Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-14


sly ie't universally Of revising the extensive field
Of State taSa'ion, and providing means TO main
tain the homo: aud faith of the State With all
these grave SUBJECT, in addition to ordinary du.
ties, sno"ia not The wonder be, not that they con.
sumed so much time, but that they were enabled
TO do so much without exceedinp the limit Of nre
vious precedent ny more than few days, Had thew
emnel.d 'heir wing predecessors, in wasting weeks
in the discussion Of Federal politics. or followed these
specai advocates OF short sessions in unavailne eff.
oFHs 10 'he oihcers of Government, they might
not perhaps nave deserved, as considering their a6ors
and faithful stewards
roundiess as IS the charge already refu,cd another
surprising IN both faacy and dsingennousness has
been yet more Inoe;santy and extra yacanly urned
We aude 10 the factions opposition to The rax hill
In ,imes of general expansion Virginia had contracted
state Lieut. OF SIX or seven millions, which had been
Tor the most part and 10 some extent unwsely and
WITHOUT p,oh expended in works Of internal improve
ment Inc creation Of this debt, certainly not be
asGrioeo win justice to the action of the Democ
party during the period of its greatest
ln:reasf, IS believed they fortunate 10
possess a majority in the House of Delegates, where
aiohe' os authorizing loans could be originated. II
IS due 10 candor, however 10 saw that the origin of
this debt is attributable TO sectional rather Than marty
votes, ana That while Wing and Democratic members
may nave united IN exlravagan appropriations, under
'staAen impressions in good cause, neither party,
sficuy asa party, can be held obnoxious TO the charge
VI created our Siute llablhtieS. En-
curry aooul me origin OF the debt howe yer, booess
II has been raised constiiu,ionally and honestly and
The 10 provide for the payment Of It's interest
was Clearly incumbent on all, who valued their own
Character or The reputation Of their Sa:e For several
years past Inc interest this debt together with the
n1uai charges OF the State Government had annually
exceeded The ordinary resources Of the State from
EXISTING taxation The temporary expcdent Of loans,
to meet the deficiency, had been resorted to by the
legislatures OF the two preceding years, who seemed
alike AFRAID TO probe the extent Of the evil, manfuly
apply The only efficient remedy The Lieut. Governors
Tor the last two years. had earnestly invoked the alien
Il on o: the Legislature the growing evil and urged
the increase OF taxation Committees and members had
from une 10 TINE perceived aud urged the ndis-
penSnole resort, Instead however the unwse policy of
borrowing money, which Itself 10 bear interest,
discharge interest accrued had been chung to; and 20
the mischief OF yearly swelling debt added the
d'sTaceiul spectacle Of the sovereign State knocking
as needy borrower at the vaults of the Banks and
held IN shameful yassalage TO lis dependant corpo
raiions. From the mannpss and justice of an az.
know'edged Democratic Leg stature, n wiser and
hrmer course was both expected and demanded and,
10 have shrunk they must have been false 10 their
lame, and to their Just confidence the intelligence and
integrity of the people The obligation, therefore, TO
meet the honest debts, and redeem the pghted faith Of
the State, by increased taxation, then nt
Snmed and admitted by Democratic Representa-
tives and, under the papab!e necessity aud justice Of
the measure, scarce Wing could be found hardy
enough TO gainsay the proposed increase. When how
ever, the necessary measures after being carefully Ella
borated in Committee, had been maured for the action
of the House, those very Wings, who knew too well
the character md honor of Vgnions dare the dis.
grace Of reputation, breach of the Saies solemn
engagements, were found, Almost without ceptons
struggling TO escape the imagined odium of increased
bardeas, by captocs objections TO details and claor
Gus ouc'es against alledged imperleclions and ne-
qualities
That some trivial impcriecions may have crept into
an extensive system, embracing many novel grounds
nj action, might have been perhaps expected as Incl
dent 10 human, and therefore rot nallbe, jud rment
but that, in Fundamental principles in broad outlines
and p'ac!!ca! operation, the Tax bill comrnends se!
TO the candid judgment and deliberate approval Of all
we do not Doubt, and in p-cof, invite your attentive
consideration 10 lis leading features and the objections
made 10 1t.
the principles Of the Tax BILL was, whether the great
agricultural interests, which had hitherto almost excu
s,vey borne the burdens of taxaton sho ud alone
tain the accumulation demanded by the necessities oil
the State, whether it should be measuraby I'M
posed on other sources Of wealth and capital, which
equally enjoyed the protection and blessings of State
Government.
Ike latter course commanded the appreciation Of the
majority OF The Legislature, aud accordingly de-
termned TO add TO the existing subjects OF taxation
the interest capital loaned GU, or invested in stocks
incomes The salaries Of officers and the wages of per
sons employed IN permanent occupations when those
salaries and wages exceeded SUN, which was fixed
500
to The BILL that ground On the contrary, the
Of the Legislature Is, IN other respects sanctioned by
the principles Of the srIccs justice. The agricultural
interests Lave hitherto borne the undivided weight Of
the burhens Of the Government and any principle
"a rness require that the whole additional hnrlhens
necessary 10 be imposed, should be imposed upon
those interests, and that too, al time when the prices
Of all productions OF the soil depressed almost be
yond example Can any just reason be given, why
ila capitalist, who has his hole property invested in
money stocks, aud the man, vino is IN The annual
recei,t Of large salary wages, should not bear
their proportion to the general buFthcns equally with
the farmer and asricuuralis Equally the objects Of
the protection and fostering care oil Government,
equally enjoying its blessings, they should equally
contribute It's support proportion to their several
ability
AS we'll might the capitals; and salaricd officers
clam an immunity from the payment OF their just debts,
because the execution Of the creditor cannot operate
directly upon their money, as TO claim an exemption
from their just proportion of the taxes of Government,
because the hand oil the taxgathcrer cannot directly
reach their property.
These features IN the Tax Bill have met with the
most violent opposition from the Wing party. The
mass of the party found in favor of raising the
whole additional revenue required out OF the already
burthened agricultural interest.
Fooled in this, they resisted The bill at every stage of
it, progress through the Legislature, TO its final plssage
with the most incorporate zeal ard voted against II as
party on passage. No ephet Of abuse denunca-
ton was spared against its a,tors and Supporters, rs
well as against the measure itself. Although they
sought themselves to throw the whole burhen OF taxa
ton on the landed interest, they now dcnounee the
bill as unjust and oppressive in lis character, as unfair
and unequal in the distribution of The bur,hens which 1t
The Democratic party, for supporting It, are
charged with desire to Cypress the cities and towns
at the expense of the country-pubc meetings have
been ro.ten up in several of the towns for the pur
nose Of dsnouacing it, and the duty OF resistance
IL proclaimed to measure confessed By themselves to
be necessary for the support of The State credit; ana
his too BIZ the party who have hitherto boosted them
sely.s 10 be the peculiar friends of "Law, order and
lhe Constilrtion!' How uniounded these various
CHARGES let the details OF the bill disclose
Let us examine the charge that 1t is oppressive and
grossly buhensone in It's provisions II has hIed the
cents only d higher than it vas under the for
mer law The tax slaves over II years old at 40
cents. cents higher than it was formerly the
Inv an horses al IA cents, being of cent
and halt per head the tax OF last year. Is this
increase unreasonable: We respectfully appeal 10 all
If how much Oppressive