Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-08-25
USELESS TAXATION.

There is much unnecessary taxation and
expense submitted TO by the people every
year for which they receive no adequate
consideration. Thousands of dollars are
annually paid for The recording of deeds,
mortgages, and other instruments, three
lourths of which might be saved, would the
people only go to work in earnest to reform
some Of the existing evils. The forms of
deeds. bonds and mortgages like court
pleadings, are spun out to an unreasonable
length. One of the principal reasons why
legal papers of all kinds, are so prolx; con
tain such a redundancy of words, and are
of such tedious length, is oweing to the sys-
tenn of char ging for the wiring and record
ing Of legal instruments by the folio: this
system of changing by the fol o for recording
was adopted in Great Britain many centuries
ag"; that it has led TO great impositons ard
abuses, C mnot be questioned, and it is
doubtless one of the reasons why legal
forms have not long since been dives,ed Of
their redundencies and useless phrases, and
made short and comprehensive as they
should be. Suppose the law allowed a
| blacksmith to charge by the nail for shoe
ing horse; would not an ingenious black
smith contrve to use fifty or a hundred
nails in a single horseshoe? So Of other
branches of mechanical industry; if the cars
penter was above fair price by law for
every blow he struck in the building Of a
house, hc would most likely conrive TO ham
mcr away the year round As a conse-
quence of this prolific system, twenty fol-, $
have been frequently taxed and allowed in
the state Of New York for declaration on
promisory note (sx iolios more than is
contained in the declaration of lndepcn-
dence,) when ali thai is necessary should be
stated in one folio.
The people of Racine county pay heavy
tax every year, in the shape of fees to the
registers office for recording deeds, mort
cages sc. The office Of register is one of
the most profitable In the county, hence it
is not surprising that there should be great
many aspiran's every year TO obtain it; a
candidate does not mind spending hum
died dollars or more, during the election
campaign if can bu, succeed to the office.
While the emoluments of the office contiu-
ne to be as great as they now are, there
doubtless will be much political squabling
every year for this particular station. Now
no earthly reason can be rendered, why The
recording Of deed should cost over twen-
ty-fvc cents; this sum pays the expense
of recording in several states of the ONION,
and the business is done as we'll, and quite
as safely for the people, as where the COS,
is four times as great The forms of deeds
and mortgages now in common use, should
be reduced TO one fourth their present length
this might be done without endangcung the
rights of persons or property. In the win
Ter Of lS45 the legislature Of the State of
New York, called upon the Attorney Gen.
eral oi NE state py resolution TO furnish
short folm of deed: that officer did not
comply with the call, but gentleman of
high aud acknowledged legal reputation
furnished The following form:
in consideration of
10 me paid by do grant in fee
10 said the lot oil land i'm the
town OF IN the county of des-
crlbOd as followsg
Witness my hand and seal this
day of lS4
The above is good and sufficient con.
veyance Of land in fee. Sec. Kenl's
commentaries 452, 46I. Where there are
no covenants expressly implied in deeds by
statute, says he author Of the above form. |