Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-06

las years bill had much fallen off, and he did moi think
tnat we should receive thsn did under the Ia
bill of 1912 Moreover The tax does not fall upon ht
merchant, but upon The consumer. MIR. F. went on Ia
show, that there was only increase of $4,000 on
merchants licenses by the bill Of 1913 Mr. f Argued
that IN the proposed reduction money l,uned,
stocks, DC full justice had been done to the towns
Mr. DANIEL of Richmond City, maintained that the
gentleman had not considered the fact that great
many country stores had been brnken up, and that for
this reason the towns alone had paid t~othrds of the
increase Of the tax merchants licenses and Mr.. ID.
urged that the compel ton among the merchants IN
Richmond forced them 10 bear The tax itself, and not
pat It upon the consumers, alleged by Nj Edmunds
Upon the same ground It might be said that rents, &c.
fall upon the consumers Mr. d. protested against
this onerous burthen interest already declining
so fast.
MIR. EpMusus went on {, show that the increase of
taxa,on by the last year bill in the city Of Richmond
was only 10 per cent, while the county OF HALIFAX
the increase was 33s per cent and in the country &c
nerally, was 20 per cent, being case per cent
and in the other IL pc. cent in favor of Richmond
lie begged that the gentleman when he complained oil
the action OF this and the last Legislature, the sub
lect of taxation should visit his indignation upon the
Legislature previous to the last Winter, which had fixed
upon taxes that IN many instances had not been touch
ed oy the last or the present Legislature
Mr.. DANIEL Of r. c., repea,ed that the tax bill Of
the last session had operated most GENEROUSLY on the
city OF Richmond Mr.. D. contended, that IT remained
Tor the last Legislature 10 increase the taxes OF Rich
mond from $4,000 to $4,000. He maintained that
the tax on the city of Richmond increased III in
stead Of l6 per cent only Mr. D. said that no popu-
laon OF 10000, of the number and wealth, had
paid an aggregate increase of more than S0OO as did
the city of Richmond As to the tax on merchants H.
censss, the city of Richmond taxed an increased
aggregate OF $4,000, and the tax them should be re-
duced ~ per cent as on other subjects
Mr.. EDaUNps argued, that the great increase of
taxation upon the genteman's constituents had been
produced by the Legislature of 1912, of the poll
cal party with the gentleman OF Richmond, who was
prominent member Of that body, and he should visit
his indignation upon that Legislature, and not upon
The last Legislature, which had shown favor TO Rich
mond, BY increasing their taxes less than those of
the country. He hoped the gentleman would do
Justice to the last and the present Legislature
Mr.. r. said, that had the taxes been increased in
the CITY of Richmond, the revenue showed they
were in 1S43 in Halifax, Albemare, Culpeper, &C.
that city would have paid increase of 9ODO instead
of $4,000 la Halifax, (ot about the same population
as RIchmond) the average increase of taxes had been
much greater than in Richmond. The increase OF such
average increase, should be according to the wealth.
&c, which in the city exceeded that of the County
mr DANIEL, of Richmond City, protested agaIns,
this Introduction of party IN matter of dollars and
cents Mr.. ID. asked if the property of the City of
Richmond was properly valued ut one. fourteenth Of
the whele property of the State and proper to
pay one-founeenth Of the whole revenue in AZ or
one-thiriee nth as in 43
Mr. BRoADus, of the Committee Finance,
planned The objects of the Committee in maturing their
measures IL the increase Of taxation, in instance,
had been equal the increase in the other the reduc
ton ought 10 have been equal. But the Committee
found this be the fact The increase per cent.
Of taxation lands, slaves, horses, &c, was much
greater than merchants licenses The increase upon
merchants licenses in Richmond, had been about Is
per cent only while The increase upon the whole tax
in Culpeper, 81 per cent. Therefore. the Tux on
lands, &c, should be reduced more than on merchants
licenses. This nothing bnt justice. Mr.
