The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-01-03


be applied to tie Free School Fmnd
Mr.. Marshall. AS I understand the
reading of the amendment, shall be un-
willing to vote for it. did not intend to
take part in this debate, but from the very
fact that am anxious to see this matter
under. charge perfected, and n scheme OF
general education before the country, had
devoted some time to the subject to enable
me to come to = conclusion upon it, in or
der to lay the result before this body. But
it seems to ME that to confer upon the
commissioners of free schools the right to
say whether they shall levy a capitation
tax or an assessment tax is a power never
heretofore conferred upon that board-a
power that belongs to the Legislature, and
not to the commissioners OF free schools.
| would be unwilling to confer that power
on few men, constituted by this body, to
go home and to say to the people lyon
shall pay IL capitation tax or an assessment
tax" | am willing to raise money by any
means for the purpose of carrying educa-
ton to the houses of tie poor. | would
not care by what legal means I obtained
it. SO that we acquired Il sufficient amount
and that the money should be properly
distributed according to the free white
population. 1t is upon that plan that l
SHOULD. prefer to have the money distributed
-accordng to the free white population of
each district, and if you arc determined for
| the board to lave the power conferred upon
tl.cm before the people have conferred
upon us the right to decide. think you
will do wrong. You should submit the
question of capitation or assessment first
to them. The honorable members from
Grcenville, Darlington and Anderson, who
are in favor Of II capitation tax, may know
what the views Of their constituents are on
the subject. but must know whetln. my
people are in favor of capit,ion tax or
not, before do what might subject t EN-
to it. But am opposed to it. and | do
not know whether the people of my dis
trict would he willing to pay it or tot
There are some difficulties, and how to de-
eide between these two great extremes it is
difficult to say. Extremes on either side
never seem 10 he best. What is wanted is
some scheme by whic! to harnonize these
extremes, anil secure the education of the
poor. How is that scheme t. he adopted
Who is here prepared to submit plans that
will raise a sufficient amount for education,
without either OF tho extreme proposals
which have been made. That is the diff
culty that has been presented to my mind
all this time, an;l one reason why defer
rcd saying anything is. l have an amend
which shall propose that seems to me to
meet the views of those who stand mt the
different extremes, or at least. which would
carry the question Of either assessment or
,aptation to where it bclongs-tle voice
Of the people, in each election precinct or
parish. Then all the power, when they
have decided the question, which the com
missioncrs Of free schools will have, will
Le to lay a tax either hy assessment or by
capitation, AS the case may be-: The amend.
mcnt which propose is in the following
words:
SECTION /. That the several boards of
commissioners OF free schools or their res
pec,ive districts or parishes, shall have
power to levy, by assessment not exceeding
fifty per cent. upon the general tax, or ty
a capitation not exceeding one dollar per
head. and that the proceeds thus raised in
each district or pa'ish shall be expended as
the present appropriation made by tile
Legislature for the support of free schoalf.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose Of as
ccrtain'ng the sense of each district or
parish upon the question, whether they are
in favor of the assessment or capi,ation
tax, the managers of election for their res
pective districts or parishes, shall at the
next general election opon a box at each
election precinct, in Which each person en-.
titled to a vote shall depositc his ballot, on
which shall be written assessment" if he
is in favor Of an assessment, o, " capitation
tax" If lie is in favor of taxing each white
person over the iHge of tweuty-one years,
and the result Of the said election shall be
reported by the said managers to the COM
missioners OF free schools for said district
or parish. :. ''i. - ~ a'=-.,..i,':''
sEcr1os 3, That the said commissioners i,,r
Of free schools, for their respective districts
or parishes, shall direct tho tax collector to
collect either by assessment or capitation
ktax, as the case m'y be- the sum thus: fixed
F.by tie ssid commissioners, nna pay the same
over To tbe. .aeasurcr Of the toard Of coin
miissiopets i of Tee ssIi as 81 before the
frat, Monday in July in eacfs 90 ~
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n Musical Proaigy.-Wes clip the
loving from the Columbus (Ga.l iSsentii
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