Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-07
POLITICAL.
From The ciar'o.tesriGc Je.r: rsoniaa I
THE 'rAy NH

/
The General Assembly on Monday ast-(and VIII he
found IN our Columns to-day)-a proud day for Vir-
gina Hh..st some Of the most important States in
tue unon nave been refusing 10 pay their just debts,
ana aa !" 'a'se the taxes for the purpose spreading
private immortality, like conta gion amongst all in
divduas within the sphere of their influence and pro
ducng that train of deploTable Consequences, which
follows upon lhe heels OF public d;Shonor, Old pgin.
has proudly declared that not breath Of suspicion shall
dim her bright name Delegates fresh from the PEG.
pie, and who best know their wishes have proved by
this memorable act, that her sons still worthy OF
the respect o The world. Her poverty may be sub
ect OF ucuie and reproach, but her integrity and her
| PATRIOTISM, YET command universal admiration.
Inc OH embraces several new SUBJECTS but they have
been introduced INTO other States, with advantage and
without hardship or injury To any They have been
qulesced IN, in lnose States without murmung Bat we
regret that here, bil though it has been made
lar III It's operations could have been framed TO be-
has become subject OF iactous opposition to say tic
least, patty q. e5on II would have been presumed,
that when the honor Of The State affected The dis
cordant croakngs Of that spirit would have been drown
ed IN The accama,ion ''ie raise the taxes and pay
lie money But the Wings have cried out against
H. and Will, II possible make the of defeating
The Democrats. In the Legislature it was delayed and
clogsed by amendments, which they knew could not
pass ana It's advocates were assailed with as much
vruence as they were striving to destroy, and not
support, the languIshng credit Of the State. In the
press misrepresentation, unnentional il may be,
sent like showers OF poisoned TO tester where
they Strickland they have struck many in pub
lac town meetings, it has been denounced IN terms
whose very Inconsistency proves not the less The
bind passions that suggested them, than m utter gno
rance of the matter; in the country some of the
most esmabe OF the Wing party, men worthy of all
respect are now engaged III spreading discon'ent, and
exciting Tie angry passions OF the people against the
men who have rescued their names from shame and
obloquy Even med resistance has heen threatened
IN n htnh aud hood kank thran IA
new thing 10 our ears: We remember when the Wings
OF Pennsyvana entto Washington for "Buckshot aud
Ball 10 drive the Democrats from their seats IN the
| i.egslatnre and wheu IN different sections OF this
Union II was openly threatened IN log cabins that
armed resistance would follow the election OF Van 5u.
Zen. They have terrors for US, hut excite surprise
and regret. We do No; know Mr.. Peasants; but ne IS
said to lie man oil generous impulses. Is he willing
To deluge tins land blood, hen its constituted au-
horitles have pas sed law which itself may sanction
If he be, his character is sadly misunderstood.
We have passed law TO pay the debts OF The State,
and yet tho Wings charge the Democrats OF the LIE
gslature with reputation. They refuse 10 vote one
cent OF tax, when millions due, and charge us with
reputation Strange Inconsistency They threaten
TO destroy the law by force OF arms, and yet we are
| called diSOrsani=trs
We SHALL concisely rs may be, explain some Of
the features oil this oil that have been most objected
to- and attempt 10 show that where they do not harmo-
nze with the general prnc pies of the BILL the disa'
geement IS IN favor Of the subjects of taxation
which axe so loudly censured. We shall take The OBJ
ectlons IN the order of prominence, rather than OF de-
tail, as lad down in the law
The first Of these, here, is the ox on incomes.
The provisions Of the law are, that all receiving
an income or salary If than four hundred dollars,
from the State from any incorporated company, or
from c0parnershIp, any individual or individuals,
shall pay tax Of per ceI tic cIceSS ahorc four
hundred dollars. Is this understood The Advocate
of last week out with editorial, for which we
refer readers 10 the strong communication oil u
"Ia1 Page" iii this days paper.
