Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-04-25

none could be made Tbrouglcu; the clause of the
Constitution under consideration, il appears that
the trainers of designed that there should in all the
cases OF housekeepers and heads of families who pay
tax, be an assessment actually made OF the tax. While
III regard 10 lands such reGulston is made--ihe
language there being $50 assessed 10 be- i am asscss-
mont Mtrect be required by tJtn In the Of the
housekeeper and head ofa family the language is i'm.
perative, "and shall have been assessed with par, Of
the revenue"-the asscsSmfnt then is ESSENTIAL and
cannot be dispensed with. Is the voluntary payment
for license 10 sell goods, and merchandise
such assessment satisfies this requirement The
Constitution; II il be, then whether he cens. vas
obtained really and bonn fde TO enable tie party 20
pursue the business OF merchant, might often
be The case, 10 acquire The righ OF voting, 1t
S'SSncm within the meaning OF the Gonsttution-1ne
hgh p'trtcec of suffrage, might thus be acquired by
party who never had property to assess, and never
pursued duStatSS on which 1ny Tax is levied. Un-
der the law, as IT has stocd al time since the
adoption Of the Constitution, the payment Of ten or
fifteen dollars, would, by such construction, pur.
chase the vote-A const caeIceiso mani!estv alarm.
ing and Injurious should not be conceded uness The
plain meaning of the Constitution demands the con-
cesson.
But it has been insisted that the law assesses the
tax Possibly that might be the case where the ,ax
is certainly to be paid. But how car This be MAINTAIN
cd in a where no such certainty fJiss-w the
tax is only TO be paid upon conneency-and the
happening Of that contingency dependant on The uiH
| OF the tG1 p0yer'
I
to be paid let any contingency happen, if the person
taxed is able TO pay.
To constitute the assessment. there must be some
thing certain, both es 10 amount and the person who is
10 pay Now, in the license tar all is uncertain The
law cannot then, constitute the asscssment And il
has never, from The earliest period Of the State been
so considered One example viii suffice 10 show this
By the 9th section of the general election law passed
April 3D. 1851, (see supplement to the Revised Code,
page 1917 il is provided, among other things "or if
any person shall claim exercise the right of sur-
irase, IN consequence Of having paid part Of the
revenue Of the Commonwealth, with which he may
have procured himself 10 be falsely assessed, each
mud every person. &c-and he section proceeds
to declare the punishment of such an offence It.,
then. the law is the GsseSsmta that, :he moment
the tax bill passed, there is pejec assessment, how
are you to punish one for making false assessment,
which assessment is already created and perfected By
law: Does This not show, that 10 constitute an assess
uent something more is necessary than simply the
enactment of tax bill The procurement of an as
sessmsnt. trre false, could only be, BY having
cord in the commissioner book made OF The character
of the property taxed, and the amount of the tax
And SO socitous has the Legislature been, insure
the faithful performance of this duty that they have
provided punishment fer the commissioner, should