Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-17

r,onwealth may require; all of which, doubtless Sir,
will be altered, modified, mended abandoned, as the
superior wisdom Of the House will indicate: lst. An
increase at one end half cents per hundred dollars Of
vsae on land This would be cent increase on s'x
aud wutiId acres cfand worth $40 per mere; cent
m thirteen and one third acres worth S., per nc'e
thirty seven and half cents on tract Of 500 acres
worth - per- acre; and % cents increase tract OF
500 acres worth $40 per end An increase OF tour
cents per head slaves above l2 years ofnge An IN
preston xlss on the minds OF many gentlemen, That
the tax on slaves ia higher in proportion To value than
on and THIS has not been confirmed by my reflections
The tax on slaves is forty cents rer head; on land,
twelve and half the hundred dollars Of value.
A lands, productive aud unproductve, are taxed, and
slaves only above twelve years. If The value OF slaves
of all ages vas estimated ut an average OF $780, rate
not supposed to be dproportoned 10 The assessed value
OF the lands and the al rac.rm tax imposed upon
them rs IN land VIZ twelve and half cents per IN
dred dollars 81 value il would be - cents per hea,l the
number by The Census being about i3o,W9, the hggte
gate lax would amount 10 Si2 .50-it is now on;y
Sl0o,oo0. Again ZOO of assessed value Of land
now S62 % The annual product oiiha land cannot
average over . per cent viz 81 900 The tax on tins
amounts TO four and sixth per cent. $50Gc0 IN
slaves over twelve years, at 1898 each, would he 100
IN number; Their hire, $40 each per annum, Sb,O00
the tax, at 10 cents each $50. But one per cent
the annual product con;rased with four per cent and
one sixth on the annual product ofland is fully enough
10 compensate Tor the difference i'll the security Of the
property.
The next subject is the graduation Of merchants
licenses In many States merchants capital is taxed;
bu, III the revolutions of trade their capital often uc-
uatcs: II might be injurious 10 them 10 expose il. The
object can be probably more eqni'aby attained by a
graduation of the license The present license tax is
manestly unjust; imposing the same tax on The mer.
chant who sells $4,000 1000 worth OF goods !
would propose, in lieu of The present tax oil twenty
dollars upon all alike, 10 fix minimum, say, $b00o;
e censea should be required 10 be paid rs at present
and, on the application for IT, the merchant should he
required 10 give bond with security that al the close oil
the year he should mike return Of the excess of has
salcs over $4,000 and pay pro rata on such excess IL
may be argued, that they should not pay proportion
10 their sales as tie merchant no sells large amount
Of goods sells for less profit. ! would reply that
merchant selling only 5000 worth Of goods attending
to 1t Inse IN person. his services Us clerk are worth
5000 per annnm, the interest his money $500
$500 or IL per cent upon his capital before he reaches
the profit point. lie who sells 5000, managing his
business himself with the aid CT three clerks at similar
salaries, would make $4,000 the interest his capital
S6,W0-S lU0 less than q per cent. on his capital be-
fore he reaches his profit point and afford 10 FELL Tor
Less. The one sleeps III shed Of counting room, and
the other in palace.
All capital in bank stock, Stale stock, insurance
companies, joint stock companies, monies at interest.
&c making the land tax The standard Of Taxation upon
those subjects, and 10 avoid the hardshps which would
arise from their nctua,on the tax might be levied Upon
their dividends or annual receipts. The tax on land
being ~ cents in the hundred dollars Of value,
ing the annual product Of land nj SIX per cent (ionhe
lis actual product, ard far in favor of the monied
captalist the tax on Tie income o! The land would be
two per cen,un; then tax two per centum upon The
dividends OF 'Lese stocks, and two per cenlum on
the Of interests actually received inter
ests paid by individuals lOanng money. 1t may DC
objected that tie Banks paying bonus, they ought not
10 he taxed. In reply, would state, that the bonus
n,u he of
vege, Which is denied To ell other citizens and cannot
be Justly construed 10 exempt them from the equal
participation in the turtheEs Of taxation, than mer.
