The Port-Gibson correspondent., 1843-07-29

II ssssstN tttN kt1A[ttNS1A ~ tuF 70 BpltES o.
lands with very doubtful title thereto.
i entertain serious doubts whether pur-
lclasers Of lands at sales made under the
i present revenue laws acquire any tile
i to The lands purchased under such sales.
leven # the lands are regularly adgertis.
leg u Z public newspaper which has 4
4 general circulation as public Journal.
4 am well satisfied that the purchaser
does not acquire lille 10 Iands sold for
taxes under The revenue law where the
land Is not advertised lor sal ia q news.
Z. paper, but in liee thereof is advertised ia
.sone Of these little fraudulent sheets, got.
Z that purpose only, and which
i has neither subscribers nor circulation.
An advertisement Of lands for sale Ia
such sheet ID not "a compliance with The
Jaw 0l the stete OH that subject, biit is IIl
! my opinion q fraud both on the revenue
4 law Of The state, as well as on the tax
payers. ! am informed that combina>
q tons have taken place in two or three
! lcounties of the state, between the tax
collectors and the proprieiors of some of
i the short lived sheets (Which spring up
at the season of the year when lands are
subject 70 be advertised FOR sale for taxes,
and become extinct when that public SER
vice passes over Insuch combinations
!. Il IS understood that such tax collector
and such proprietors are copartners, and
have joint interest in the advertisement,
Tor in The money received therefor. am
4 happy orthe honor Of the tax collectors
Ito be able to say, however, that these
combinations are Of rare occurrence -
lone hagrant instance will mention,
which was brought 10 my consideration
] by the auditor of public accounts. This
is the collector Of Rankin county, who is
supposed to be combined with, or ii co.
'Ipartnership with the proprietor of one Of
these short lived fraudulentiy gotten Up
sheets or hand bills for the purpose only
of advertising lands for sale. This col
Hector collected the state tax due from
1.-The citizens Of Rankin county, ard IN
stead Of settling his account with the Au.
ditor Of Public Accounts, as required BY
law, and paying tho amount of taxes col
lected into the state treasury, In vicla-
lion Of The Law Of the slate and the ex-
press instruction Of the Auditor, he en-
bezzled as am informed, the greater
ii state taxes 81 eolieeset,
aud paid over the sans to tic proprietor
lof This fraudulent sheet on D pretended
isg Nerlssing lands FER sale for
state taxes. he state has as vet been
less d sufferer on account of such ouira-
ges than the tax payers, as The Auditor
lof Public Accounts has with my appro-
baton refused 10 counIenance such pals
pable and outrageous frauds as i esteem
them 10 Be. Il is probable however, that
these harpies may attempt to reach the
Treasury through the medium Of the Les
/ gislaIure. The connection Of the state
lin the collection Of the revenue with The
press, in my opinion IS attended With
many other inconVeniences than those
above enumerated For instance itcau.
ses The state to be a great land proprietor
by doubtful title in amount greatly be
yond what il would if such connection
did not exist. The fact Of the state be-
ing such land proprietor, and the fact
that such lands are subjsctto redemption.
will augment The dulles Of the Auditor Of
Public Accounts, fnoW too burthensome
for any one man 70 perforn1 perhaps
ten fold, and would make il indispensa
bly, necessary for the performance ofthe
duties of that office q create additional
officers IN the Auditor Is department At a
heavy expense for such additional off i
GERS, without any equivalent to the state
for such additional expense. Under all
these circumstances suggest Cor your
consideration whether The Legislature IS
notunder The most imperative obligation
10 dissolve all possible connection d the
collection Of the revenue, between the
state and the public press.
do therefore recommend q repeal ofI
So much of the revenue law as requires
lands sold for the payment Of the taxes
due thereon, 10 be advertised ID news
paper. know of no Inconvenience or
loss which would accrue either 10 the /
state Or ID the tax payer BY such repeal
when Ga tie other hand, lam fully salts.
fed that aa irnmenss saving will bo nladel
20 both. Should it Be deemed necessary
is advertise lands for sale for the pay T
ment Of the taxes due lhefeons suggest
whether al advert rEIsement posted on the
door Of The court house Of the county and
two or three other public places n the
county, would not have As much utility
Be as effective and as beneficial 70 the
parties concerned as the insertion of such |
advertisement q public newspa per, and !
much more 50 than By publication %
sheet issued FOR that purpose alons, and
which has neither circulation nor sub
soribeFs. an inclined 70 the opinion
and respectfully recommend the same 70
The consideration Of the Legislature. that
the iudgment0f court 81 record q COM
.e-...L ..l..z-. ..-.an IS nerezsar- 20 ensure I