Litchfield enquirer., 1850-07-04
From he cOGrant.
TIE New Tax Law.

found on no statute book no man can
obey it, or be held responsible in any
court of justice for such neglect. :,
The first section declares that real and
personal property, shall pay the same
tax. We city gentlemen have no reason
70 complain Of this, as the scrubbinng far
mer of Barkhamsted or Union, who gets
perhaps two per cent. from his farm.
will now pay the same as the stockhold'
er in the Hartford Bank, who gets nine
per cent.
wish to call your attention to section
I'd, which is in these words !: Person
al property for the purpose Of taxation,
shall be deemed TO include all goods,
chattels, moneys and effects whatsoever
they be, Except wearing apparel> and
Ill ships and vessels, whether at home or
abroad, owned by any resident Of this
state in addition to personal property.
now by law taxable" 1t is subsequently
provided that every man shall make out
his list and swear to ii as being " true
and juH disclosure Of his tara6te proper
ty," and if he gives false account he
must 60 to Wethersfeld.
No we must make out an enumera-
ton of every thing tangible and intangi-
BILE in the nature of property, though it
be mere claim or demand, right or in
terest, and wherever it may be on the
face Of the earth, and il the list is not a
true and a "full disclosure" imprison
ment if the consequence. Good heav
ems who will dare to yield obedience to
this law. The person is not to send in
any volus Of hls property, but list Of
alt his taxable property specifically, so
that the assessors may give it specific
value. This he cannot do without
enumerating every article Of furniture in
his house, every tool in his barn, every
pound of pork in the barrel, every BUSH
ii OF potatoes in the cellar, every mouse
trap, every family utensil and every
claim on book. What shall he do with
his store of goods in Mobile, bis stock in
coal NINE IN Pennsylvania, his interest
| in railroad in England, his stock in a
corporation in Canada :? Who on earth
is to value this property, can the assess
ors Of Hartford? A ship sailed on the
LIST Of October--she is greatly damaged
or lost before the 20th, and yet their
owner is TO be taxeo as for his $4,000
in the ship. But to bring this little
nearer home. The merchants in this
city are to be taxed for the full vai1e
OF the stock which they may happen to
have on hsnd on the goth day OF
October, the carriage maker and cabinet
maker for all the carriages or furniture
he may have ON hand, the dealerin boots
and shoes for every pair they have on
hand, and our large dealers in wool, who
on the 10th Of October purchased $780,
600 worth, and sold it, on the Goth Of
October, and so every mechanic must
enumerate his stock, wrought or un :
wrought and his tools that the assessors
may Be abis to palue ttsap. Why such
a law cannot be carried cut, no man will
dare attempt it, no court will punish
him for disbbediencc. Suppose = mer.
chant has q store Of goods OF $4,000 for
which > owes $4,000, he must pay tax
on $lO, 200, and if he recruits his store
before the Goth of October, he must pay
SO much more than the one who reci uils
the day after, and he must enumerate to
the assessors his entire debts and credits,
for a balance ID his favor is property.
All assessments on attorneys, physi>
clans, tayerners, distillers, manufactures,
are abolished--lhese gentlemen now go
free, and what do you think is substituted
why merely the materials in the hand OF
the manufacturer and mechanic which he
may happen TO have just on the t'Ocnts-
etk of october. What a suicidal policy
as to the business Of this State. Sup
pose the market BE- depressed and the
manufacturer is obliged to have on hand
q surplus stock Of manufactured goods
or sell them to his ruin; is he TO be pun
ished for this? aud is the blacksmith to
be taxed for every pound Of old iron
which he has just purchase 70 work
up? For shame! Democraey!
Ihaye farm in Massachusetts. How
can | make out list Of all the goods,
chattels, moneys and effects " then. even
to every chicken and every hen coop, as
u must do. Tlere is but me consolation
in looking upon this law. and that is that
there is no penalty for not making out =
list, and all prudent men will disobeys
this law rather than subject themselves
to the consequences Of making out an
untrue list. Democracy showed its wis
dom in not accompanying the neglect TO
obey the law with any penal consequen~
ces.
1t is the extreme Of folly TO tax all
property Observation-Disclosures our policy
has bsen TO tax certain property speciti,
cally, leaving the rest lntrAmmelled for
the greater prosperity Of the community;
had Democracy seen fit to change the
policy, they might have taxed men ac-
cording to tEeir income Or gross property
to be assessed by the assessors. leaving
the person taxed 70 reduce the sum BY
his own cath; but the attempt to tax all
-