
sinking fund, by which, without any
greatly increased burden upon the PEG.
pie, the debt of TIE State, as it falls due,
can be paid off. deem it matter Of
paramount Importance for the State TO
show her determination to fulfill all her
engogements-by doing so, she will re-
gain credit and confidence, which will at
once inure to the benefit Of the people,
i. Whilst suspicion rests on the credit OF
the State, the credit of the individual Cit
iZens must suffer. AS soon as it is seen.
that the people are willing to be taxed TO
pay the debts Of the State-debts TO the
creation of which many were opposed
their standing aud character as q nation
will be Established. On the contrary, if
ench individual had met all his obligations
If there had been no failure on the part
of ony citizent to NEE, his obligations for
The last ten years, and the Legislaturewere
to pass law repudiains the State debt,
and expurgiag all private debts, and re-
peaing all the existing laws for the col
lection OF debts, no person would trust
Virginia or her people. Wholesome
laws, such as we now have, for the en-.
iorcement Of the payment OF just debts
are the wsest and best relief laws that
could be enacted.
have no doubt TINT our people will,
If let alone by the Legislature, in very
short time, pay their debts; and when
they do, proii,ng by the past, they will
90 in debt 10 more. By industry and
economy they will be able to supply their
reasonable wants and instead Of the ris-
ing generation being taught lessons ofex'
travagance and ideness, :hey will have
impressed upon their young minds, the
sa'utary warnings Of their parents, hey
eF to 20 in debt beyond their means, TN
der the i,llacous hope that the times
will be better than they are.
Entertaining, os do, the opinion 'fhnt
a welIrC gulaitd militia, composed Of the
body OF the people, trained to arms, is The
proper, natural and safe defence ola free
State" most respectfully invite your g.
tentIon to the existing militia laws G., the
State. By the laws, as they new are, it
seems to me that it canno, be hoped even
that the militia can ever 90 well trained.
| would recommend ,.,e abortion of some
ey'Se"', Wy "u'ch the otncerS viii De pet
ter trained, '.nd the soldiers more fire.
quent'y required to muster. The present
system IS radically defective, and in no
part OF it more so than in relation to fines.
.he poorer part Of the people are mostly
burdened by the present assessment oil
} fines; the poor man is unable to pay the
5 fines, small as they are, and herce he is
, compelled to attend muster-the rich
man, and the man Of business, who could,
S without much inconvenience, 90 to mus
J ter, seldom ever musters. This begets
0 dissatisfaction with the system upon the
e part of the poor, and keeps down every
: thing like proper military spirit. |
!. would suggest the policy and propuety oil
n increasing the fines for failure to mus.
ter, to such a sum as would compel the at.
S tendance of all. The poor could not
a complain Of such law, because they are
= now forced TO muster: and the rich ought
t not to complain at being forced to render
v their fair proportion Of duty to the State.
I / am pleased TO inform you that the
/. Banks, without waiting for the time fixed
3. by the last Legislature, for the resump-
"a tipn oG Qnace paympntS enmmaucad nm "