scorned reference to party, by either side on this
que stion He aaomnated the Juggling in of "pnriy"
on this subject, in which all parties, Wings and De-
mocra,s, were deeply interested When called upon,
he good party man but here, on subject
Of momentous concern, he went for the interest OF the
whole State and anxious to do justice 10 town and
country and 10 all the various interests of the State
MIR. WIrcHER surprised at the want OF light ex-
hbited to the rate of increase of taxation on mer
chants per eapita-and according to the graduated
scale. The arguments drawn from the aggregate IN
crease must be erraneous-becarss many merchants
NAV have failed md there might be fewer to pay It,
Mr. EpMuSDs Showed that the increase of tax
merchants licenses between ~ and 43, was not great
because the increase according to the graduated scales
was only S25 the maximum OF 1912 1t was mol
important to know how many merchants paid the tax
Il was sufficient 10 know how many goods were sold
Mr. LAsiER explained why the tax on merchants
should he reduced proporlionaly with that on lands
Mr. BYRD Of F., calld the ayes md noes The blank
was filed with 500 by the following vote:
-7gcS-Messrs toIieman, (Speuker,) Drown ol nj
bemarle, Southall, Layne, Harvie Powell, Bell, Full
ton, Van Buren,, Tompsins, Thompson of Botetour
Edmiston, Stanton, Meredith, Bck, Bocock, Jones Of
Buckingham, Shelton, Marshall of Charlotte, Hancock,
Broadus, Thompson Of Dnwiddie, Brown of EIzabe tn
City and Warwick, Keith Marshall of Fauquer, Ty-
rec Banks of Floyd Byrd of Frederick, Pendleton of
Giles and Mercer Leake, Carroll, Cregh, Edmunds,
Stovull, Blue, Ward, Miles, Armstrong, Raymond,
Pace, Turner, Lnmkn Halves, Bales, Farley, Jackson,
Banks of Madison, Morgan, N,colson, Bowlby, Hami-
vi, hon n Nor
thumberland, Davis, M'Pherson, Crtz, Bird of PEN
dleton, Gay, Baldwin Anderson, Dey, Daniel of Prince
George, Brawnpr, S,urm, Eastman, Barnes, More,
White, Martz Cootes, Cowan, Kane, Slickley, Den-
son, Tate, Hedgman Warren. Walker, HARRISON, Ste
phenson, Burwesl, Gondson, Neal and M'Comas-S7
Noes Messrs Campbell, Snodgrass, tendleton of i,
Brown of Campbell Lacy, Ho5son, Garrett, Winston,
M'Rae, Gallaher, Wallace, Mayo, Grub, Carter,
Tebbs, PARROT, Armstrong Of Mason and Jackson,
Norhnston, Taylor, Oliver, Edglngton. Wtcher, La
nier Cooke, Daniel Of Richmond CITY, Minor, and hice
of Westmoreland-27.
Mr. Cooke moved to strike ont the proviso, levy'ng
an additional tax of Sl5 retail merchants, who sha u
sell by retail ardent spirits fle was "teetoaler,
but he did net wish any legislative interference to check
the vice Of ntemperance He thought II wrong TO Sc
lect one article and to burtIen it over all others
Mr. BLUE said the ouly object Of the Committee was
to raise revenue By this tax.
Mr. GALLAnEa though, the operation of this tax I'M
equal This lax should be graduated according TO the
sales OF liquor
d,ous distinction between the same class OF people
Mr. PEaDLEToS Of Giles and Mercer, asked the nyes
and noes on Mr. Cookies motion to strike out, which
was ost-ayes l6, noes %.
Mr. DAyIEL OF Prince George moved to introduce a
tax of $40 annual sales under Soo onsss ,s
on small merchants.
The motion was lost-ayes 43, noes &C.
Mr. EpMuSDs moved to fill the tax on lotteries at
| 81 900. Carried.
Mr.. GALLAHER moved to graduate the tax on foreign
and the tax lotteries authorized BY this Common.
veal h. as to fix the the latter at $500 but
accepted The suggestion Of Mr.. BLUE, to fix it at S5oo
Mr.. DANIEL Of Richmond City explained the facts,
and urged the proprie,y of The amendment IL would
increase the revenue.
Mr.. BLUE gave the history of the Lottery for the
Romney Academy, in which the tax was $780, when 'he
charter granted not just that the purchaser
of the scheme should be taxed 900 for selling tick
els
| Mr. EpMUHDs stated that the committee were in
formed that tn, Messrs Gregory have the complete
monopoly of these domestic otteries by an agreement