chant license should exempt hH other property. This
bonus paid for the privilege through their banking
operations, Of levying tax on the community equal 10
their entire dividend officers salaries, and other ex-
pcnses, including their bad debts, amounting to an
annual tax greater than that imposed Tor the expenses
of the State Government, with the interest OF It's debt
Ii is true, IS paid by the merchant who borrows The
money the first instance but to be added to the cost
and charges of his goods the import duty is by the
importing merchant, ana is levied upon the commerce
agriculture and manufactures Of the State, 10 be paid
by the producing classes, and the price paid hy the
people ofthe Stne, uctuang from $500 600 to ODO
per aunum, for the of paper money. Also, S!ule
siocks-thc Stale agreed TO pay the Individual from
whom il borrowed much for the use ol h;s money,
hut could not be understood TO add also exemption
from his share Of The buens Of taxation according 10
his ability.
come not derived from money, property or stock such
the salaries Of public officers officers OF jont stock
companies wages received from individuals the in.
come no. under $3.50. Here again the same principle
should be applied Of two per cent as being fair pro-
portion with the land tax. $4,000 worth Of land, its
income estimated att per cent the tax on 1t 500, or
per cent. its income. salary Of 50 900 at per
cent, is SG0-tie salary is uncertain it's duration,
hut certain in is amount. The land permanent, but
entirely precarious in lis annual income. The ability
of the monied income TO pay 10. the time being, IS
much greater than that of the land Rather than sub.
tract from the necessities Of the citizen, would fix
limit Of $3.50 below which the lax should moi be LEVIED;
thus, man receiving an income OF S.'00 shnnid pay
one dollar-SIG0 three dollars $780, five dollars and
= per cent on the increase. tax on professional
men-tbls war tax, and upon the principle oi
ability 10 pay, is certainly Just one An objection
may be urged against it, lax on knowledge or in
lellect And is not intellect and knowledge The capital
of the professional man. as much as his goods or money
are the capital Of the merchant, land Of The farmer
IL great produces money, and capacity 10 pay surpass.
ing often that Of monied landed capital. knowledge
is Of the highest order, and that of which It's pos
SCISSOR cannot be deprived long life and reason last
T the has not the power OF the AlchymIsl 10
extract gold from stones, he relax the grasp OF the
m>er and extract money from him, for The restoration
Of his health the protection Of his property. light
I'd with intellect, improved by labor and the advantages
Of education il places him next in the order OF beings
10 his Creator; and is his capacity TO contribute 10 be
ranked with him who has but the average intellect o!
his species, and is forced 10 rely his mere animal
,hews and snews 10 supply bis wants. Sir, the prin
cc is just, tiat each should contribute in proportion
to his ablity-and the ability of the professional man
is certainly greater than that of the laborer
A might be levied on eonvcyances Of these, IS
estimated there 10000 year in the State tax OF
% cents rnc conveyance the value the property
conveyed being less than $500, and % cents for each
decreased $500 of value, to be paid TO the CLERK Oh The
! record of the deed.
A tax on property acquired by descent or devise of
one quarter Of one per cent on al sums or value below
500 or 81 GEO. gradually increasing the proportion Of
one per cent, until you have reached maximum OF
one per large amounts; to be paid BY the ad
to the clerks of Tic counties; t. be doubled
when the property passes to collateral branches The
omoun. of ;rsona property received by descent or
otherwise, estimated annually at S5,0O0,00O 1t is
supposed that individual would pay asligh tax more
cheerlully at The moment Of entering upon the enjoy
ment of an estate than at any other time.
The estimate of the above taxes, taking the land
tax nj II cents on the hundred dollars, and rating The
TAX on the dividends Of s,ocks or lonns OF money and
salaries and wages, have already stated, by thai
Standard " ould be as follows, viz: