The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-07-27

Nas ""so Ueon lul0rmeQ) IN several of the cOun
iies. TOR the sote purpose of advertising the land
ilaDle 20 De sold for taxes. From these presse
weekly sheet or hand bill has been issued O
very limited circulation, containing fIeonentlv
separate description Of every half quarter section
OF land, thereby depriving the land owner of all
the benefits OF an advertisement of his lands, ans
at the same time subjecting him to an enormous
expense, often thousand per cent. on the amour
OF taxes due the State. The lands advertised If
these hand bills have been generally bid off either
IN the name of the State by the tax collector. O,
IN the name Of some plant tool, for the benefit o.
The parties to the fraud; the people have in this
manner been made to pay unjustly large sums OIL
money In addition to their tax, the State has been
Plundered of her revenues and made to become
the purchaser of large bodies of lands with very
doubtful title thereto | entertain serious doubts
whether purchasers Of land at sales made under
the present revenue laws, acquire any title to the
lands purchased under such sales, even if the
lands are regularly advertised IN a public news.
paper which has general circulation as public
Journal | am well satisfied that the purchaser
does not acquire title to the lands sold for taxes
under the revenue law where the land is not ad.
Vertlsed tor sale IN newspaper, but IN lieu there
of is advertised in of these little fraudulent
sheets, gotten up for that purpose only, and which
has neither subscribers nor circulation. An ad.
vertisement of lands for sale In such sheet is not
a compliance with the law of the State on that
subject, but is in my opinion fraud both on the
revenue law of the Stale, as well as on the tax
payers. am informed that combinations have
taken place ia two or three counties OF the State
between the tax collectors and the proprietors of
some of the short lived sheets (which spring up at
the season of the year when lands are subject to
be advertised for sale for taxes, and become ex>
tnct when that public service passes over.) In
such combinations It is understood that such tax
collector and such proprietors copastners, and
have aJoRt interest in the advertisement or in the
money received therefor. l am happy for the
honor Of the tax collectors to be able to say how
ever, that these combinations are of rare occur
rence. One fragrant instance 1 will mention,
which was brought to my consideration by the
Auditor Of Public Accounts. This is the collec-
tor Of Rankin county, who is supposed to be COM
bined with, or in copartnership with the proprietor
Of one of these short lived fraudulently gotten up
sheets or hand bills for the purpose only Of adj
vertsing lands for sale. This collector collected
the Stale tax due from the Citizens OF Rankin
county, and instead of settling has account with
the Auditor Of Public Accounts, as required by
law, and paying the amount of taxes collected into
the State Treasury. in violation oil the law OF the
State and the express instruction OF the Auditor,
he embezzIed as l am informed, the greater por-
the same to the proprietor of this fraudulent sheet
on pretended liability for advertising lands for
sale for State taxes. The State has as yet been
less the sufferer on account of such ourages than
the tax payers, as the Auditor Of Public Accounts
has with my appreciation refused to counenance
such palpable and outrageous frauds as esteem
them to be. 1t is probable however, that these
harpies may attempt to reach the treasury through
the medium of the Legislature. The connection
of the State in the collection of the revenue with
the press, ia any opinion ia attended with many
other inconvenaences than those above enumera-
ted For instance it causes the State to be
great land proprietor by doubtful title IN amount
greatly beyond what it would if such connection
did not exist. The fact of the State being such
land proprietor, and the fact that such lands are
subject TO redemption, will augment the duties oil
the Auditor of Public Accounts, (now too bur-
tbensome for any one man to perform) perhaps
fen fold. and would make it indispensably Leces-
sarv for the performance Of the duties Of that Of
fee to create additional officers in the Authors
department at heavy expense Tor such aooitlon-
al officers without any equivalent to the State Tor
snch additional expense. Under all these CIR
cumstances, suggest for your consideration
whether the Legislature is not under ine most
imperative obligation TO dissolve all possible con-
nection in the collection ofth revenue, between
the state and public press. do therefore rec
ommend a repeal Of so much OF the revenue law
as REQUIRES lands sold for the payment OF the tax
es due thereon to be advertised in newspaper:
know of no inconvenience or loss which would
accrue either to the state or to the tax payer Dy
ench repeal: when on the other hand am lully
satisfied that an immense saving VIII Dc maue 70
ho,h. Should il be deemed necessary 70 aover-
tise lands for sale for the payment OF the tax que
thereon, suggest whether an advertisements pos.
ted on the door of the court house Of Inc county
two or three other public places IN the county
would not have as much utility, De as snect.se
and as beneficial to the parties concetneu % 1n0
;nsartion Of such ads ertisement IN puDnc news
naner. and much more so than by PuDlicat'Cn ~
q sheet issued for that purpose alone anu Tn'sn
has neither circulation nor subscribers 1-''
inclined Ito the opinion and respectfully Io1o'"-
mend the same TO the consideration OF the Leg
sIature that the judgement OF court OF
competent jurisdiction is necessary % ensure :
na,fsct title to real estate sold for taxes. e,o'
fore suggest for the serious consideration q .n0
7 legislature the propriety of creating Dy "a"
snecia STATUTORY lien in favor OF the stale on an
estate subject TO taxation, TO lake effect from
The commencement of the fiscal year, sucn ien
~ have preference over any and all gother mems
On sr,ch real esate. 1t is possible that such lem
er;s,a under he present law, yet doubts o. sncn
he;no ne case may ia my opinion DO wei en'er.
tanned suggest the PIopreIy q aal.s1 -
revenue law, so that dennlte oay sHa.' 80
scribed. on or before which. all taxes on reaI &c,
tate shall be paid to the tax cohsssOl, W..