Is SHE case there .fairiy sta,ed'' BY the law II
appears, that the pays tax o! only one dol
lar whist Colonel Randolph pays tax Of 81 dollars
aud 30 cents on his land But the Advocate, who, We
are sure, wrote this editorial under double mistake,
takes the canl OF Colonel Randolph, and the iatcFest
n the overseer is capital, II is true, does not con.
money land, but III the value OF his services
Ills capacity render the services is worth, say Sb3O
per annum. Then it is clearly worth as much as ten
thousand five hundred dollars pn, out al interest al SIX
ue- cenlrn. Suppose farmer ID have land to the
same amount The profits amount 81 per cent per
annu the basis of The LAID tax and ct AL calculations
npon agricultural profits thus gives him an income OF
S35 or ouehalE Now. what taxes do lhey specuVeIy
paw; The farmer pays SD - upon S3lo; the over
seer pays upon twice tina; sum only - 3O And by a
simple calculation, appears that the farmer, on the
same amount of capital pays nearly seven times as
much tax as the oyerseer.
| Surely il cannot be commended by cons dera.e man
that bears unustly upon receiver Vi
come in favor Of the landholder II is sad that you
tax The labor of hands; reply that 1t Is also
done IN the of the farmer for, unless he WORK mss
land he cannot pay the tax If 1t SAID the overseer
canno, bequeah The value Of his services to his chill
dreu. as the landhoder may his land, we answer, the
does heIueath the tax 10 them either but the
andholdendocs. Ii II is said the oversee' may become
old or disabled; reply when he does not make the
A,onev he pays tax. Ii it shall he objected TO Mr.
RandoIphs scheme, that he proposed 10 lay tax of
per cent instead OF one, reply, that still The farmer
would have pau more tlah lhree uhies az "iuI" "N
| "a the overseer -
This Is plain and, we think, fair statement OF the
I,w The example we have chosen will illustrate The
principle Of the tax, and may be applied TO any case
l. simply this that the income or salary, WINCH IS
faxed is an amount equal to The interest OF gwen
can(al that when the income ceases, the lax cea-
coo and that it is at all times much less than Inc
o1vs on his land II this be correct, let US near
m more Of the rich taxing the poor; it It be wrong let
The fallacy be exposed by argument we respectfully
invite discussion. ;.
AZ 10 Colonel Randolphs "rohing IN ,reahh on has
sinm estate" we lei that pass for what 1t IS worth
II is well known here, that, so lar from roIi'he ~
snh. he las been all his life endeavor'ng 10 pay me
debts of others duty which the hottest motives nave
imposed upon HIM s,,.o
hands Upon the interest oil that species oil property
NV ortwo and half per cent ls levied. And tiefe-
fore the Wings incontinentiy charge the democrats
with reputation. Is the accusation Just "nen 'ne
egisature met, Stale bonds were selling tor S2l be
low par or discount Of "a per cent nearly onethIfd
thew now readily command par This shows rsse m
,Ina of frtntg-four per cent. The owners OF Inc
stock then should be the last persons to complain, Tor
iIsir bonds are now worth one fourth mere than they
cas-, them The loss has fallen on the unfortunate
holders who sold out before The Legislature met 40"
il is as much reputation 10 refuse to provide mean; 70
NV debt as TO decline to pay il directly Inc wings,
gben in power year ago, omitted to provide means,
and loss somebody has been the consequence ie'
We do no, think Of charging them with rePudiaton.-
There is no such thing in the Reputation pro-
duces loss but The present holder GAINS l'e9ny
"dre of the TAX then be suffers no oss nor does any
body But suppose it had taken something from ms
Docke he should no. complain that he must contr-
hn,e 10 support his mother Taxes are laid on all s-
GINA children. Among these are included those no
Eeceivc an interest on money loaned, and money m
yasled in sucks Why refuse 10 extend the principle
to class holding State stock They have ,6 od''a
guarantee for the pnnctual paymen. Of pfncpal ana ~
rest than any, and of course, are better able to pay
What would be thou GIT Of Legislature evyng axss
n,on one portion of The community for the support OF
rro,her better able to pay, but paying nothing The