Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-03-31

and one Of the noble band Of Petersburg Volunteers
They have also removed the Storekeeper Of the Pen
tentary-a gentleman who has been in and out Of the
office, from time 10 tme-who has little antiquity and
short tenure, to plead for his connuance-and IS hose
contest with Mr. Watson. like The wars of the two
Roses, it time to terminate The contests Of
the two WIS is now over-yet we shall still
hear the slang Of iption-Hear ip-Aye-wc are
threatened with retaliation in the person of the Col
lector OF this City-as honest man breath
ed the breath of li(e-James Bosher-who is to
be turncd adrft, for no fault, in vndictve spirit
alone md who is TO be made innocent martyr for
the acts of others. Perish the thou hi Away with
this system Of vindctve prescription, which has hther
to rarely tainted the political atmosphere of Virginia
away with Prescription altogether 1t was introduced
by the Wings themselves years since, in two re.
markable cases during SESSION. If once begun in
wrath and prosecuted TO blood, as the Wings are now
threatening 10 bring into our City Police who shall stay
the retaliation and bring back the dove of peace to the
ark
With these general views, we submit the traEsac-
tons of The last Legislature to the impartial judgment
Of the people. For one, say, if they doomed 10
punishment we are willing to share it with them They
are entitled our thanks and not TO public They
had great difficulties to contend wh-and, first Of all
their own great srength-their own orty Of 40-but
though tempted by prosperity, they have not abused it,
No party ever exercised their power moderately
sury-suppored the honor Of the Stae-arresed those
empirical schemes Of pretended relief, which would
only have augmented the dsresses OF the people, They
have upheld, by their manly resolutions, the ancient
States Rights principles Of Virginia. They have or
gained the Congressional Districts upon liberal prln-
cples-for, in spite of the gerrymandernS murmirs OF
the Wings they would carry six Or seven districts &C
cording their own standard of the election of 1870
and now they actually Boosting of carrying other
districts, in the very face of their own complaints.
In the hands of the people, therefore, We leave their
representatives. We ask for them only justice.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
THE TAX BILL.
This BILL after being resisted from its inception to
its final passage, by the Wing party is the law of
the land. What was the necessity for it, deficient
revenue-an exhausted Treasury, and PROSTATE State
credit-a revenue, yielding less than the necessary
expenditures of Government, and the interest on the
public deb-a State credit, low that the bonds of
the State in November last could not be sold at
discount of "A per cent-a floating and temporary
debt, created for the payment of interest," increas
ing from year 10 year, until it had reached the sum
Of S35O,000. The deficiency Of the Treasury, in
ls43 to meet the demands upon it was 1921 ,OO0 The
alternative presented, Was increased Taration or Re
pudlatton The Democratic party IN the Legislature
did not hesitate in the which they should Pur
but boldly determined 10 discharge their duty, to
sustain the credit of this renowned Commonwealth,
and to look TO the people 10 sustain them Hitherto, the
land and the labor Of the State had almost exclusively
borne the burthen of taxation. Was this IN itself
right And was If just, at period Of general distress,
the failure of crops, and nexamped reduction IN
the price of agricultural products, to bur,hen farther
and exclusively this one interest The Democratic
party determined otherwise and they took issue this
point with their opponents, who suggested an IN.
of the laId tax from fifty sixty SIX per cent
See the speech Of Mr. Cruchfeld on the motion to
fill the blank in the bill with sixteen cents, and MIR
Daniel OF Richmond on lis final passage
In q
S20-leved alike him who sold $4,000 worth OF
goods, and on him who sold $50 or lO0OOO-allke on
him who struggled with poverty at cross road sbanty
who paid much towards the Treasury as he who
from larger business and capital reveed in the luXures
Of palace. The tax the small dealer is not IN
creased by the law just passed II remains al S2O
1t not reduced because in Eastern Virginia it was
consdered in part, as police regulation The sales
being taken as the criterion OF the ability TO pay, the
tax is raised sales above $4,000 onetenth OF
per cent, until ii reaches maximum OF Sluo on
the large dealer.
The tax on enctioneers, which was hitherto $40 on
all alike without discrimination is now raised al the
rate OF fifth of one per cent on snles above S2o
600; until they reach Ilmum OF sales OF S2OO0OU
when the tax is $500. This maximum tax, is little less
than oneeghh of the tax paid by firm alone 10 the
City of Richmond during the last year
1t was considered, that individual who had vest.
ed his capital in money stocks, was as much bound
contribute the support of the Government which
was accordingly imposed upon it, and taking the inte
rest received the best evidence of the value of the
capital loaned out at interest or vested IN Stocks
tax Of q per cent imposed on the interest from
loans dividends of stock, which, putting money at
six per cent amounted only 10 Is cents the hundred
dollars of vaue-exacy the tax s 0d assessed value
OF land The Senate objected to the tax icing levied
on those who had their capital vested in State bonds
The House Of Delegates deemed the exception in favor
of any class unjust and odious and Offering bounty
10 creditors collect their debts with view Of vest
ing their bonds in a privileged Investment. They
that when the Government agreed TO pay
the public creditor fixed interest for the use Of his
money, exemption from bearing rateaby his pro-
portion of the burden Of taxation, could not be under
stood to be part of the contract.
II was also considered just, that those who were in
the receipt of monied incomes, from salaries or wages
should also bear portion OF the burthens oil the Co.
vernment For, was it just, that individual Tho en-
joyed salary of two thousand dollars, should
pay nothing more than the day laborer' This was evil
IDENTIFY violation Of the great principle adopted, and
10 be maintained that each citizen should
contribute to the support of that Government which
protected his person and property, in proportion TO his
ability. To have exempted this class entirely, would
have been clear violation of this fair principle of
taxation. tax has also been imposed on professional
men, upon the same principle OF ability.
1t is not pretended that this bill has carried out
these principles in full But it is believed, that il
has approximaed nearer than the existing tux system
OF the State Its authors, ,oo futer themselves, that
considering the violence of the Wing opposition to this
measure, the novelty of the subject und the cautious
steps by which the public mind approaches the sim
pest truths that ore presented TO it for the first time
that much has been effected They leave it to future
Legislatures to perfect the work, as experience shall
point out its defects and their remedies.
The Wing party commenced the session upon the
avowed opinion that the land and The labor alone
bear the burthen. Driven from this ground, beaten
upon every vote; they now ay 10 the other extreme
and stgmatize the bill odious because it has not at
tanned equal and exact justice. We point 10 the public
journals of their purity, TO the resolutions of their public
meetings. to the speeches of their representatives in
the Legislature, many evidences Of the vindicve
fury with which the friends of the bill have been
assailed If the Democratic party in the Legislature,
have preserved the credit of the Stae-if they have
rendered the taxes equal and just they have not
labored in vain And it is honestly believed, that they
have effected this object.
The public scarcely credit the fact, that in The
impoent madness of their partizan feelings, the Wing
meetings, the Wing orators, and the wing presses have
assailed this bill and its friends, for those principles
which have existed for years in practice without com
plant Such, for instance, the lot tax, continued IN
the bill has existed for fifty years They have the
oct IL hat nj tn